Caspar Plautz is a potato stand in Munich’s Viktualienmarkt. Located on the southern rim of the large outdoor food market, the stall is characterised by sleek branding, exposed light bulbs and the two cool-looking chaps running the show.
Dominik and Theo are old friends. Having started off in different fields (sociology and carpentry), their passion for food and cooking eventually got the better of them. In 2017, when a rare opportunity to take over a market stall came their way, they decided to cash in their chips and give it a go.
As the City of Munich dictates who sells what where in the century-old market, potatoes it was always going to be. Upon acquiring the stand, they began to investigate and learn everything there was to know about their new trade. Soon they had a plan: they wanted to reinvent the image of the world’s humble gastronomic sidekick. 
Today, the duo talk about their produce like fine wine. “Of course we do,” they laugh when we point this out to them. All customers are offered a form of consulting based on taste preference or cooking ambitions. Gnocci? Go floury. Potato salad? Go waxy. There’s even advice on potato pairing. “The colourful ones often have notes of chestnut and are great with lamb or game,” Theo explains, “Others were made for asparagus season!”
Caspar Plautz has a total of 25 varieties on offer. They are sourced from Bavaria and beyond. The focus is always on biodiversity, sustainability and protecting types that are increasingly hard to find. This includes the Augsburger Gold (autumn only) and the Bamberger Hörnchen (registered on the Slow Food list of endangered foods, the Ark of Taste).
Behind the boxes of potatoes is a small kitchen space. Here, they serve the obvious, with a range of different toppings sourced from the organic stall opposite theirs. Highlights include Grüne Sauce with egg, crumbled pumpernickel bread and cress, or the Blutwurst with sauerkraut, apple and mustard. All options are served with a delicious Krautsalat. “We wanted our menu to be creative,” they explain. The colourful plates that are lovingly dished up are a testament to that.
The boys switch roles daily, alternating between running the kitchen and managing the stock out front. They are open six days a week, rain or shine, although the kitchen closes at 15.30. They are also active on social media, posting regular updates from the stall and tempting pictures of food: think hash browns and hashtags.
Address
Viktualienmarkt Abt III, Stand 38, 80331 München
Opening times
Mon – Sat | 08.00 – 18.00 (stall)
Mon – Sat | 11.30 – 15.30 (kitchen)
Sun | closed