Must-see restaurants in Cologne & Northern Rhineland

  • Salon Schmitz

    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…

  • Brauerei im Füchschen

    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…

  • Tasty Kitchen by La Vie

    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…

  • Münstermann Kontor

    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…

  • Altes Gasthaus Leve

    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…

  • Brauhaus Zwiebel

    Ostwestfalen

    A one-stop shop for myriad forms of pleasure in Soest, this long-running brewery produces excellent seasonal beers throughout the year. The food is…

  • Pastis

    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…

  • Bei Oma Kleinmann

    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…

  • Café zum Mohren

    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…

  • Holstein's Bistro

    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…

  • Am Knipp

    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…

  • Restaurant Takumi

    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…

  • Meet & Eat Markt

    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,…

  • Feynsinn

    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…

  • Gaststätte Lommerzheim

    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…

  • Libanon Express

    Düsseldorf

    Crammed with mirrors, tiles and other decorations from Lebanon, this cafe serves great kebabs, falafel and other Middle Eastern specialities. Its takeaway…

  • Brauhaus Bönnsch

    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…

  • Alt-Aachener Café-Stuben

    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…

  • Paderborner Brauhaus

    Ostwestfalen

    When Paderborn locals arrange to meet at 'the' beer garden, they mean this sprawling gem sheltered by a grove of old trees hugging the little Pader river…

  • Zum Goldenen Einhorn

    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…

  • Magellan

    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…

  • Cafe Blüte

    Bonn

    Walls lined with the colourful containers of the owner's favorite teas overlook mismatched but comfy chairs and tables at this neighbourhood favourite…

  • Sorgenfrei

    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,…

  • Krawummel

    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…

  • Restaurant Im Wilden Mann

    Ostwestfalen

    This characterful restaurant shares a gorgeous double half-timbered building from the 15th century with a hotel of the same name. The kitchen turns out…

  • Pepella

    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…

  • Sulis Cafe

    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…

  • Pinkus Müller

    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…

  • Markt am Carlsplatz

    Düsseldorf

    A former fruit and vegetable market has been transformed into a foodies' playground. Scores of cafes, artisanal food vendors, stand-up takeaways and…

  • Miamamia

    The Ruhrgebiet

    This feel-good cafe is beautifully situated in an old house and quite possibly serves the best coffee in town. Join the locals as they indulge in deep…

  • Herr Sonnenschein

    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 …

  • Löffelbar

    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…

  • Cafe Läer

    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,…

  • Engelbät

    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…

  • Cafe Beethoven

    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…

  • Nobis

    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…

  • Petersilchen

    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…

  • Barösta Kaffeehaus

    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…

  • Cavete

    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…

  • Freddy Schilling

    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…