German food shines at Oktoberfest

NEWBERRY — The City of Newberry’s Oktoberfest is this Saturday, and a major part of the festival will be the German inspired cuisine.

While visitors can get other food items such as barbecue, soul food and various other fair foods, this article will focus on the German food.

This year, there will be approximately 15 food vendors downtown — all surrounding Community Hall (209 Caldwell Street). There will be seven new-to-Oktoberfest vendors and eight returners and of course, the various restaurants you can visit already located downtown.

Mayor Foster Senn said that food is one of the best parts of Oktoberfest, the writer of this article wholeheartedly agrees.

“I generally start with sampling various booths so I can get a little bit of several different things. Always have, as a highlight, a sausage bratwurst. Then I’ll hit a dessert booth and maybe stop by Laila’s Place for ice cream to top it off,” he said.

So let’s take a look at some of the German food options Senn and other visitors will have:

• 5R Concessions, a new vendor, will have sausage with peppers and onions.

• Bill & Fran’s Restaurant, a returning vendor (and Newberry staple), will have bacon wrapped bratwurst with sauerkraut.

• Blessed by the Best Soul Food, a new vendor, will have bratwurst with sauerkraut.

• Carolina Cookin’, a returning vendor, will have bratwurst with sauerkraut.

• Crossroads BBQ, a returning vendor, will have beer-braised brisket.

• Gripps Grills Concessions, a new vendor, will have bratwurst with sauerkraut.

• Haute Dog Lady, a returning vendor, will have her Oktoberfest dog with seasoned kraut.

• Huck ‘n Olivers, a new vendor, will have schnitzel sandwiches.

• Kona Ice, a new vendor, will have krish banane (shaved ice flavor/ cherry banana).

• Palms Grill, a returning vendor (and Newberry staple), will have bratwurst and liver nips.

• Rolling Dough Food Truck, a new vendor, will have pretzels and Bavarian cream doughnuts.

• Smell My Smoke, a returning vendor, will have bratwurst with peppers and onions.

• TKO Concessions, a returning vendor, will have German potato salad.

• Wildwes’ Smoked Fusion, a new vendor, will have hefeweizen braised smoked turkey. 

• Wurst Wagen, a returning vendor, will have their full menu which of course includes currywurst, to the delight of the publisher of this paper.

“So long as there is currywurst, I’m happy,” said Publisher Andy Husk.

As previously stated, there are various restaurants downtown that will be open on Saturday, and city staff recommend stopping by and seeing what they are offering on the day as well.

Tourism and Events Manager Bridget Carey said that on the day she is looking forward to a soft pretzel.

“You cannot get the pretzels you can get at Oktoberfest any other time,” she said.

Michelle Long, executive director of the Newberry County Chamber of Commerce, said she will be on the search for pork Schnitzel and, of course, a good German beer.

Councilperson Carlton Kinard said, “I’m looking forward to eating Polish sausage, the one thing I look forward to eating every year, and washing it down with a nice cold beverage.”