If you think German food is all about sausage, pretzels and beer, think again. These specialty German restaurants will wow your taste buds with traditional recipes and authentic flavors so incredible that you’ll forget all about frozen pretzels and bottled beer. Take your taste buds on a vacation to Germany without ever buying a plane ticket.

Mr. Dunderbak’s
14929 Bruce B. Downs Blvd
Tampa, FL 33613
(813) 977-4104
dunderbaks.com

Mr. Dunderbak’s is the ultimate in German cuisine. A favorite of locals, Dunkerbak’s is known as much for its German music and decor as its food. The massive menu includes over a hundred German and American appetizers, sandwiches and entrees including a vegetarian menu and a children’s menu — not to mention a selection of 400 bottled beers and 55 beers on tap. Bavarian bratwurst, Polish kielbasa, cheese spatzle and half a dozen types of schnitzel are all waiting for you to give them a try. If you save room for dessert, try the continental torten or baklava.

Related: Best Beer Selection/Beer Halls in Tampa

Cafe Vienna
5625 4th St N
St. Petersburg, FL 33703
(727) 527-6404
caffevienna.com

Cafe Vienna is serving up both Austrian and German specialties, from schnitzels and brats to roast pork and agramer (pork dish with prosciutto, ham and swiss). Everything on the menu is prepared fresh using traditional, old-country recipes. All entrees come with bread, the soup of the day or a salad. Wash it all down with imported draft beer or a premium house wine. You’ll definitely want to save room for an old-country dessert — the palatschinke (homemade crepe) is calling your name.

German Crepes House
1120 Pinellas Bayway S
Tierra Verde, FL 33715
(727) 867-5800
germancrepeshouse.com

German Crepes House isn’t all about crepes. It also offers burgers, sandwiches and entrees. The crepes steal the show, though, and are available in both “hearty” and “sweet” varieties. Hearty crepes are filled with ingredients like pork, salmon, vegetables and cheese. The viking crepe, for example, is filled with lightly fried salmon, herbs and a light cream sauce. Sweet crepes are filled with fruit, puddings and whipped cream. The apple garden crepe is filled with baked apples, cinnamon and sugar, perfect for a sweet treat any time.

The German Restaurant
2616 US Highway 19
Holiday, FL 34691
(727) 937-7400
the-german-restaurant.com

Short of going to Germany, you just can’t have a more authentic dining experience than you will have at the German Restaurant in Holiday. Servers dressed in traditional barmaid blouses and skirts, live accordion and zither music and authentic German recipes are as close to the old country as you’ll get without getting on a plane. This award-winning restaurant offers up everything from potato pancakes to goulasch to rinder roulade. If you can’t decide on just one, opt for a sampler platter. There’s even a special kids’ menu and a variety of German beers on tap.

Related: 4 Best Burgers In Tampa

Sandra’s German Restaurant
7115 Gulf Blvd
St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
(727) 363-4414
bavarianhouse.us

Formerly known as “The Bavarian House,” this restaurant is a five-time award winner from “Best of the Beaches.” The menu is on the short side, but each and every dish is hand made fresh to order. If you’re looking for a light snack, you can try a traditional soup such as leberknoedel (liver dumpling soup) or erbsensuppe (pea soup). For something more hearty, try a traditional entree such as the bayrisches gulasch and spaetzle, made with spicy Angus beef. If you’re really hungry, opt for a platter, such as the lumberjack platter — it’s piled high with schnitzel, bratwurst, spaetzle and potato salad.