The problem is often cultural food (ie non German) quickly changes to the German palate. There was an incredible Indian restaurant opening here recently. We visited a few months later and it was half as good. Asked the owner: “yeah well, Germans like it not hot, salty, and fatty”. Same with Italian: it’s quantity over quality.
And the supermarkets are woeful. It’s hard even to get an “exotic” herb like cilantro often.
After living years in Germany I’d say, the Germans don’t love food for foods sake, unlike say the French, where it’s a passion.
My girlfriend's family lives in Baden-Württemberg, and I can't really recognize your impressions of woeful supermarkets nor of Germans not appreciating good food.
Go to any Edeka, and you'll be spoiled for choice, including fresh herbs. And while German traditional food may not be as high concept or artistic as other cuisines, there is a definite pride in using good quality ingredients and making deeply satisfying meals. It's a more down-to-earth way of appreciating good food.
A simple platter of good sausage, local cheese, fresh butter and crusty bread is nothing fancy to look at, but it is deeply satisfying.
Regarding the restaurants from other cultures adapting to local tastes, that happens everywhere, and is a real shame for those of us with adventurous taste buds.
Food lovers in Germany don't buy at supermarkets, they go to proper bakeries, butchers, shops for vegetables (many of which are owned by Germans of Turkish descendant) and fish, or specialty shops (Asian, Oriental, bio, etc.), or to the "market" - a place where regional and quality food sellers come once or twice a week with trailers. Discounters are only visited for buying really cheap stuff (Aldi, Lidl, Netto), or for time-saving one-stop shopping (Rewe and others) or close-by shopping (Edeka). It's true, though, that German food doesn't quite live up to French and Italian food traditions - because nothing does.
Sorry but just compare to an Auchan in France, or a normal Waitrose in the UK. Edeka is the closest but e.g. my Rewe doesn’t do Cilantro but Edeka does. Rewe does fresh chilled soup, Edeka doesn’t.
And market food is ridiculously over priced. A zucchini flower costs 2 EUR. anything rare or slightly pimp costs a fortune in Germany. And normally isn’t fresh.
And yes, sausages and cheese are great and the best in Germany. But not every night. And I don’t want to “from scratch” cook everything.
Oh and if I forgot some tomatoes and realized on a Sunday? Tough. Nothing is open.
A friend of mine worked in retail and said of Germany...they tried to introduce “exotic” potato types rather than just “for mash”, “for fries”. No one would pay 1 EUR more for a nuttier tasting potato. That’s the German market. Gut und Günstig.
And the supermarkets are woeful. It’s hard even to get an “exotic” herb like cilantro often.
After living years in Germany I’d say, the Germans don’t love food for foods sake, unlike say the French, where it’s a passion.