24
Where to Eat
Each region of Germany can be distinguished by its cuisine. Menus
increasingly feature local produce and there are markets where
one can stock up on gourmet delights. Many establish ments
specialize in regional fare, which although heavy, is appetizing.
In addition, ethnic cuisine, notably Italian, Greek, Thai, Turkish,
Chinese, and Indian, is popular throughout the country and can
be enjoyed even in smaller towns. Some fine restaurants run by
master chefs serve European cuisine of the highest quality.Practical Information
Most restaurants are open from noon
but sometimes close for a break
between 3 and 6pm, while cafés
open from 9am. Many are closed for
one day during the week. On
Sundays, brunch is served in most
places until 2pm. During the lunch
period, between noon and 2pm,
many establishments offer a fixed-
price menu that is cheaper than in
the evenings. Dinner is usually
served after 7pm. Calling to make
a reservation is recommended in
popular city restaurants.
The cost of a meal depends on the
location. While a three-course meal
in some restaurants may cost $13
(€10), it is more expensive in
downtown areas of larger cities. In
more upscale restaurants, expect to
pay up to $94 (€70). Alcoholic drinks
can be quite costly, but beer, the
national drink, is cheap. In general,
the prices on a menu include service
and tax, but it is common to leave a
tip, around 10 percent of the total
bill. Restaurants usually accept credit
cards and display the logos of
acceptable cards at the entrance.
In most good restaurants, the
menu is written in German and
English, and sometimes also inButcher’s sign listing items on saleRestaurants
The term Restaurant is used to
define both upmarket restaurants
offering fine cuisine at steep prices,
as well as popular local establish-
ments that serve affordable food.
For regional cuisine, visit one of
the many Ratskellers found in the
cellars of old town halls all across
Germany, which serve Sauerkraut
(fermented shredded cabbage) and
regional specialities at affordable
prices. They usually have atmos-
pheric interiors that are well adapted
to the vaulted, dark spaces of the
historic cellars. Weinstuben (wine
bars) or Bierstuben (beer bars)
also offer great local food such as
seasonal vegetables in a Hollandaise
sauce or with dumplings,
accompanied by local beverages.
A Gasthaus refers to a rather simple
restaurant serving good regional
cuisine in a family atmosphere.
Self-service venues offering snacks
are known as Imbiss. These can vary
from a stall serving baked sausages
and canned drink to kiosks with anBACK ROADS GERMANY
Cafés and Bars
The term café has a variety of
connotations in Germany. Often, this
is a place that offers good breakfast
options in the morning, while
serving mostly international cuisine
from noon onward. Sometimes a
café will have a selection of cakes
on display. In addition, at any time of
the day and evening, customers can
have coffee or ice cream. Many of
these establishments turn into bars
in the evening when alcoholic drinks
are served and live music is played.
A typical venue to have a drink in
Germany is the Kneipe, which can
best be compared to an English pub
in terms of its atmosphere. A wide
range of alcoholic drinks is available
here, and sometimes loud music is
played. The most commonly served
beer is pilsner, a bottom-fermentedFrench. In cafés and less expensive
restaurants, the menu may be hand-
written in German, in which case the
staff may help with a translation.extensive choice of salads and fast
food. These kiosks are often run
by immigrants. In fact, in most large
German towns, there are numerous
kiosks serving Arabic, Turkish,
Chinese, and American food. For
a sandwich or a healthy salad, visi-
tors can also try the restaurants or
cafeteria facilities in department
stores, which are usually self-service.