World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Munich  - Food and Drink
Food and Drink

Beer has been brewed in Munich for at least 600 years and has infiltrated city life to such an extent that even the calendar is divided into beer seasons. March is Starkbierzeit, when beer has an alcohol content of nearly 5%. This is followed by the Maibock in May, and then the Biergartenzeit in summer, when the city enjoys its favourite drink in the traditional open-air beer garden. Every two years this period is punctuated by the Brauertag (Brewer's Day), when brewers, apprentices, coopers, brass bands and traditional horse-drawn brewery carts parade through the streets. The climax comes with the Oktoberfest, which attracts beer-lovers from all over the world. Finally, the Christmas season is celebrated with its own beer, known as Festbock.

Beer is served by the Mass (about one litre) and should be accompanied by Brezen (pretzels), Steckerlfisch (salted mackerel), Leberkäs (warm ground beef and bacon), Radi (radish) or bread with Obatzda (a mixture of Camembert, paprika and butter).

A more substantial meal might include Weisswurst (white veal sausages), Kartoffen (potatoes), Nudeln (noodles), Knödel (dumplings), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweineshaxn (pork knuckles) or Eintopf (stew). Although traditional Bavarian food is characterised by a preponderance of meat and carbohydrates, light and health-conscious cuisine is becoming increasingly popular. Munich has a reputation for high-quality cuisine, and gourmets will find a culinary finesse here that is sometimes lacking in other German cities. There is a full range of international restaurants, in addition to plenty of Gaststätten serving beer and local food at a reasonable price. Restaurant bills usually include tax and some service charge, although the patron is also expected to round up the bill by about 5%. Particularly good areas for eating include the Old Town, Schwabing, Haidhausen and Neuhausen. The Viktualienmarkt (see the Shopping section) is the best place for snacks at any time of day.

Restaurants

Situated in the fashionable Schwabing district, Tantris, Johann-Fichte-Strasse 7 (tel: (089) 361 9590), is the finest restaurant in the city and the recipient of two coveted Michelin stars. The elegant and innovative French cuisine is exquisite but the startling decor may not be to everyone's taste. Five courses cost DM235. Another top-of-the-range choice with a Michelin star is Gasthaus Glockenbach, Kapuzinerstrasse 29 (tel: (089) 534 043). This former tavern seems to fuse the best of the old and the new, both in its food and its decor. The wood-panelled dining room is enlivened by modern art, and the ever-changing menu presents traditional Bavarian cooking with nouvelle cuisine influences. Three courses cost from DM80. Diners at the Königshof, Karlsplatz 25 (tel: (089) 551 360), can enjoy a view of some of the city's most important landmarks while they tuck into excellent German and international cuisine. Five courses cost DM138.

Excellent regional cuisine is served in brewery restaurants, Gaststätten and beer halls throughout the city. One of the best is Augustiner Bräustuben, Landberger Strasse 19 (tel: (089) 507 047), where you can wash down Bavarian specialities with beer tapped directly from the brewery next door. Three courses cost from DM40. Another brewery restaurant to try is the Altes Hackerhaus, Sendlinger Strasse 14 (tel: (089) 260 5026), the original home of Hacker-Pschorr. This comfortable, good-value restaurant serves traditional fare (main courses for DM20) in cosy, wooden-clad rooms in winter and outside in the courtyard when the sun comes out. For Schweineshaxn at DM23.70, go to Haxnbauer, Sparkassenstrasse/Am Platzl (tel: (089) 29 16 21 00), while for Schneider-Weisse wheat beer and Weisswürste, the place is the Weisses Bräuhaus, Tal 10 (tel: (089) 299 875) - a legendary Bavarian restaurant. The interior is beautifully restored Jugendstil and the atmosphere is crowded, friendly and far less touristy than the Hofbräuhaus. Another archetypal, if more formal, restaurant is the Ratskeller, Marienplatz 8 (tel: (089) 219 9890), in the stone vaults of the Town Hall, where vegetarian dishes (DM26) supplement the standard Bavarian cuisine. Spatenhaus an der Oper, Residenzstrasse 12 (tel: (089) 290 7060), boasts wooden beams, a traditional atmosphere and a view of the State Opera house. The menu includes a vast Bavarian mixed grill (DM50) and an eclectic range of international dishes.

Innovative international food can be found at any number of restaurants - Rue des Halles, Steinstrasse 18 (tel: (089) 485 675), is a particular favourite. Located in the Haidhausen district, this French bistro offers deliciously prepared nouvelle cuisine and heart-warming service. Three courses cost DM60. According to the Michelin Guide, Massimiliano, Rablstrasse 10 (tel: (089) 448 4477), serves the best Italian/Mediterranean food in town. The four-course fixed menu costs DM98. The Master's Home, Frauenstrasse 11 (tel: (089) 229 909), serves good quality Italian in mock-Colonial surroundings. Beyond the restaurant, the building is decorated like the interior of a house, so you can enjoy an aperitif in the bedroom or a cocktail in the bathroom. Mangostin Asia Restaurant, Maria-Einsiedel-Strasse 2 (tel: (089) 723 2031), serves Far Eastern cuisine (including sushi) in a traditional Munich beer garden. For Mexican food, excellent cocktails and a heaving party atmosphere, try Sausalitos, Türkenstrasse 50, in Schwabing (tel: (089) 281 594). If you are watching your budget, a good deal for Chinese and Indonesian food is Bali Grill at Albrechtstrasse 39, corner of Hedwigstrasse (tel: (089) 181 666). The self-service section offers vast portions for less than DM10.

Beer Halls and Beer Gardens

The classic beer gardens have long benches situated under shady chestnut trees, and at most of them you are welcome to bring your own food.

The Hofbräuhaus, at Am Platzl 9, is the most famous beer hall in the city, and drinking a Mass here is an obligatory part of any visitor's itinerary. It is usually full of a cosmopolitan mix of drunken tourists swaying to the oom-pah band. The Augustiner Keller, on the other hand, has a committed local following and provides a welcome oasis near the Hauptbahnhof at Arnulfstrasse 52. Hirschgarten, Hirschgarten 1, was a royal hunting ground and gets its name from the deer that roam nearby. It lays claim to being the biggest beer garden in the world, with seating for 8000 people, and is hugely popular with tourists and locals alike. You probably won't be able to pronounce it, especially after a few beers, but Waldwirtschaft Grosshesselohe, Georg-Kalb-Strasse 3, is definitely worth visiting. The 200-year-old establishment has a popular beer garden with jazz music in the summer, and a restaurant serving good Bavarian food. The Chinesischer Turm (in the Englischer Garten) is one of the most popular beer gardens in the city. Go to enjoy a fun, family atmosphere and live oom-pah music. Another favourite in the park is Seehaus, with an idyllic setting by the lake.

Cafés

Munich's cafés range from Konditoreien tempting visitors with exquisite handmade chocolates and cakes, to café-bars that serve alcohol and stay open until the small hours. Café Kreuzkamm, Maffeistrasse 4, serves arguably the best Kaffee und Kuchen in town. The Christmas Stollen and chocolate Baumkuchen are legendary. Opposite the Residenz, Conditorei-Café Hag, Residenzstrasse 25-26, is the original confectionary shop that sold sweets and cakes to the Wittelsbachs. For a far more informal experience and excellent breakfasts, try Café Puck at Turkenstrasse 33 - a student favourite. Café Tankstelle, Am Einlass 3a, is a café and theatre that transforms into a relaxed soul, jazz and hip hop dance club at the weekend. When the nightclubs empty, those left standing head to Schmalznudel, Pralat-Zistl-Strasse 8, which serves coffee and doughnuts 0500-1700 Monday to Saturday.



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