Beer Taverns -- Some of the best inexpensive places to eat (and drink) in Cologne are beer taverns. Come to Bräuhaus Sion, Unter Taschenmacher 5-7 (tel. 0221/2578540; www.brauhaus-sion.de; U-Bahn: Heumarkt; tram: 5 or 7), if you want a traditional local tavern where the beer is good, the wood paneling is smoky with time and frequent polishing, and the food portions are generous. The main courses are traditional and filling Westphalian fare, and the best dish is Kölsch Kaviar (blood sausage with onion rings). On tap is the famed local beer, Kölsch, a light brew with an alcohol content of about 3%. It's served in Stangen (rods) about 18 centimeters (7 in.) tall. Main courses are 16€ to 26€. No credit cards are accepted. It's open daily 10am to midnight, but closed Christmas Eve.
Haus Töller, Weyerstrasse 96 (tel. 0221/2589316; www.haus-toeller.de; U-Bahn: Barbarossaplatz), a 15-minute walk south of the cathedral, has thrived as a brew house since 1876 by selling copious portions of two-fisted Teutonic food and foaming mugs of a local brew, Sion. The menu includes a local specialty, Schinkenhempsel (roast leg of pork), served with Sauerkraut and roast potatoes. Main courses are 12€ to 20€; a mug of Sion will set you back 1€. No credit cards are accepted. It's open daily 5pm to midnight.
