8 Ecuadorian And German Food Spots In New York State Worth Trying Before The 2026 World Cup Match
Ecuador and Germany share nothing on the pitch and everything at the table in terms of food that rewards the person willing to seek it out before the whistle blows.
New York State has both cuisines represented by kitchens that learned these dishes the right way and have been cooking them for communities that would immediately notice if something was off.
Eight of those spots made this list and every one of them is worth the visit on any day that does not involve a World Cup match, let alone one that does.
New York has always been the city where the world cooks for itself and these eight restaurants are where two very different football nations happen to do it exceptionally well.
Eat first. Then go watch the match with something worth remembering in your stomach.
1. Rincon Melania, Long Island City, Queens
Queens has earned its reputation as one of the most food-rich boroughs in the country, and Rincon Melania is a big reason why. The Infatuation named it their top Ecuadorian pick in New York City, and after one meal, you will understand why that title sticks.
The family behind this spot has been feeding the neighborhood for several decades, and the consistency shows in every single plate.
The chaulafan is the anchor order here. Think of it as Ecuador’s answer to fried rice, but loaded with seasoned meat, vegetables, and a depth of flavor that has earned it its own fan base.
You can find the restaurant at 35-19 Queens Blvd, Long Island City, Queens, NY 11101, and it is open daily from 10am to around 10pm.
Beyond the chaulafan, the menu reads like a greatest-hits of Ecuadorian coastal cooking. Caldo de bola is a green plantain dumpling soup that will make you feel like someone’s abuela is rooting for you.
Ceviche de camaron, bolon de chicharron, and salchipapas round out the spread beautifully. The portions are generous for the price, and two people regularly leave with leftovers.
Finish with a lulo or tree tomato shake and you will be ready to cheer through ninety minutes of World Cup football without a single complaint. Call ahead at (718) 361-1905 to confirm hours before you make the trip.
2. La Hueca Epa, East Elmhurst, Queens
On weekend afternoons, the dining room at La Hueca Epa fills up with kids in soccer uniforms and families eating big bowls of ceviche and fried chicken. For a World Cup food guide, that is exactly the energy we are looking for.
The restaurant sits at 100-15 Astoria Blvd, East Elmhurst, Queens, NY 11369, and it opens daily at 8am, running through to 10pm most nights.
The signature dish is encebollado, Ecuador’s famous onion-laced fish soup that is considered a national treasure back home. Multiple people who have eaten here specifically call it authentic, and the phrase “sabe a Ecuador” keeps coming up.
That translates to “it tastes like Ecuador,” and honestly, there is no higher compliment a dish can receive. If you show up in the morning, breakfast options including bollos are available starting at 8am.
La Hueca Epa has the kind of atmosphere that feels earned rather than designed. The noise level, the family tables, the smell coming from the kitchen, none of it is manufactured for effect.
It is a real neighborhood restaurant that happens to be serving some of the most satisfying Ecuadorian food in New York State. The ceviche is fresh and bright, and the fried chicken hits harder than you might expect.
Bring a group, order multiple dishes, and share everything. You can reach them at (347) 527-2939 if you want to check on weekend specials before heading over.
3. El Sabroso, Garment District, Manhattan
Finding El Sabroso requires a little detective work, and that is honestly part of the charm. The restaurant is down a freight entrance on 37th Street with no street sign and no glossy facade to tip you off.
The Infatuation calls it a highly underrated Garment District staple, and that description is doing a lot of heavy lifting in the best possible way.
The address is 265 W 37th St, Garment District, Manhattan, NY 10018, and the hours are Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm only. Cash is the currency of choice here, so plan accordingly.
Beef stew, pernil, and seco de gallina are served from a counter that has been feeding workers in the area for years. The bistec encebollado in particular has been praised as delicious, full of flavor, and genuinely authentic.
El Sabroso is the kind of place that rewards people who pay attention. It does not advertise itself loudly, and it does not need to.
The food speaks at full volume on its own. The pricing reflects the neighborhood’s working roots, meaning you will eat very well without spending very much.
If you work in Midtown or happen to be passing through before a match watch party, this is the lunch stop that will have everyone at the table asking where you found it.
Call (212) 284-1118 to confirm they are open before making the trip, since weekday-only hours can catch people off guard.
4. OKEY Ecuadorian Food, DeKalb Market Hall, Brooklyn
DeKalb Market Hall at City Point in Brooklyn is already one of the best food halls in the city, but OKEY Ecuadorian Food manages to be a destination within that destination. That is no small achievement when you consider the competition surrounding it.
People who visit specifically for OKEY leave talking about it, and that word-of-mouth reputation has only grown stronger over time.
You can find them at 445 Albee Square W, DeKalb Market Hall, Brooklyn, NY 11201, and they are open daily from 11am to around 10pm. The phone number is (929) 599-0056 if you want to check on anything ahead of time.
The encebollado and ceviche are standout orders, but the carne apanada, which is a crispy breaded meat dish, and the garlic shrimp deserve serious attention too.
The OKEY simple plate is the value play of the menu. You get your protein, beans, and sweet plantains in one tidy package that punches well above its price point.
People consistently describe the food here as fresh, flavorful, and full of authentic Ecuadorian comfort. The coconut shrimp has its own loyal following and makes for a great starting point if you are new to the menu.
For World Cup watch parties happening in Brooklyn, grabbing a spread from OKEY beforehand is a genuinely brilliant move. The food travels well, the portions are honest, and the flavors hold up.
You will not be disappointed, and neither will anyone you bring along.
5. Max Bratwurst Und Bier, Astoria, Queens
Max Bratwurst und Bier does not try to be anything other than exactly what it is, and that quiet confidence is one of the most appealing things about it. The Exploreist specifically notes that it blends into the neighborhood without blaring music or swarms of tourists.
For a World Cup viewing spot, that relaxed energy is actually ideal, because you can hear the match and actually enjoy the food at the same time.
The restaurant sits at 47-02 30th Ave, Astoria, Queens, NY 11103, and it opens daily from noon. You can reach them at (718) 777-1635.
Six taps of German beer flow steadily, featuring names like Radeberger, Hofbrau, and Spaten Oktoberfest. Live Bundesliga matches play on screen regularly, which means the football atmosphere is already built in before the World Cup even starts.
The menu covers all the German classics with confidence. Bratwurst, schnitzel, pretzels, goulash, and Apfelstrudel are the main pillars, and each one delivers.
The schnitzel has been described as airy and light, which is exactly what a proper schnitzel should be. The sharing platter, priced at $72, easily feeds three to four people and is the smartest order for a group.
If you are heading to Astoria for a pre-match meal, Max gives you the full German experience without any of the tourist-trap energy. It is the kind of spot a local would point you toward with a confident nod and nothing else needed.
6. Schnitzel Haus, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Cash only. Dinner only, starting at 4pm Wednesday through Sunday.
Worth every bit of planning it takes to get there. Schnitzel Haus in Bay Ridge is the kind of restaurant that serious food people talk about in hushed, reverent tones, and Wanderlog describes it as possibly having the largest traditional German menu in the tristate area.
That is a bold claim, and the menu backs it up without hesitation.
The restaurant is at 114 Bay Ridge Ave, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY 11220, and the phone number is (718) 836-5600. Start with the beef goulash and potato leek soup before moving on to the pork schnitzel or pork tenderloin.
Portions here are not merely generous, they are almost theatrical in size. One entree has been known to feed two people comfortably, which means your budget goes further than expected.
The sauce work at Schnitzel Haus gets its own mention because it genuinely elevates every plate. The atmosphere is comfortable and unhurried, which pairs well with a long, celebratory pre-match dinner.
House spiced cider is the non-beer drink of choice and it is warming without being overpowering. If you are the kind of person who believes that the best meals require a little effort to find, Schnitzel Haus will reward you handsomely.
Plan the trip around a World Cup weekend, bring enough cash, bring a friend with a healthy appetite, and clear your evening schedule. You will want to sit there for a while.
7. Mountain Brauhaus, Gardiner, New York
A ninety-minute drive from New York City puts Mountain Brauhaus firmly in road-trip territory, and that distance is exactly what makes it feel special.
The Hudson Valley setting adds a layer of scenery that no city restaurant can replicate, and the food matches the surroundings in warmth and quality.
Multiple generations of the same family have kept thblis place running, and that continuity shows up in every dish.
You can find Mountain Brauhaus at 3123 US-44, Gardiner, NY 12525, near New Paltz in the Hudson Valley. They are open Wednesday through Sunday from noon, and the number to call is (845) 255-9766.
The schnitzel with spatzle is the centerpiece order, but the pretzel with mustard is the kind of starter that sets the tone for everything that follows. Save room for the nine-layer honey cake, because skipping it would be a genuine mistake.
At the end of the meal, the kitchen sends out complimentary gingerbread cookies, which is the kind of small gesture that turns a good dinner into a memorable one.
Germans who have eaten here say the food took them back to the Mutterland, which is the highest possible endorsement.
The restaurant sources local produce where it can, which gives familiar dishes a freshness that is hard to manufacture. For a World Cup weekend trip out of the city, Mountain Brauhaus is the full package.
Good food, good scenery, and a family-run soul that feels genuinely irreplaceable.
8. The Bavaria Restaurant, Sidney, New York
Friday and Saturday only, from 5pm to 8pm. Those are the hours, and if that schedule makes you hesitate, let the food change your mind.
The Bavaria Restaurant in Sidney is a mother-daughter operation where the mother cooks and the daughter serves and bakes the cakes entirely from scratch.
The menu changes every week based on what is fresh, which means every visit is genuinely different from the last.
The address is 27 Division St, Sidney, NY 13838, in Delaware County in upstate New York. Call ahead at (607) 206-6927 to check the current menu and confirm your reservation, because with hours this limited, showing up without a plan is a gamble you do not want to take.
Wiener Schnitzel, Sauerbraten, Spatzle, and Potato Pancakes are the kinds of classics that rotate through the menu regularly, and each one is executed with the kind of care that only a home cook with decades of experience can deliver.
The lemon cake gets its own mention in nearly every account of a meal here, and that consistency is telling. People who have eaten at The Bavaria describe the experience as being transported back to Germany and to their own family kitchens.
The Bavaria is one of the only German restaurants of this quality in all of upstate New York, which makes it a rare find worth protecting.
If the World Cup has you in a European state of mind, a Saturday evening in Sidney with Sauerbraten and lemon cake is a very good way to honor that feeling.