Luxembourg's Christmas markets (Wäintnaachtsmäert) turn the old town into a culinary wonderland. Here are the 10 traditional delicacies worth queueing for — and how to make the classics at home.
Luxembourg's Christmas markets — the Wäintnaachtsmäert — transform the old town into a culinary wonderland from late November to Christmas Eve. Between the chalets on Place d'Armes and Place de la Constitution, the real attraction at this Christmas market Luxembourg is famous for is the food: centuries-old recipes served hot, by hand, under the lights.
Here are the 10 traditional delicacies worth queueing for, what each one tastes like, and how to make the classics at home.
Quick answer — the 3 you can't skip
- Glühwein — hot spiced mulled wine, the drink of the season
- Gromperekichelcher — crispy fried potato fritters, Luxembourg's iconic street food
- Rieslingspaschteit — savoury pork pâté baked in pastry with Riesling jelly
The heart of any Luxembourg Christmas market. Red wine is gently warmed with cloves, cinnamon, star anise and citrus until the whole stall smells of the season. It's served in a souvenir mug you pay a deposit on — and it's as much about warming your hands as your spirits.
Homemade Glühwein recipe
- 1 bottle red wine (750 ml)
- 1 orange, sliced
- 8 whole cloves · 2 cinnamon sticks · 2 star anise
- 2–4 tbsp sugar or honey, to taste
- Optional: a splash of brandy or rum
Warm everything in a saucepan over low–medium heat (never let it boil) and simmer 20–30 minutes. Strain into mugs and garnish with a cinnamon stick or orange slice.
Luxembourg's most famous street food. Grated potato, onion, parsley and garlic are bound together and deep-fried until golden and crisp at the edges, soft in the middle. Eaten hot off the griddle, often with apple sauce. If you try one thing, make it this.
A pork (and sometimes veal) pâté baked inside a pastry crust and set with a Riesling-infused jelly. Rich, savoury and unmistakably Luxembourgish — it nods to the country's Moselle wine heritage in every slice.
Little brioche or marzipan figures shaped like men, traditionally baked for St Nicholas Day (6 December) with a clay pipe tucked in. A favourite with children and a charming edible souvenir.
Often called Luxembourg's national dish: smoked pork collar simmered and served with broad beans in a creamy sauce, usually alongside boiled potatoes. Hearty, warming winter comfort food.
Whole apples wrapped in pastry, baked until tender and dusted with sugar and cinnamon. The aroma alone pulls you toward the stall — a cosy, fragrant dessert built for cold evenings.
A grilled sausage seasoned with wine, served in a crusty roll with mustard. The market's answer to fast food: smoky, juicy and best eaten standing up by the grill.
A thin pastry base covered in halved Quetsch plums and baked until the fruit caramelises at the edges. Tart, sweet and deeply seasonal — Luxembourg's signature autumn-into-winter bake.
Sold by the paper cone, roasted over coals until the shells split. Simple, warming and the most portable snack on the market — the smell of roasting chestnuts is part of the atmosphere itself.
Many stalls and nearby cellars offer boards of regional and Moselle-paired cheeses — a relaxed, grazing way to taste the country's dairy tradition between the sweeter treats.
You don't need a market stall to enjoy these flavours. Glühwein and Gromperekichelcher are easy to recreate, and a festive cooking class has become one of the most popular December team events in Luxembourg — teams cook seasonal dishes together, then sit down to eat what they made.
If you're planning an end-of-year gathering, ChefPassport runs hands-on Luxembourgish and seasonal cooking experiences in Luxembourg and virtually worldwide — a warmer alternative to the usual restaurant dinner.
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