Restaurants in Cologne
Although several highly rated restaurants have established themselves here in recent years, Cologne is not a city particularly known for its gourmet dining. Rather, it’s a place for conversation and drinking, generally over enormous portions of typical Rhineland fare in crowded restaurants that are gemütlich (cozy) rather than elegant.
To eat and drink as the Kölner do, visit one of the city’s old tavern-restaurants. Local dishes generally include Halver Hahn (a rye bread roll with Dutch cheese), Tatar (finely minced raw beef mixed with egg yolk, onions, and spices and served on bread or a roll), Kölsch Kaviar (smoked blood sausage served with raw onion rings), Matjesfilet mit grünen Bohnen (herring served with green butter beans and potatoes), Hämchen (cured pork knuckle cooked in vegetable broth), Himmel und Äd (apples and potatoes boiled and mashed together and served with fried blood sausage), and Speckpfannekuchen (pancakes fried in smoked bacon fat).
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6 Results
- German/Rhineland
Brauhaus Pütz
Pǖtz is a neighborhood brewery-restaurant in the Belgian Quarter, near the university. It’s a small, non-touristy place where locals come for a good meal and a glass of delicious Kölsch, and consequently it’s more “authentic” than the larger brewery-restaurants in the Altstadt, and…$Around Town - German/Rhineland
Brauhaus Sion
If you want a traditional Brauhaus where the beer is good, the wood paneling a little smoky with age, and the food portions inexpensive and generous, Sion is the place. The main courses are traditional and filling Rhineland fare, such as Riesenhämchen (boiled pigs’ knuckles) with…$Around Town - German/French
Das Kleine Stapelhäuschen
This popular and cozy wine restaurant (and hotel, see “Cologne Hotels”) opens onto the old fish-market square and the Rhine, just a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral. Although the wine is the main reason for coming here (the local Rhine wines are that special), you won’t be…$$Around Town - German/Rhineland
Früh am Dom
This big, busy Bräuhaus near the cathedral is the best all-around spot for atmosphere, economy, and hearty portions. You can eat in the upstairs or downstairs dining rooms (upstairs, on the ground floor, is better), with a different German specialty offered every day of the week. (A…$$Around Town - German/Rhineland
Sünner im Walfisch
Set back from the Rhine in the Altstadt, this 17th-century step-gabled inn with a black-and-white timbered façade is a good choice for atmospheric dining—especially if you are interested in trying the traditional dishes of Cologne. How about Himmel und Ād (fried blood sausages with…$$Around Town - Rhineland
Weinhaus Brungs
A typical 16th century merchant's house now houses a Rhineland restaurant where local specialties are elevated beyond the "Brauhaus" level. So alongside Sauerbraten with potato dumplings , there's a 30-hour slow roast beef or classics like Wienerschnitzel (breaded veal scallop). The…$$Around Town
