Stuttgart’s large automotive industry population includes a significant number of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese engineers and managers — particularly from Toyota, Honda, and associated suppliers who have offices in the greater Stuttgart area. This has created a higher quality Asian restaurant scene than the city’s size alone would suggest.
Chinese Food in Stuttgart
The Stuttgart city centre and the Degerloch area have several Chinese restaurants catering to the local Chinese community (both students from Stuttgart’s universities and professionals from automotive companies). Look for restaurants where the Chinese menu is longer than the German one — this indicates the kitchen is primarily serving Chinese customers. Sichuan and Cantonese options are both available in Stuttgart at a quality level above the typical Buffet-Chinese format.
Japanese Restaurants
Stuttgart’s Japanese community (supported by Bosch, Porsche, Mercedes suppliers with Japanese operations) has produced several genuine Japanese restaurants. Proper ramen (not instant-soup quality), yakitori with actual binchōtan charcoal grilling, and omakase-style sushi all exist in Stuttgart to a degree unusual for a city of this size. The Mitte area around the Königstraße and the S-Bahn corridor toward Leinfelden-Echterdingen (where some Japanese suppliers have offices) have the best concentration.
Korean BBQ
One or two Korean BBQ restaurants operate in Stuttgart — the tabletop grill format (galbi, samgyeopsal) that requires no German-language proficiency and is inherently social. These serve the Korean community alongside curious non-Korean customers.
Asian Supermarkets
Stuttgart’s Asian supermarkets (particularly in the Marktplatz area and along the Hauptstätterstraße) are the best indicator of Asian food quality nearby. The Korean and Japanese sections of Stuttgart’s Asian supermarkets are better-stocked than in most German cities, reflecting the community demographics.
