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Cologne
Spread over three historical row houses, the Schmitz empire is your one-stop shop for excellent food and drink. Greet the day with a lavish breakfast in…
Cologne
Spread over three historical row houses, the Schmitz empire is your one-stop shop for excellent food and drink. Greet the day with a lavish breakfast in…
Düsseldorf
Boisterous, packed and drenched with local colour, the ‘Little Fox’ in the Altstadt is all you expect a Rhenish beer hall to be. The kitchen is especially…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
The little sister of Osnabrück's triple Michelin-starred La Vie started out as a pop-up but the concept proved just too popular. In a meticulously…
Düsseldorf
This legendary delicatessen has spawned a buzzy bistro serving some of Düsseldorf's best seasonal and locally sourced fare. Day after day the place hums…
Münster
Münster’s oldest inn (since 1607) has painted tiles, oil paintings and copper etchings: a suitably rustic backdrop for hearty Westphalian and German fare…
Bonn
This little bistro-deli is so fantastically French you’ll feel like donning a beret and affecting a silly accent. Dine on unfussy gourmet cuisine – paired…
Cologne
Named for its long-time owner, who was still cooking almost to her last day at age 95 in 2009, this perennially booked, graffiti-covered restaurant serves…
Aachen
This darling cafe just off the tourist trail is famous for its cakes, especially a wicked chocolate one called Krippekratz (local slang for 'devil') and…
Münster
Münster's slow-food outpost has been raising the bar of inventive seasonal fare for almost 20 years. The menu reflects what's fresh, but there's usually a…
Aachen
Hungry grazers have stopped by this traditional inn since 1698, and you too will have a fine time enjoying hearty German cuisine served amid a flea market…
Düsseldorf
All you need to know about this hole-in-the-wall is that it's always packed elbow-to-elbow with Düsseldorf's expat Japanese community salivating over an…
Cologne
A combination of farmers market and street-food fair, Meet & Eat draws locals of all ages to Rudolfplatz on Thursday evenings. Aside from fresh produce,…
Cologne
This well-respected Zülpicher Viertel restaurant is an excellent pit stop at any time of the day. Come for extravagant breakfasts, light lunches and…
Cologne
The best reason to wander east across the Hohenzollernbrücke railway bridge over the Rhine is this delightfully old-school pub serving some of the finest…
Düsseldorf
Crammed with mirrors, tiles and other decorations from Lebanon, this cafe serves great kebabs, falafel and other Middle Eastern specialities. Its takeaway…
Bonn
The unfiltered ale is a must at this congenial brewpub adorned with photographs of famous politicians great and failed, from Willy Brandt to, yes, Arnold…
Aachen
Leather-covered walls, tiled stoves and antiques forge the yesteryear feel of this rambling cafe established in 1890 (the building goes back to 1655). It…
Aachen
You won't feel the sharp end of the namesake golden unicorn at this main square restaurant that goes one better than most of its neighbours. The…
Aachen
This restaurant-bar comes with a lovely hidden garden right near the centre of town. There's even a little stream running past garden tables where you can…
Bonn
Walls lined with the colourful containers of the owner's favorite teas overlook mismatched but comfy chairs and tables at this neighbourhood favourite…
Cologne
Dishes are prepared with the same attention to detail (yet lack of pretension) found throughout this casual fine-dining treasure. An excellent wine list,…
Münster
This darling cafe gets plenty of eco-cred for using only organic and sustainably grown ingredients and turning them into a rotating menu of super-tasty…
Düsseldorf
Georgia (the country, not the US state) is a cultural and geographical bridge between east and west, which is also reflected in its cuisine. It's meat…
Düsseldorf
This locally adored cafe is especially lovely in summer when half the 'hood comes out to sip java and eat yummy cheesecake or carrot cake (both homemade…
Münster
One of Germany's best small brewers, Pinkus Müller has a namesake pub and restaurant in the heart of the Kuhviertel nightlife zone. Nab an outdoor table…
Düsseldorf
A former fruit and vegetable market has been transformed into a foodies' playground. Scores of cafes, artisanal food vendors, stand-up takeaways and…
Münster
Stay on the sunny side at this feel-good cafe that's worth a stop no matter where the hands of the clock are. Highlights on the small but handmade menu …
Düsseldorf
With a name like 'spoon bar' you'd think that this contemporary outfit was a soup joint. Which it is. Partly. Yes, the menu features bowls of cheese-leek…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
This charming cafe has plied loyal locals with freshly baked goods and gooey pastries and cakes for well over a century. Current owner Ulrich Läer,…
Cologne
This cosy restaurant-pub is famous for its habit-forming crêpes, which come in 50 varieties – sweet or savoury, meat or vegetarian and vegan. Also popular…
Düsseldorf
This Flingern classic caters to an easy-going local crowd who whoop it up on the terrace when the weather plays along. It's a great spot for breakfast, a…
Aachen
This gorgeous bakery, where you can watch the bakers at work, is right across from the Dom. It has a stunning array of sandwiches and other goods ready to…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Follow your nose to the source of the tempting java aroma at this upbeat, contemporary cafe-cum-roastery. It's good for just grabbing a quick cuppa but…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Stepping inside the 'little parsley' (as the name translates) is like getting a hug from an old friend. An old piano and fresh flowers set the tone for…
Münster
For a relaxed pint, steer to the Kuhviertel, the traditional student quarter north of the Dom. Cavete has been a late-night classic for generations. Find…
Cologne
A wholewheat bun provides a solid framework for the moist patties made with beef from happy cows and drizzled with Freddy's homemade 'special' sauce. Pair…
Bonn
On a hot Bonn day, there are few things better than the just-made ice cream (from organic milk, no less) doled out at this cone-sized artisanal lab where…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Elegant without being stuffy, this restaurant in the eponymous hotel cooks up German food with a seasonal, contemporary kick. The menu changes often but…
Münster
This locally beloved restaurant in a half-timbered house has been churning out top-notch earthy Westphalian fry-ups forever. Of course, the beer is Pinkus…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Some things never go out of style, including this local gastro-stalwart. Run by a charming couple for around 30 years, the cosy, elegant space serves…