Gourmet Germany, Austria & Switzerland: 2004
When you take your tongue out sightseeing in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, what are its favorite taste treats?
Schwabisch Delicasies
My Wife and I just came back from Germany.We visited the towns of Rotweil,Haigerloch and Tubingen.Having family who are Schwabisch, I had a few encounters with this region of Germany and it'd wonderfully rustic food, but on this trip we delved into the cusine. Maultaschen is a German Ravioli filled with meat and vegetables.Try the Kasespaetzle, a egg noodle covered with gooey cheese and sauted onions, or the Kasespaetzle with Linsen (small lentils)It's a nice change from Wienerschnitzel and Bratwurst.It's farmers food and it is hearty!
Martin <email>
Livermore, Ca USA Fri 10/22/2004
Great place to eat in Wien
My wife and I just returned from Austria. We found a wounderful resturant That we highly recoment to everyone. the servings a quite large. one meal portion is large enought to share between two people. the price was very reasonable. Awsume Garlic soup. The place is called "Restaurant Newbauschenke" 1070 Wien, Zieglergasse 25. Just a few blocks from westbaun. When I ever return to Wien I would make a point of returning to this great place to eat.
Ellis <email>
Bloomingdale, OH USA Sat 10/09/2004
Fondue in Gruyeres
At the recommendation of my company's President (who is Swiss), we ate fondue at the Le Chalet Restaurant in Gruyeres (just outside the entrance to the castle). I've had fondue before but this was the best. Staff doesn't speak much English, though.
They give you plenty of potatoes, bread and pickles to dip into the cheese (you can buy dried meat as an extra). Strawberries in double cream for desert was great, too. Sit outside (across walking path from the restaurant) which has great view of the village.see http://www.gruyeres-hotels.ch/chalet/en/default.htm for details.
Steve & Haiqi C
Bay Area, CA USA Thu 09/30/2004
Another pick for Vienna
I have found another excellent place for traditional Austrian cooking at a great price in Vienna. It is called the Spatzennest and can be found off of the Burgasse right next to an old church. The grilled pork medallions with butter gemuse and rice was fantastic as was the mushroom with knoedel in cream sauce. Wine there is very fine and so is the service.
Alex Starke <email>
Eugene, OR USA Fri 09/24/2004
Tip from local Munich berr lovers
Best biergarten in Munich, of those that we sampled, was the Schneider and Sohne where Weissbier is the specialty. It was a fun place with good food and the #1 choice of the locals.
Ken Andrews
Penfield, NY USA Tue 09/14/2004
I visited the Hofbrauhaus during last years Oktoberfest and thought it was great. The beer was good as well as the company. This is a "must see" for visitors to Munich.
Robert V. Sarnowski <email>
USA Sun 08/29/2004
Dining in Salzburg
In January, I travelled to Vienna with a friend. We took a day trip to Salzburg and dined at Cafe Tomaselli, located at Alter Markt 9. This unassuming coffeehouse has been in business for almost three centuries and was frequented by the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who was born in Salzburg in 1756. We ate a simple ham and cheese omelet and drank hot chocolate. What sounds like a routine breakfast was anything but routine. The omelets came out piping hot and were ambrosial. The hot chocolate recipe used at Cafe Tomaselli is probably a closely-guarded state secret, as well it should be. Since the pastry rack was calling to us, we each enjoyed a scrumptious pastry. Mine was a slice of strawberry jelly-roll cake that melted in my mouth. With food like this, Cafe Tomaselli should be around for another three hundred years. Note: When you leave the Cafe, be sure to stop at the pastry/candy shop directly across the street from it. There, you will find a genuine Salzburg delicacy, Mozart Kugeln, a ball-shaped, chocolate candy filled with pistachio marzipan and hazelnut nougat. A poor facsimile of this delicious candy is available throughout Austria; however, Salzburg has the original and the best.
Sterling Washington
Washington, DC USA Wed 08/04/2004
Dining in Vienna
I was in Vienna in January with a friend and we stumbled upon a plac called Figlmueller near Backerstrasse. There are actually two locations around the corner from each other and they were not housed in the same space. I recommend the location on the side street (not the alley) because the alley location appears to be more touristy and I can not vouch for the quality of the food there. Figlmueller had great service and delicious, memorable food, which says a lot for a city where it is hard to find a bad meal. The Wiener schnitzel was so large that it completely covered the plate. The house salad, which includes a pile of hot German potato salad, is one of the menu's highlights. On my second trip to Figlmueller with my friend Taj, she had pork medallions with a side of pasta and string beans. Thankfully, she shared part of her dinner. The medallions were very juicy and the string beans were perfectly seasoned and wrapped up with two pieces of bacon. I don't know why Figlmueller isn't included in Rick Steves' Europe, but it should be.
Sterling Washington
Washington, DC USA Wed 08/04/2004
Wonderful food in Vienna
I lived in Vienna for a few months and my favorite place to eat was Brezl Gwolb. It is off of Am Hof on Lederhof Street. It is a bit difficult to find (the street is about 30ft. long). I found it in Time Out Vienna (a great guidebook) It is a beautiful restaurant perfect for a romantic evening. They serve excellent schnitzel, potato soup and pretzels. I'm sure the rest of the menu is great as well. I also enjoyed Zum Bettelstudent in the Kartnerstrasse area. Huge portions and reasonable prices!
Dara
USA Wed 07/28/2004
Good food for moderate to cheap
Raulz with two dots over the"u" in Lucerne in excellent and cheap for Rosti and authentic Swiss foods.One fo the best meals we had in our tour.It was also very friendly. The Smoked Kielbasa from the supermarket in Hoffgarten, Austria was WONDERFUL! Hoffbrau Haus in Munch, Germany has great food and fun for moderate to cheap prices!
rheann <email>
Corsicana, TX USA Fri 07/23/2004
Berlin- vegetarian dining
In Berlin, try the famous Einhorn imbiss near Savignyplatz for daytime eating. All vegetarian but very filling, fresh, and inexpensive. Go for the pfanne special & you can't go wrong!
Sophie
Los Angeles, Ca USA Mon 06/14/2004
Colmberg/ Romantic Road
If you're in Bavaria, doing the Romantic Road, don't miss dinner at Colmberg Castle! Amazing food and great ambience. HIghly recommended is the cheese soup...it tastes a lot better than it sounds. Also the ratsherrenteller is a pretty good bet anywhere in Bavaria- pork medallions with a mushroom sauce over hashbrowns. Stop by the Weinstube in nearby Lichtenau for amazing garlic soup!
sophie
Los Angeles, Ca USA Mon 06/14/2004
Heurigen!
If you're looking for an authentic Viennese dining/drinking/atmosphere experience let me suggest visiting a Heuriger. My grandmother, whom I often visit, lives in the 19th district near a wine growing area (Neustift). The music, roaring fire, tasty fare (try the blurwurst) and locally made wine make these experiences one of a kind each time I go!
Chris <email>
Minneapolis/Wien, MN USA Fri 06/11/2004
lucerne switzerland
My husband and I just returned from Lucerne, Switzerland on 5/30/04 and wanted to share a great restaurant, Restaurant Stadkeller (Sternenplatz 3). For 66 swiss francs, dinner was a cheese fondue, salad, vegetables, and dessert. Along with a great cultural show, the staff was great and there was audience participation. We made reservations through our hotel, much easier than trying to call by ourselves. With the high prices of food in Switzerland, this place was a real deal.
adrienne pollack
Wellington, fl USA Wed 06/02/2004
Good food in Germany and Austria
After two weeks in Germany and Austria, we keep salivating as we remember some of our favorite foods! Here's a taste:
Berlin - "Anatre" in Hackische Hof - Stadt Mitte (frm. East Berlin). Great soups and pasta dishes. Linsen Eintopf (lentil soup) was excellent!
Augsburg - "Der Andechser" is a neat little place near the cathedral, specializing in Bavarian treats. Hax'n mit brot (pig knuckle) and Maultaschen - stuffed noodle pocket in an onion sauce. All washed down with an Andechser. Reservations would be helpful.
p Salzburg - "Resch & Lieblich" A little tough to find (behind some construction barriers) but worth the hunt. Tasty goulasch and pizzas. See Rick's book.
Ruette - If you stay at "Hohenrainer" pension, make sure you eat dinner at least once at the hosts' resturant. (Gasthof Schloswirt). This is good home cooking. We had a wonderful 3 course meal - no menu, which was perfect!
Munich - Suppenkuche in Viktualian Markt was a tasty treat on a snowy day. "Paulaner am Nockherberg" was overpriced and had very poor service - hopefully it was just our waiter!
J & D
Seattle, WA USA 04/11/04
Vegetarian Eating in Munich & Salzburg
My vegetarian husband and I just returned from a week in Munich and Salzburg, with no problems fnding food that we could eat! We even stuck to breweries, inns, and the like.
I can recommend highly the Augustiner Braustubel around the corner from the Hofbrauhaus. Great cozy, local atmosphere. We had vegetarian knodel, and spaetzel, and even a salad.
We stopped at Nordsee in Salzburg and had big American style salads, which was a refreshing change from all the pretzels. At the Augustiner monk brewery in Salzburg, it's easy to make a vegetarian meal from the food counters right before you get into the beerhall. Radish salad has become one of our new favorite foods!
S & E
Boston, MA USA 04/08/04
Excellent Vienna Eating Experience
Wife and I splurged on one meal in Vienna at a place called Plachutta (www.plachutta.at). It turned out to be the highlight of the vacation. We ordered traditional tafelspitz (Beef boiled in beef stock with fresh vegetables). Meal was served with excellent pureed spinach and a horesradish/apple sauce. The staff was very friendly. Make reservations as it is packed with customers. We loved it.
John
Bamberg, Germany 03/30/04
Servus and Figlmueller
On our first visit to Vienna we arrived at our hotel, the Fuerstenhof, and after checking in, walked a in a mild jet-lag daze down Mariahilferstrasse. After awhile we stumbled upon the Servus; what a great find it was. We dined outdoors on their terrace upon some fine Austrian cuisine chased down by a little Gruner Veltliner wine...I'll never forget that first meal.
On our next trip to Vienna during Jan-Dec '03 on a cold afternoon we came upon the Figlmueller located on Backerstrasse. Although considered by many "touristy" they serve up exceptional wienerschnitzel and I would never refuse a mug of their blaufrankisch wine. I investigate many places to eat in Vienna with every visit and will always recommend to everyone visiting Schoen Wien to enjoy wonderful establishments like Figlmueller and Servus!
Alex Starke <email>
Eugene, OR USA 03/04/04
Apfelwein in Frankfurt am Main
If you ever find yourself in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, try a glass of Apfelwein, which is a specialty of the Frankfurt area. Apfelwein (literally translated as "apple wine") is like apple cider but is not as sweet and, of course, has a kick. You can find Apfelwein all around Frankfurt, but I suggest that you go to an area called the Kneipenviertel (bar quarter) in Sachsenhausen, one of Frankfurt's many neighborhoods. The Kneipenviertel is especially close to those staying at the Hostelling International youth hostel.
Andy
Iowa City, IA USA 02/07/04