7 of the Best Traditional and Modern Munich Restaurants

Map of the best restaurants in Munich

Munich is loaded with dining options, but many of the most popular (and tastiest, and most historic) restaurants are near Marienplatz. If you don’t mind walking a bit, you can get to all of the restaurants below from the Marienplatz S-Bahn station, though it may not be the closest station. Munich is a very walkable city, though there are plenty of rideshares and taxis readily available.

The best German Munich restaurants

Hofbräuhaus

In terms of Munich restaurants, it’d be hard to find one with more history than Hofbräuhaus. It’s in central Munich and was opened more than 500 years ago as a royal brewery in the Kingdom of Bavaria. It attracts a good mix of tourists and locals, with a wide range of dining options, including traditional German cuisine and an assortment of beers brewed on-site. In addition to a huge indoor space with a stage, long tables, and a hand-painted ceiling, there’s a large outdoor area with live music during the summer.

Hofbräuhaus is famous for several reasons, in addition to its age. It’s been the meeting place for more than a few famous (and infamous) Germans, including Mozart and Lenin. In general, they don’t accept reservations, but with the ability to seat 1,500 people, the wait is never too long. You’ll seat yourself, and don’t be afraid to take any open seat. It’s a busy place and no one minds having neighbors.

Hofbräuhaus has a bit of a reputation for being a little tourist-trappy since it’s one of the most well known Munich restaurants, but because of it’s history and fame, it’s fun to visit for a beer or two, especially considering how convenient it is to downtown Munich. The menu is traditional Bavarian — potatoes, sausages, schnitzel, strudel — plus pretzel venders who walk around selling giant salted pretzels throughout the day.

• Hours: 11 AM-12AM (midnight)
• Address: Platzl 9, 80331 München, Germany
• Closest S-Bahn station: Marienplatz

Nuernberger Bratwurst-Gloeckl

 

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If you want a dark, cozy, and traditional German restaurant in Munich that serves seriously fantastic traditional foods, head to the small Nuernberger Bratwurst-Gloeckl. The wood-paneled walls and small tables are as old-school Bavarian as it gets, and since it’s been around for more than 100 years, you know it has staying power. It’s known for its very traditional Nürnberger rostbratwurst (grilled sausages served in the style of the city of Nuremberg), which is certainly one of the most popular items on the menu. It’s not super vegetarian-friendly, but it’s one of the most traditional Bavarian restaurants in Munich available — and it doesn’t hurt that you can get a meal for under 10 euros.

• Hours: 10 AM-1 AM
• Address: Frauenplatz 9, 80331 München, Germany
• Closest S-Bahn station: Marienplatz

Wirtshaus in der Au

 

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German food isn’t all meat-heavy stews and pretzels. If you want to try one of the best Munich restaurants for German dumplings, head to Wirtshaus in der Au. It’s known for options like lachsforellenfilet (salmon trout fillet in potato dumpling burger) and tölzer bauerngröstl (ox and potato dumplings with onions, marjoram, egg, and bacon coleslaw). It actually has more vegetarian options than most traditional German restaurants, including a truly fantastic spinatknödel — spinach dumplings. It’s a dish you can find almost everywhere throughout Bavaria, but the one at Wirtshaus is one of the best.

The restaurants is so well-known for dumplings it offers both dumpling cooking classes and produced one of the most authoritative cookbooks on German dumplings. It has a similar feel to Hofbrauhaus (that is, a traditional German-style beer hall) but serves up Paulaner beers, founded by German friars in 1634.

• Hours: Mon-Fri, 5 PM-11 PM; Sat & Sun, 10 AM-11 PM
• Address: Lilienstraße 51, 81669 München, Germany
• Closest S-Bahn station: Isartor

The best modern Munich restaurants

Tohru in der Schreiberei

 

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This is one of the best Munich restaurants to try a fusion cuisine that can be a little hard to find: Japanese meets German. Tohru in der Schreiberei has two Michelin stars, and the chef uses sustainable ingredients whenever possible. Dishes are seasonal and creative, so at any given time, you may find a course with a French twist or that incorporates some type of homemade pasta.

There are actually two concepts within the restaurant: Schreiberei, with a casual menu priced in the 20-40 euros range, and Tohru, with a more upscale atmosphere. Tohru also has the menu to match, offering only one order: the 11-course tasting menu, priced at 280 euros. You can make reservations for both places, but only if you have at least four people.

• Hours:
  – Tohru: Tue-Sat, dinner begins at 7 PM
  – Schreiberei: Tue-Fri, 12 PM-2:30 PM, closed 2:30 PM-5 PM, open 5 PM-1 AM (kitchen closes at 10). Sat: 11:30 AM-1 AM (kitchen closes at 11 PM)
• Address: Burgstraße 5, 80331 München, Germany
• Closest S-Bahn station: Marienplatz

Restaurant Pageou

 

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The chef at Pageou serves up some oft he best modern Turkish food you’ll find in Europe (outside of Turkiye, at least). The interior is bright, airy, and modern, and there’s also a small outdoor courtyard that seats about 50, plus tables directly on the sidewalk in case you’d rather watch the world go by while dining al fresco. The chef’s homemade Turkish spices are so popular that you can actually buy them in-store or sign up for Turkish cooking classes either in person or online.

Menu-wise, both lunch and dinner are a set menu, ranging from 75 to 159 euros, depending on how many courses you’d like, and whether you add the wine pairings. Dishes include eggplant hummus with apricot and cacao, expertly prepared venison, roulades, or seafood dishes like grilled octopus, and deserts like hazelnut cream puffs with peach and raspberries. Reservations are via OpenTable (click “Reservierung” on the top of the website).

• Hours: Tue-Sat, 6 PM-12 AM
• Address: Kardinal-Faulhaber-Straße 10, 80333 München, Germany
• Closest S-Bahn station: Marienplatz

DinnerHopping

 

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DinnerHopping may seem a little kitsch and cheesy at first blush — it is an American-themed experience inside a vintage US school bus, after all. But it’s actually one of the highest rated Munich restaurants, especially if you’re with a group. That said, it’s not really a restaurant: it’s an interactive dining experience. The bus drives around the city, stopping at various diners and restaurants along the way. You’ll have three courses over the course of the evening, each from a different restaurant in Munich. There’s also entertainment while on the way, and you can choose to add on different tiers of drink packages when you make your reservations.

At each stop, meals are served at your vintage table on the bus. The cuisine will very based on what specific dinner you pick, including an American dinner tour, a classic German tour, and an Italian-themed evening. Tickets are 89 euros each (about $97) and should be purchased in advance online.

• Hours: 7 PM daily
• Address: Trips leave from the Marienplatz bus station
• Closest S-Bahn station: Marienplatz

Brenner

 

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If you’re planning to be near the Residence Museum or any other attraction near that side of Marienplatz, make a reservation for Brenner, the restaurant in the former stables of the city’s royal palace. It serves up Italian-meets-Mediterranean fare, with an open grill and a focus on simple, clean, and flavorful ingredients. It’s not a heavy, saucy pastas-type of place, so it’s a great spot to stop in for a light lunch after walking around the city.

It’s pretty reasonably priced, with most main courses in the 20-euro range and pastas, salads, and starters closer to 15-18 euros. However, it also has an extremely affordable breakfast menu, with items like waffles, omelettes, smoked salmon, and vegan options, all of which are under 15 euro.

• Hours: Mon-Sat, 8:30 AM-12 AM (1 AM Thu-Sat). On Mondays, the kitchen is closed 2:30 PM-5:30 PM.
• Address: Maximilianstraße 15, 80539 München, Germany
• Closest S-Bahn station: Marienplatz

Where to stay near the best Munich restaurants

Many of the top restaurants in Munich are near or in Marienplatz, the historic center center (and current city center). The streets around Marienplatz are very walkable, and since there’s a convenient S-Bahn stop and it’s just a short walk to the Munich central train station, it’s a good place to stay. If you’re visiting in the winter, you’ll find a few of the most popular Christmas markets near Marienplatz, too.

We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

Hotel Louis

Trendy, chic, convenient, and with an inviting lobby and bar area, Hotel Louis is a great mid-range pick in Munich. It’s only a five-minute walk to the train station and a 15-minute walk to Marienplatz. There’s also a cute rooftop dining area and complimentary bicycle rentals so you can cruise around the city without ever needing a car. Room rates start in the high $200s and include breakfast.

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Unsölds Factory Hotel

Unsölds Factory Hotel is near the Munich Residence Museum, about half a mile from Marienplatz. Most of the furnishings throughout the hotel are made with upcycled wood, and there’s an hip on-site lounge as well as a modern art gallery. It’s one of the best hotels for single travelers with one-person “cube” rooms starting around $70 a night. It’s in a great location for walking to most of the city’s top attractions. Non-cube rooms start around $114 per night.

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