Must-see restaurants in Saxony

  • Auerbachs Keller

    Leipzig

    Founded in 1525, Auerbachs Keller is one of Germany’s best-known restaurants. It’s cosy and touristy but the food’s actually quite good and the setting…

  • Stadtpfeiffer

    Leipzig

    Petra and Deflef Schlegel give deceptively simple-sounding dishes the star treatment, and were deservedly the first in Leipzig to get the Michelin nod…

  • Little India

    Dresden

    Bright, minimalist and informal, this fantastic Indian restaurant is a world away from most in Dresden, and its popularity is obvious (be prepared to wait…

  • Restaurant Genuss-Atelier

    Dresden

    Lighting up Dresden's culinary scene is this fantastic place that's well worth the trip on the 11 tram. The creative menu is streets ahead of most…

  • Ouzeri Was Kost Das

    Leipzig

    The subtly romantic canal-side setting succeeds in recreating the ambience of an island port taverna, but the concept is decidedly modern: a Greek version…

  • Restaurant Vincenz Richter

    Saxony

    Despite the historic guns and armour, the romance factor is high at this 16th-century inn thanks to attentive service, classy interpretations of classic…

  • Miódmaliny

    Eastern Saxony

    A short walk to the Polish side of town and you can gorge on culinary delights with a big discount. Furnished as grandma's parlour, this cosy cafe is…

  • Dornspachhaus

    Eastern Saxony

    Zittau’s oldest eatery dates from 1533 and oozes history, but it's not just a tourist piece – it serves delicious regional cuisine and has a lovely…

  • Cafe Puschkin

    Leipzig

    This charming old pub on the Südvorstadt neighbourhood's supercool Karli is a local institution. The selection of burgers, nachos and sausages won't blow…

  • brennNessel

    Dresden

    This popular, largely vegetarian gastropub in a miraculously surviving 350-year-old building is an oasis in the otherwise empty and anodyne streets of the…

  • Raskolnikoff

    Dresden

    An artist squat in the 1980s, Raskolnikoff now brims with grown-up artsy-bohemian flair, especially in the sweet little garden at the back, complete with…

  • Lila Sosse

    Dresden

    This jumping joint puts a new spin on modern German cooking by serving intriguing appetisers in glass preserve jars. You're free to order just a couple …

  • La Casina Rosa

    Dresden

    Everybody feels like family at this neighbourhood-adored trattoria with its warren of cosy rooms (plus small summer garden out the back) and feisty pasta…

  • Tobagi

    Leipzig

    This unsassuming Korean place just off the Karli is a lesson in not judging a book by its cover. Meet the eccentric and often cantankerous Korean owner…

  • Kaiserbad

    Leipzig

    A depot-sized dining hall next to the converted Westwerk powerplant, Kaiserbad is a result of the ongoing gentrification of the Plagwitz area, drawing…

  • Böhme

    Dresden

    The menu at this easygoing but quietly elegant place, with bare-brick walls and interwar period furniture, celebrates the produce of the Free State's…

  • Sophienkeller

    Dresden

    The 1730s theme, complete with waitresses trussed up in period garb, may be a bit overcooked, but the local specialities certainly aren't. It's mostly rib…

  • Vino e Cultura

    Eastern Saxony

    The vaulted space right on the historic Untermarkt has been lavishly converted and is Görlitz's prime foodie destination. The menu, courtesy of the…

  • Anamit

    Dresden

    Not your typical Vietnamese three-table eatery (a ubiquitous feature of any east German urban landscape), this is a large and atmospheric establishment…

  • BiBaBo

    Leipzig

    At the far end of Karli, this is an ultimate local, specialising in schnitzel and billiards. There are 14 kinds of schnitzel on the menu, from classic to…

  • Ladencafé Aha

    Dresden

    Dine outside on the pavement in front of the impressive Kreuzkirche, or retire to the cosy interior of this charming vegetarian-leaning health food cafe…

  • St Jonathan

    Eastern Saxony

    In a gorgeously attired dining space and atmospheric historic setting, St Jonathan offers delicious pasta, huge steaks and traditional regional dishes at…

  • Domkeller

    Saxony

    High above Meissen, this atmospheric tavern outside the cathedral has been in the hearty food and drink business since 1470. Standouts on the Saxon menu…

  • Senfladen

    Eastern Saxony

    There is often a queue outside this little sausage joint coupled with a shop selling famous (and famously spicy) local mustard that comes in dozens of…

  • mahl2

    Dresden

    At the entrance to Kunsthofpassage, this modern restaurant allows you to build your own meal out of five meat and fish options and a selection of sides…

  • Stadtwirtschaft

    Leipzig & Western Saxony

    Literally Bohemian (that is, related to the neighbouring part of Czechia), this easy-going place celebrates all things Czech - from knedlki dumplings and…

  • Cafe Continental

    Dresden

    If the greenly lit openings behind the bar remind you of aquariums, you've hit the nail on the head, for buzzy 'Conti' was a pet store back in GDR days…

  • Telegraph

    Leipzig

    Leipzig goes cosmopolitan at this elegantly high-ceilinged cafe with curved booths and wooden tables, a bilingual menu and a stack of international mags…

  • PlanWirtschaft

    Dresden

    The winning formula has stayed the same at this long-time favourite: fresh ingredients sourced from local suppliers; a menu that dazzles with…

  • Zum Schiesshaus

    Dresden

    If you're yearning for something traditional, meaty and quintessentially Saxon, this is the place for you. Oozing old-world atmosphere, despite having…

  • Wjelbik

    Eastern Saxony

    At this traditional restaurant, you'll be greeted Sorbian style, that is with a little bread and salt and a hearty Witajće k nam! (Welcome!). Enjoy the…

  • Restaurant Lucie Schulte

    Eastern Saxony

    In the romantic courtyard of the Flüsterbogen building, you'll find this upmarket place that is popular with locals and visitors alike. Despite the formal…

  • Dampfschwein

    Dresden

    Of course that favourite, pulled pork (slow-cooked pork so soft it can be easily torn into shreds), features prominently on Dresden's it-street. Fill…

  • Seeger Schänke

    Eastern Saxony

    'Seeger' is local dialect for 'clock', which explains the abundance of timepieces decorating this rustic pub that's often so crowded in the evenings that…

  • Filetto

    Eastern Saxony

    This warm and friendly place in the heart of the old town has an Italian-leaning menu that is focused heavily on steaks and a simple list of French wines…

  • Pilot

    Leipzig

    This retro-styled and quite charming establishment draws a bohemian crowd with its rustic menu, back-to-basic Saxon dishes and a splash of more…

  • Grand Café

    Dresden

    The imaginative mains (try roasted pike-perch on crispy Dijon mustard rösti with lemon and vegetables) and sumptuous cakes are good, but they act more as…

  • Cafe Michaelis

    Leipzig & Western Saxony

    A century-old Chemnitz coffeehouse tradition, Cafe Michaelis remains famous for its mind-boggling selection of truly mouth-watering cakes. If you don't…

  • Bautzner Senfstube

    Eastern Saxony

    Mustard bread, mustard salad dressing, mustard goulash, vanilla-mustard sauce, mustard potato mash – this restaurant is king when it comes to creative…

  • Curry & Co

    Dresden

    This upbeat outfit has elevated the lowly Currywurst to an art form and is busy day and night. Choose from smoked, all-beef, chicken or vegan varieties,…