Hofbrau

Hofbrau is a cafeteria-style food service found in the United States, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the namesake for various restaurants and restaurant chains in the U.S. that feature this kind of food service. The name is derived from the German term Hofbräu, which originally referred to a brewery with historical ties to a royal court. Such breweries often have beer gardens where food is served. However, Northern California-style hofbraus differ in both food and service from such traditional German establishments, and commonly do not offer any German food. Instead, freshly carved meat is central to California hofbrau cuisine.