I Went to an All-You-Can-Eat Christmas Market

Was it worth it?

The spiced allure of a sticky sweet Glühwein, the cheese-pull warmth of Käsespätzle, and the overall excitement in the cold winter air — nothing captures the holiday spirit more than the beloved Christmas market.

In this special edition of Favorite Food, we explore not just one food but everything at an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) Christmas market. An AYCE Christmas market is unheard of, and AYCE anything is uncommon in Germany, which made it even more appealing.

Is true happiness an endless conveyor belt full of sausages and pretzels?

Weihnachtsmarkt an der Spree

You need to buy tickets in advance. Prices start at 24.80 euros and go up depending on which day/time you go. We managed to get the latest slot (8-10 pm), which was priced at the weekend rate of 30 euros (even though it was a Thursday).

We arrived at 7:45 pm and a line of people was already waiting for the 8 pm slot. The organizers sent an email earlier warning everyone about long lines. We strategized how to approach the night.

It’s a cute Christmas market but I only have this terrible photo of it. Priorities, I guess.

Luckily, the lines were short and we barely waited at any of the stands. This meant we ate a lot and very quickly. Instead of the usual slow stroll around the Christmas market, we ate and drank non-stop.

Did We Get Our Money’s Worth?

Here’s everything we ate with estimated costs based on other Christmas markets:

1. Glühwein #1 | 5 euros

   Upon entry, we were given a 2 euro deposit for our cups. These cups are not as cute as normal Christmas market mugs, but the Glühwein tastes the same.

   

   I think they need to upgrade to actual mugs.

2. Salmon bread | 4 euros | Running total: 9 euros

   We started here because it had the shortest line. They were pretty decent with a slightly sweet sauce on top.

   

   A great start to the AYCE Christmas market.

3. Sausage | 7 euros | Running total: 16 euros

   We moved quickly onto the sausage stand. I was surprised that the portion size was the same as at a normal Christmas market.

   

   We were really excited to eat these as if we’ve been deprived of sausages in Germany.

4. Glühwein #2 | 5 euros | Running total: 21 euros

   We stopped for a second refill of sticky sweet Glühwein.

   

   The stuff headaches are made of.

5. Käsespätzle | 6 euros | Running total: 27 euros

   This was actually really good. The portion was smaller, but it was perfect because I was already starting to get full.

   

   Hard to go wrong with this classic mac-and-cheese like dish.

6. Pulled Pork Burger | 8 euros | Running total: 35 euros

   I was surprised to see this offered at the Christmas market since it’s not traditional, but it was surprisingly good. Felix ate 2.

   

   An interesting but tasty addition to Christmas market fare.

7. Leberkäse | 5 euros | Running total: 40 euros

   I skipped this one because I was already carbed out, but Art and Felix ate one and thought it was decent.

   

   I’d tapped out of the carb arena already.

8. Chili Con Carne | 4 euros | Running total: 44 euros

   A smaller portion. At this point, I was incredibly full but ate all of it.

   

   Somehow I always want chili in a bread bowl.

9. Glühwein #3 | 5 euros | Running total: 49 euros

   In my food coma, I forget to take a photo of our 3rd refill.

10. Gebrannte Mandeln | 3 euros | Running total: 52 euros

    I’m not a sweets person, but we had to get some sugar-roasted almonds, obviously. At this point we were sitting down and struggling.

    

    Photo-taking is getting lazier by the minute as the food coma hits my brain.

11. Waffle and Quark Donuts | 8 euros | Running total: 60 euros

    Felix rounded it out with a waffle and some Quark donuts (not sure what the English translation is). We all felt terrible by now.

    

    This might as well have been Felix’s victory lap.

We ended up eating about 50-60 euros worth per person. It’s safe to say that we ate our money’s worth and our weight’s worth.

But by the end, the 3 of us were groaning about how miserably full we were. After we’d had enough of the knock-off Christmas tunes blaring from the nearby speakers, we decided to go home.

It was only 9:30 pm. 

When we got home, Art asked me to promise him we’d never go to an AYCE Christmas market again. But despite feeling terrible, I couldn’t bring myself to promise I’d never go again — I think it’s worth it.