Germany's evolving sidewalk snack scene

The story goes that the currywurst (curry sausage) was invented in Berlin on September 4, 1949, after a British soldier gave imbiss owner Herta Heuwer curry powder that soon seasoned her snacks. It became the traditional postwar snack for Berliners and Ruhr area residents. It is often served in combination with French fries and has long helped shaped the identity of the working classes.

Traditional German street snacks such as "currywurst" — and its less exotic relative, the "rostbratwurst" (grilled sausage) — are usually eaten at a tall bar table in front of the wurstbude (sausage snack bar). The wurstbude is especially widespread in western Germany and Berlin and serves as a recurring backdrop in the Cologne version of the popular TV detective series, "Tatort."

For northern Germans, fish rolls are the snack of choice. And they're so easy to prepare: White herring (pictured), North Sea crabs or salmon are packed between two halves of the roll and garnished with salad and onions. That's it! The fish roll is a classic German snack "to go" and has been around since the start of mass tourism in the 1960s.

Fish rolls are sold at fish stands like this one in Hamburg's harbor. The maritime snack became a real cult after the former ill-reputed "Reeperbahn" red light district become a party street. Since then, fish sandwiches have been an essential part of any visit to Hamburg — especially after a long night out drinking.

You can find this mainstay of German snack bar culture all over the nation, but especially in the Ruhr area and in the Rhineland. These relaxed and casual locales see patrons stand at tall tables and chat after work over coffee, beer or a sandwich.

The quickly prepared, tasty Italian food began its triumphal march in Germany in the 1950s after the arrival of the first guest workers, which included Italians. It's still one of the most popular snacks today, either as a takeaway slice or sitting down to a full serve of cheese and tomato goodness in a pizzeria.

In the meantime, contemporary foodie stalls and food trucks are springing up across German cities, and festivals, and cater for every diverse taste — and the environmentally conscious. Here someone is enjoying an insect burger in central Germany (Osnabrück) whose protein rich "flesh" was made from cereal leaf beetle larvae — a more sustainable but no less tasty form of animal protein.