Along the quayside of Wismar's old harbour, small stalls and simple harbour-side eateries serve the Baltic coast's essential street food: the Fischbrötchen, a crusty bread roll filled with smoked or pickled fish. Herring in various preparations — bismarck herring, matjes, smoked — is the staple, but you will also find smoked eel, shrimp, and whatever the local catch happens to be. It is cheap, quick, and local in a way that no restaurant in the old town quite manages.
The harbour stalls operate mainly in spring and summer, and the quality varies. The best ones use fish brought in from local boats rather than vacuum-packed fillets; a quick look at the operation usually tells you which is which. Eat standing at the counter or take your roll to a bollard overlooking the water — this is the right way to do it, and the harbour setting earns its keep as a backdrop.