German Phrase

Mit Holzkohle schmeckt's besser.

/mɪt ˈhɔlʦkɔlə ˈʃmɛkts ˈbɛsɐ/

Meaning"It tastes better with charcoal."

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Meaning

Literally, ‘With charcoal it tastes better.’ The speaker is saying that a dish (usually grilled food) has a superior flavor when cooked over charcoal. The phrase is informal and uses the spoken contraction ‘schmeckt's’.

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When to use

Use this sentence when you’re comparing cooking methods, especially in casual conversation about barbecues, grill parties, or when recommending charcoal grilling over other techniques.

✦Grammar Breakdown

MitHolzkohleschmeckt'sbesser.

Mit (preposition)

‘Mit’ always governs the dative case; it means ‘with’.

Holzkohle (dative)

‘Holzkohle’ is a feminine noun; after ‘mit’ it takes the dative singular form, which looks the same as the nominative.

schmeckt's (contraction)

A colloquial contraction of ‘schmeckt es’; the verb ‘schmecken’ is used impersonally, with ‘es’ as the subject.

besser (comparative)

The comparative of ‘gut’; it modifies the verb and means ‘better’.

🗨In Conversation

Wie schmeckt das Steak?

How does the steak taste?

Mit Holzkohle schmeckt's besser.

It tastes better with charcoal.

✕Common Mistakes

Mit Holzkohle schmeckt besser.
Missing the pronoun ‘es’; the idiomatic spoken form is ‘schmeckt’s’ or the full ‘schmeckt es’.
Mit Holzkohlen schmeckt's besser.
After ‘mit’ the noun must be in dative; beginners sometimes add an -n ending (e.g., ‘Holzkohlen’).
Mit Holzkohle schmeckt's gut.
Do not use ‘gut’ after a comparative; ‘besser’ is required.

↔Alternatives

Mit Holzkohle schmeckt es besser.
It tastes better with charcoal.
Holzkohle macht den Geschmack besser.
Charcoal makes the taste better.
Auf Holzkohle schmeckt es besser.
On charcoal it tastes better.

Cultural Tip

In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland grilling (Grillen) with charcoal is a beloved summer tradition, especially at Volksfeste and backyard gatherings. The informal contraction ‘schmeckt's’ is typical in spoken German, but in formal writing you’d keep the full ‘schmeckt es’. Remember that ‘Holzkohle’ stays the same in the dative after ‘mit’, so you don’t add an ending.