The best restaurants in Munich
Anyone who thinks Munich’s culinary horizons end with Weißwurscht and Brez’n is vastly underestimating the food scene in the Bavarian capital.
Naturally, we know our home town best of all.
From Glockenbach Quarter to Schwabing, from Gärtnerplatz to Haidhausen, we are constantly sampling what Munich’s fantastic gastronomic world has to offer.
We’ve come to love Japanese ippin and Levantine mezze just as much as a beer garden high above the Isar and oven-baked potatoes at the Viktualienmarkt.
Often, it’s not the big names but the small, family-run places that inspire us most.
After fifteen years running our own café, we know how to spot the little things that make the difference - not by the flashy concept, but by the people behind it.
An Italian woman who came from Abruzzo at the age of 16, is now, 30 years later, handing over her restaurant to her son.
A Japanese chef swapped his elegant restaurant for a lovely unpretentious Izakaya…
Here are our most beloved restaurants in Munich – where we order our favourite dish time and time again and sometimes get to know the owners personally.
Theresa Grill & Lounge
Steak & Grill - Maxvorstadt
„Not for vegetarians“ - that’s probably the first thought that springs to mind when you set eyes on the large glass ageing cabinet with its appetising hanging cuts of meat.
But that’s actually not true at Theresa Grill!
Because alongside the meat and fish from the beechwood grill, the small dishes, which we’re reluctant to call „side dishes“, are the real highlight - above all our beloved Parisian peas with lettuce and buttered breadcrumbs.
The restaurant and lounge have been designed by Stephanie Thatenhorst in a mid-century living room style.
And there’s even a bowling alley in the private dining area.
A really great place, fabulous food and a team that’s on top form.
Our article about Theresa Grill
adress:
Theresienstraße 29, 80333 München
Il Piccolo Principe
Italian -Dreimühlenviertel
We can hardly write objectively about our favourite Italian restaurant in the Dreimühlenviertel, as we are completely smitten with it.
Francesca came from Abruzzo at the age of sixteen and opened this little restaurant in 1992.
Today it is run by her son Federico, who spends his free weekends tracking down new winemakers and cheese producers.
From the thinly sliced vitello tonnato as a starter to the incomparably fluffy tiramisu for dessert, we are in Italian heaven every time we visit Il Piccolo Principe.
Our article about Piccolo Principe
adress:
Kapuzinerstraße 48, 80469 München
Petit Fritz
Französisches Bistro - Schwabing
„Pas de réservation – simplement s'y rendre"
We simply pop into this French bistro in Schwabing, whenever we feel like it, without a reservation.
Behind the burgundy velvet curtain, wait oysters in wooden baskets, crevettes rosé, moules frites and tartines with duck rillettes, accompanied by a glass of Crémant.
And to finish, perhaps the chocolate mousse with sea salt.
At this laid-back little brother of Chez Fritz, even waiting for a table is fun.
adress:
Hohenzollernstraße 9, 80801 München
Nana – Meze & Wine
Levantine cuisine – Haidhausen
For us, the most cheerful spot in Munich!
At Nana in Haidhausen, the table is laden with Levantine mezze to share, and the falafel are the best we’ve ever tasted.
Don’t miss the „Hummus Complete“ with tahini, za’atar, chickpeas and a hard-boiled organic egg.
And you should definitely have a Maccabee beer.
Jörg and David opened Nana in 2015 and, thankfully, have hardly changed a thing since - not even the surprisingly fair prices.
Our article about Nana - Meze & Wine
adress:
Metzstraße 15, 81667 München
Japatapa Toshibar
Japanese Izakaya – Schwabing
Toshio „Toshi“ Kobatake, who has been honoured as a Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador, used to run an elegant teppanyaki restaurant in the Old Town for many years.
Today, he and his wife own a charming, unpretentious Japanese izakaya in Schwabing.
We love to order plenty of the small Ippin dishes here, such as the Osaka-style sushi with grilled mackerel or the shumai with minced Iberico pork filling.
To finish, we suggest the great Nikka Miyagikyo whisky.
Our article about Japatapa Toshibar
adress:
Marschallstraße 1, 80802 München
Chez Fritz
French brasserie - Haidhausen
Frenchly elegant yet profondément détendu – profoundly relaxed, that's the atmosphere at this brasserie at the lovely square in front of St Johannes’ Church in Haidhausen.
On balmy summer evenings, we love sitting outside under the lime trees, at tables with red-and-white chequered tablecloths.
Like its little brother, Petit Fritz’s big brother serves beef tartare or crevettes rosé and other French delicacies.
But beyond that, the menu also features duck leg or coq au vin, half a lobster or black pudding with mashed potatoes - exactly as elaborate as you’d expect from the big brother.
adress:
Preysingstraße 20, 81667 München
Caspar Plautz
Baked potatoes - Viktualienmarkt
We have rarely seen such a wide variety of potatoes as here at the Viktualienmarkt.
Dominik Klier and Theo Lindinger took over the potato stall in 2017, added a small kitchen and, in no time at all, created a new spot for a perfect open-air lunch.
The name, Caspar Plautz, pays homage to the Benedictine abbot who wrote the first German-language potato cookbook in 1621.
Oven-baked potatoes, such as the delicious version with char and sour cream, are served on charming enamel plates.
On sunny days, we wouldn’t want to be anywhere else at lunchtime.
Our article about Caspar Plautz
adress:
Viktualienmarkt Stand 38, 80331 München
Aimy
South-East Asian – Old Town
Tucked away in the atrium of the Gampenrieder Palais on Wittelsbacher Platz, Viet Hai Pham blends Thai, Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine.
A cosy spot with a warm, down-to-earth team, where we enjoy dining just as much with our parents as we do with colleagues, friends or as a couple.
We love the tuna tacos as a starter to go with cocktails. And for dessert we can rarely resist the delicious sticky rice with mango and coconut.
Just be careful with the Mai Tais - they go down a treat, but they’re seriously strong.
adress:
Wittelsbacherplatz 2, 80333 München
Waldwirtschaft
Beer garden – Pullach in the Isar Valley
The nicest way to reach Munich’s most beautiful beer garden is by bike along the Isar.
High above the river, we sit beneath ancient chestnut trees by the music pavilion - the very spot that 25,000 people defended during the legendary beer garden revolution of 1995.
We eat Steckerlfisch, roast chicken, pretzels, Obazda and Aus’zogene.
All washed down with ice-cold Spaten beer.
Beer garden pros bring their own tablecloths and lanterns - cheers to cosiness or (as we say in Bavaria): „Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit!“
Our article about Waldwirtschaft
adress:
Georg-Kalb-Straße 3, 82049 Pullach im Isartal