Adventures in travelling to eat, with a dash of culinary history.
Walking through the door of BOLD Hotel Munich Giesing, I couldn’t believe our luck. It looked SO COOL — modern, hip and still smelled of fresh paint. During our stay, the hotel had been open for like five minutes (April 2014), and considering we were paying under …
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I don’t really like German food.
Don’t get me wrong, biergarten (beer garden) food is awesome with lots of pork, lots of sausage, and don’t even get me started on the Currywurst. But once I left the garden gate, there wasn’t much that tickled my fancy.
This was my first visit to Germany, but like I expected, I wasn’t wowed by the food. A week into the trip, I was over the grub. Granted, there are a lots of great dishes, flammkuchen got me excited for one (stay tuned), and I can’t say no to a giant pretzel, but the rest seemed to be a lot of meat and potatoes.
Boring.
That being said, spending time in Munich was awesome, and delicious. Whether you like authentic German food or not, there’s lots to choose from in this great city.
Eating in Munich is not only about eating traditional German food. With so many other options you would be doing yourself a disservice only eating the traditional or ‘tourist’ food that is sold in quaint looking beer halls.
There is no better place in Munich for delicious and cheap eats than in the biergartens. These places are magical; jovial people drinking giant mugs of beer, eating delicious sausages, and with an Oompah band providing cheerful background music, why not just move in?
The two main spots to visit are the Viktualienmarket and the Englischer Garten
Otherwise known as the ‘English Garden’, this beer garden is found amongst the vast acreage of beautiful public gardens. Young and old from near and far gather here to eat picnics and enjoy the beautiful trees that protect from the sun and the rain.
There is usually an Oompah band playing in the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower) that provides just the right level of ambient music so you can sit and drink for hours.
After your second litre of beer, you’ll want to eat, you’ll need to eat. Get the Currywurst: delicious sausage smothered in hot curry sauce, with a side of fries. Seriously good.
This was my favourite spot in Munich.
Viktualienmarket is a great farmers’ market and food square not far from the Marienplatz; the beer garden atmosphere just drips from the long wooden benches.
Tourists and locals mingle here underneath chestnut trees to drink, eat, and be merry.
There are lots of traditional food stalls to sample from, in addition to all the awesomeness from the market.
The pretzels can feed a family of four for a couple of days.
Beer Halls are also a great spot for tasty food and great beer, but a word of advice: If you want to avoid super cheesy and cultivated beer hall ambience, avoid the Hofbrahaus despite what Lonely Planet might say about it. It’s famous and always busy and fun, but it’s full of other tourists getting drunk and the food is mediocre.
If you grow tired of traditional German cuisine, and want a good burger in Munich, this is the place.
Cosmogrill is found in central Munich; resist the urge to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe a few blocks south, I beg you. They serve up super juicy burgers with great toppings, and their fries are ridiculous.
The provencal potato skins are so well seasoned with the classic herb mix, my mouth waters just writing the words.
The Double Cheese Burger is simple and amazing at the same time. With melty gruyere and Irish cheddar, the medium-rare burger was smothered in tarragon mayo in a fluffy bun. The BBQ-Bacon Burger is as good as it sounds with honey-grilled bacon, red onion, and jalapenos to pack a punch.
Check out the Glockenbachviertel neighbourhood for all the trendy spots. Essentially hipster heaven with great bars and restaurants, this area has everything from curry to foie gras.
There’s great shopping and a great central square, Gärtnerplatz, for hanging out and having a beer.
Frenzy is along the main drag and has a funky atmosphere, fun cocktails, and eclectic menu. Thai curries and asparagus risottos are served under a giant Buddha statue as shiny disco balls illuminate the room.
Believe it or not, one of the best things I ate in Munich was from the hotel restaurant.
Bold Hotel Munchen is a little farther out from city centre, but it’s worth the enjoyable tram ride. The rooms are modern and hip with comfortable beds and functional furniture. I actually loved spending time in the hotel restaurant and bar, which is not something I say too often.
I drank my weight in Weissbier in the five days we stayed there.
And the flammkuchen is delicious.
Traditionally Alsatian, this ‘flame cake’ is a delicious pizza-like dish covered with creme fresh and a variety of toppings. This one was covered in a four-cheese mess of tasty.
Any time spent in Munich is well spent. The city is beautiful, the people are so friendly, and the modernness mixed with breathtaking old-world architecture made me want move there immediately. I am comforted by the fact that there is lots to eat in this great city, and I wouldn’t have to survive soley on sauerkraut and schnitzel.
I can just live on currywurst.
Prost!
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