Scattered along the Alter Strom and near the beach entrance are several outdoor stalls selling traditionally smoked fish. These are among the most authentic food experiences in Warnemünde, with a heritage stretching back to the town's origins as a fishing village. Whole smoked eels, mackerel, and flounder are displayed alongside Fischbrötchen (fish rolls) and smoked fish portions sold by weight.
Some stalls smoke their fish on the quayside using small barrel smokers, filling the air with the smell of applewood or beech smoke. Buying a piece of warm smoked mackerel to eat at the water's edge is one of the simple pleasures of a day in Warnemünde. Prices are reasonable and the quality is generally high — the fish is sourced locally from the Baltic.
These stalls are most active from late morning through the early afternoon. The busiest and most atmospheric time to browse them is when a cruise ship is in port, but the trade-off is the crowds that come with it.