Finding good places to eat slap bang in the centre of a city is never easy. You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince. Luckily, in between the beer halls, the heart of Munich offers a good selection of places to eat.
Breakfast at Pâtisserie und Café Dukatz
This French pâtisserie brings buttery goodness to any morning. The glass counter is packed full of pastry in all its forms, along with delicate tarts and filled baguettes. If you are looking for lighter options, there’s bircher muesli with fruit or sandwiches made with dark German bread. Highly popular with morning commuters and local pundits, it can be tricky to get a seat. In fact, it can sometimes be a bit of a fight.
Lunch at Convivia, Blaues Haus
Just metres away from one of the most expensive streets in the city, Convivia is located within Munich’s Kammerspiele theatre. The bright and airy restaurant offers an excellent 2-course lunch menu for under 10 euros, with an internationally and regionally inspired menu. Convivia is in fact a social gastronomic project run by the cba e.V. (Cooperative Beschützende Arbeitsstätten), working to integrate people with learning and / or mental disabilities, well as physical limitations, into working life.
Coffee and cake at Brenner Grill
Also metres away from Maximilianstraße, Brenner Grill is closer to what you might expect from this neighbourhood: Munich’s elite at it’s finest. However, it isn’t just about the designer handbags and watches, they are also serious about food. Including cake. Reminiscent of a Viennese cafe, the decadent cake cabinet isn’t scared of extra calories. The cream and butter rich delights are excellent with coffee – or a glass of vino.
Dinner at Spezlwirtschaft
Munich’s old town is full of German eateries – including several breweries – making it hard to know which one to choose. For something a bit different, we recommend Spezlwirtschaft. This hipper-than-most location brings an interesting mix between modern and traditional. The tavern-like restaurant is located on the second floor of the (allegedly) second oldest building in the city – built in 1264. It has late night food, mainly Bavarian classics, and a huge selection of drinks.
Drinks at Tabacco
If you like old-school cocktails, or whiskey, then this is the place for you. This timeless bar in the middle of the city is dark, formerly smoky, and very atmospheric. The drinks menu has an impressive ninety pages featuring over fifty spirits, while the frosted windows conjure up images of secret rendezvous and spontaneous night caps. They also have a great food menu.
Don’t miss: Bar Centrale
You may have heard the phrase “Munich is Italy’s most northern city” and here is one of the places you can see why. It feels like walking into a bar in Milan. Italian is spoken, “kaffee” means espresso and the 90s Italian tunes are on. Always full to the brim, it’s easy to lose track of time here. The spritz and the conversation is always flowing.
And in summer: Fraulein Grüneis am Eisbach
Just around the corner from the Eisbach surf wave is a humble al fresco café where you can eat at tables made from tree stumps. Look out for a small white and green house. With a small food menu and a large selection of drinks, it’s a great spot to relax after a stroll in the Englischer Garten or a swim in the Isar.
