My Restaurant & Pub Tips

Bonn has a wonderful selection of restaurants and pubs - and the beer gardens can't be beat. When I first arrived here I lived in a cold, dank basement, so I tried to avoid it by going out a lot. I've visited a lot of these places and decided to make my own list for English-speaking readers. I've decided to separate the list by district. Remember, this list is not complete and is based on my visits. Another pretty impressive restaurant list was sent by a reader - Guenther has published his "culinary account of three years in Bonn". Be sure to check his out too.

I might have forgotten to include one or two places, so if you want my opinion or want to know if I have heard anything about a restaurant feel free to send me a mail. I'm sure I or one of my friends can help you out.

[Bad Godesberg]  [Beuel]  [Bonn Altstadt]
[Bonn City]  [Dottendorf/Kessenich]  [Endenich]
[Oberkassel]  [Plittersdorf]  [Poppelsdorf]
[Regierungsviertel]  [Südstadt]  [Venusberg]
[Cologne]

Bad Godesberg

• Aennchen (at the foot of the Godesberg) is a wonderful old restaurant that is world-famous. Its praises are sung of in many foreign countries. The restaurant once actually received a postcard with the address "n, Germany" - meaning the small "A" (or Aennchen) in Germany. The food is outstanding, as is the service. It isn't cheap, but it is well worth it.

• Bastei (Von-Sandt-Ufer) - I was here for a wedding reception and was impressed with the food. The balcony and terrace offer a great view of the Rhine, Petersburg and Drachenfels.

• Casa Rustica (Im Auelchen 9) - I'm crazy about this place! It is a tiny little half-timbered house tucked away on a one-way street. They only have 10 tables inside - plus outdoor seating in good weather. The food is unbelievable, and the service is fantastic!

• Costa Verde (Wurzerstr. near the B9) - good meal, excellent wine. They serve very good tapas.

• Da Tung (Am Michaelshof 4b) - they serve Dim Sum - what more could you want?

• Drachenburg (Mainzer Str. 152) - the best Bohemian restaurant in Bonn as far as I'm concerned. The portions are well-sized, the prices are reasonable, and they have Budvar on tap. The Hochzeitsknödel and sauce melt in your mouth!

• Oscars Schnitten (on the left side of the main pedestrian shopping area when you get out of the U-Bahn and walk towards Michaelshof) - I just discovered this place. They have extremely reasonable sushi menus - and the sushi is really good.

• Pino (Rheinstr. 26) - good food and reasonably priced.

• Sutton's Irish Pub (Michaelplatz 3) - a nice Irish pub, but it doesn't compare to Fiddler's or The Quiet Man.

• Zwitscherstube (Rheinallee 17) - a great little wine cellar. The perfect place to go after you've been to the Kinopolis or are looking for a little something to eat.

 

Beuel

• Beueler Grill (Friedrich-Breuer-Str. across from the Filmbühne) - I have been here many times for a quick takeaway sandwich or a sit-down meal and have never been disappointed. I especially recommend their Falafel or chicken pita (Hähnchen-Pita)

• Der Blaue Affe - this beer garden is the most reasonable and low-key of the Bonn beer gardens and is located right off the bike path. Kristallweizen only costs 5 DM here. Seating is casual on picnic benches. I tend to always run into someone I know here.

• Café Aetna (corner (Friedrich-Breuer-Str./Obere Wilhelmstr.) - one of my favorite ice cream cafés. Try the Coppa Aetna. I love the Blue Curacao. The sundaes here are also excellent.

• Eiscafé Olivetti (Friedrich-Breuer-Str. 69) - my second favorite ice cream café in Bonn. Excellent ice cream sundaes.

• Furios (Friedrich-Breuer-Str. 67) - great cocktails, nice atmosphere, and the scene of one of the funniest moments with my friend Olaf (funny for him, not-so-funny for me - although if you consider being covered from head to toe with beer and cigarette ashes funny...). Open past 1 am.

• Rheinlust (Rheinaustr. 134) - one of the best beer gardens around, but not the best place to go since the teenies discovered it and its owner Alex from "Big Brother". Wait a while to try it out once the excitement has died down.

• Stadtcafe (Friedrich-Breuer-Str. 89) - pretty good, but nothing special

• Tivoli (Friedrich-Breuer-Str. 91) - great Italian food at a reasonable price. I highly recommend their mixed antipasto from the buffet.

• Bambus China-Restaurant (Obere-Wilhelm-Str. 31) - reasonably priced and good portions.

• Ocean City (floating Chinese restaurant) - I've heard from everyone I've talked to that the food is overpriced and too salty.

 

Bonn Altstadt

• Bärwinkel (Heerstr. 121) - excellent food and wine. I celebrated my birthday here a few years ago and really enjoyed myself. If you like seafood I highly recommend the Calamari with spinach or the escargot.

• Bei Waldi (Wolfstr. 45) - a bit too "spiessig" for my tastes. The people were o.k., but the place holds bad memories for me so you won't be seeing me here again in the near future.

• Brauhaus Machold (corner of Dorotheenstr./Heerstr.) - excellent food and a great atmosphere. They brew their own beer and offer a Bierbörse on either Mondays or Thursdays (I can't remember when exactly) when the price drops according to demand. I really enjoy coming here and highly recommend the Brauhaus platter.

• Buck Mulligan's (Römerstr. 58) - a cute little Irish pub, but a bit off the beaten track. The food here is pretty good and the live musicians are pretty cute ;-)

• Cantina Siesta Mexicana (Breite Str. 72) - very authentic Mexican food, but avoid the margarita if you are looking for the large frozen variety. You'll only be disappointed.

• Caramba (Georgstr. 28) - great food and a cute little terrace. I knew the owner, so I definitely wanted to give it a try. I'd go back if I could find someone to split the paella with - any takers?

• Casa Antonio (Heerstr. 67) - a "Geheimtipp". This Spanish/Portuguese restaurant only has 4 or 5 tables and has a high turnover, but the Portuguese waiter always remembers me - no matter how many years have gone by or where I am (he recognized me in a hard rock bar once :-) ). The food is very reasonable and good. They serve their wine in water glasses, just to show you how unassuming this place is.

• Elsässer (Breite Str.) - excellent ambiance and good French cuisine.

• Eulenspiegel (Vorgebirgsstr. 19) - I was here during Karneval and had a great time.

• Godot (Im Krausfeld 8) - excellent food! I especially like the banana casserole and the chicken in honey and coconut. They aren't afraid to experiment, and the results are wonderful! From the outside the place looks smaller than it really is.

• Indian Palace (Graurheindorfer Str. next to Edeka) - if you love Indian food and are looking for great ambiance, this is the place for you. The restaurant is located down some stairs, but it is very plush and candle-lit. A bit pricier than Mogul (see below), but well worth it.

• Klein Bon(n)um (Paulstr. 5) - known for its excellent food, so get here early or reserve ahead of time to make sure you get a table.

• Moghul (Dorotheenstr. - tucked away next to Pawlow) - the most affordable Indian restaurant in Bonn with good food. Since I am a huge fan of Indian food, I wouldn't leave this off the list for the world.

• Pawlow (Heerstr. 64) - if you like "headbangers", this is the place for you.

• Die Pille (Dorotheenstr. 2) - my friends and I like to get together here every once in a while for a tall Weizen. The owner is a lot of fun, but don't use the "Sie" form. You won't get your beer unless you use the "Du" form.

• Die Pinte (Breite Str. 46) - this is the first pub I ever went to in Germany. The place is small and very old.

• The Pub (Dorotheenstr. 8) - a bit more "high level" than the other pubs in the Altstadt.

• Rosa Lu (Vorgebirgsstr. 80) - a great place to get together with friends to play board games or just talk. They also serve an excellent brunch buffet on Sundays.

• San Telmo (Breite Str. 55) - a very popular Spanish restaurant. The place is always packed and the food is excellent.

• Stachel (Maxstr. 30-32) - the place was a bit too loud and crowded for my tastes, but then again, it was the weekend. 

• Tuscolo (Kaiser-Karl-Ring 63) -  The pizzas are baked in a wood-burning oven and don't fit on the plate - even though it is rather large. The noodles are also homemade, and the tiramisu is to die-for. BUT ... I've been told by a very good source that they try to cheat you by charging twice for the drinks (this has happened to him twice now). So be *VERY careful* when paying the bill and call them on it if you even suspect that the amount they are asking is too much. Just don't mention you heard it from me.

• Die Zwiebel (now under a new name - Wolfstr. 11) - I will never, ever set foot in this place again. I met two guys here who I wish I hadn't. The people are friendly enough, but not exactly to my tastes.

 

Bonn City

• Bonngout (Remigiusplatz 4) - my all-time favorite café in Bonn. They have the best Milchkaffees in town, and the food and cakes are excellent. The ambiance is also wonderful.

• Brauhaus Bönnsch (Sterntorbrücke 4) - I always bring my guests here. They have excellent German food, and I love the beer glasses and the house-brewed beer. Open past 1 am.

• Carpe Noctem (Wesselstr. 5) - Shake your body down to the ground at Carpe Noctem. A great dance club. Thursdays is Oldies night - enjoy the music from the 70s and 80s.

• Cartoon (Kasernenstr. 16) - a cute little pub, but nothing special if you ask me.

• Casa del Gatto (Kaiserplatz 20) - I always run into someone I know here. This is a great pub down in an old cellar. Very reasonable prices.

• Cassius Garden (Maximilianstr. 28) - a great cafeteria-style vegetarian restaurant. They price things according to weight, and it tends to add up quickly. The fresh-squeezed juices are a nice tip.

• Creperie-Rotisserie (Markt 3) - the crepes are surprisingly filling. Ask for no garlic or you (and those anywhere near you) will regret it for the next few days.

• Em Höttche (Markt) - a great little old restaurant. I especially like the table tucked away inside the old fireplace. Good German food.

• Göttlich (Fürstenstr. 4) - a Uni hangout, but nice all the same. They're open past 1 am.

• Gum (Sterntorbrücke 7) - I don't care what anyone else says about this place, I love it. It serves Russian cuisine and is open after 1 am for those who are hungry or looking to continue the party. I recommend ordering the Vodka Kirsch.

• Hähnchen (Münsterplatz 21) - a bit pricey, the tables outside in the sun are the best, and they serve Weizen (no Kölsch).

• Im Stiefel (Bonngasse 30) - good food, although the personnel is a bit different. One of the waitresses had a terrible, contagious disease last year (I don't remember if it was TB or something else) and had to be forced by the health authorities to stop waiting on tables. This place is a "place to be" during Karneval

• Jazz-Galerie (Oxfordstr. 24) - great music. Jazz during the week, Samba on Thursdays (I think) and good dance music on the weekends. Open past 1 am every night.

• Korrekt (Brüdergasse 9) - the location of a terrible date, so I'm a bit biased, but I remember enjoying the food and the beer.

• La Rotonda (Friedrichstraße) - I was recently here for a company dinner. I liked the atmosphere and the décor - especially the starlight (is that the right word for a glass ceiling?) The food was excellent, and the wine my date and I ordered was out of this world! I like the idea of a three-course meal for a reasonable price (about 40 DM), but I splurged and got a steak. It was unbelievable! Our Managing Director knows the owner of this restaurant through the St. Augustine restaurant of the same name, which is just as good.

• Le Copain (Berliner Platz 5) - a gay bar. We went in accidentally when Olaf needed to use the restroom. The people there were very nice to us.

• Man Wah (Markt 5) - the food here isn't the best. The translator and interpreter forum meets here once a month. 

• Maredo (Wesselstr. 5) - excellent steaks and salad bar.

• Im Veedel (formerly McSwiggan's - boy do I miss this place) (Mauspfad) The new restaurant is well-known for its good food. Although, I walked by recently and it appears to be closed again. Anyone have any information on this?

• Metropol Café (Markt 8) - a great place to get a drink while waiting for your movie.

• Nachrichten-Treff (Kaiserpassage) - excellent food, a wonderful terrace balcony and the inside is quite cozy too. They actually have seating in an old train car.

• Pendel (Citypassage 1) - they recently expanded and doubled their seating, but it is still almost impossible to find a seat.

• Phuket Thai (Berliner Freiheit 14) - excellent atmosphere (I especially like the requisite fish tank) and good Thai food. The cocktails are fantastic.

• The Quiet Man (corner of Quantiusstr./Baumschulallee below the hotel - where the Schnappsuhr used to be) - a cozy little Irish pub. There are no other chips quite like these in Bonn. Don't miss them!

• Salvator (In der Sürst 5-7, near the Hauptbahnhof - not the one on the Thomas-Mann-Str.) is a Bavarian-style beer hall. The fresh-baked pretzels are really good, and I enjoyed the fish and spinach I ordered.

• Spitz (Sterntorbrücke 10) - excellent food and a great location. I love sitting outside and watching the people go by. I always see at least one person I know when I am here.

• Tacos (Bonngasse 7) - good Tex-Mex food and excellent margaritas. Just don't expect a lot of alcohol in the drinks during happy hour.

• Tri Angeli (near the traffic light heading towards Endenich - right after the bridge). The food was wonderful - from the appetizers to the main course.

 

Dottendorf/Kessenich

• LaVita (Kessenicher Str. 165) - I've been told this is the best Italian restaurant in Bonn, but I think Casa Rustica and Tri Angeli are better. Although this is very good...

• Rincon de Espana (Karthäuserplatz 21) - very rustic atmosphere and reasonable prices. Whatever you do, don't blow into the pipe!!!

• Bodega (corner Reuterstr./Burbacherstr.) - a romantic, candle-lit Greek restaurant. The seats are covered with lambskins, and the food is good and plentiful.

 

Endenich

• Fiddler's Irish Pub (Frongasse) - voted the best Irish pub in North Rhine-Westphalia. The food is fantastic and the beer is the perfect temperature. Be sure to order some of their brown bread! I really love coming here.

• Harmonie (Frongasse 28-30) - offers lots of great live music in their concert hall in the back. The food is also quite good here. 

• Springmaus (Frongasse) - a nice little theater that serves you beverages while you enjoy the show.

 

Oberkassel

• Karawane (Adrianstr. 104 - corner of Baumstrasse/Adrianstrasse, 0228 9449680) - this restaurant is definitely worth a visit! You get a plate with a little bit of everything on the menu (the food has a decided Oriental/Mediterranean touch). Once you have sampled everything you can choose 3 dishes to eat. When you finish those 3 dishes you can choose another 3 until you are full. The food is excellent and varied. When we ate there there was a lot of Turkish, Arabian and Indian food. The food is excellent, and the drinks are also very good. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 6-11 p.m.

 

Plittersdorf

• Dionysos (Plittersdorfer Str. 220) - hearty Greek food. If you can, sit in the romantic, grape-leave-covered garden in the back of the restaurant. Avoid the weird spread they bring with the bread though.

• Im Steinhaus (Turmstr. 13) - good food, if a little pricey

• Kanton China-Restaurant (Mittelstr. 8-10) - the food is excellent, and the lunch special runs from 12 noon - 2:30 pm. I recommend the beef with ginger and leek or the curried fish or chicken.

• Parkrestaurant Rheinaue (Ludwig-Erhard-Allee) - great romantic atmosphere in the middle of the park.

• Schaumburger Hof - the beer garden is unbeatable in the summertime. Inside is really expensive - go for coffee and cake if you can. It was excellent.

• Trattoria Pizzeria Italia (Plittersdorfer Str. 220)- the waiters are a lot of fun, and the food is good. I recommend the Penne All' Adriatica or the Pizza Romana.

• Van Koch (Wurzerstr.)- I saw this in a book on the best restaurants in Germany. It was the only listing for Bonn. I wouldn't consider it the *best* restaurant in Bonn, but it is still quite good. The selection leaves a bit to be desired, but then again, I haven't had a meal I didn't enjoy here. And I really like the lights in the trees.

• Zur alten Post (Plittersdorfer Str. 191) - my "Cheers". I have never had a meal here that I didn't enjoy. And you can't beat the prices!

 

Poppelsdorf

• Bodega Miguelito (Sternenburgstr. 86) - I remember being very impressed by the food and the service.

• China City (Clemens-August-Str. 2) - great Chinese food.

• Extra Dry (Clemens-August-Str. 46) - a nice little cocktail bar

• Havanna Caffe (Clemens-August-Str. 1) - one of the most popular pubs in Poppelsdorf. Great tequila drinks.

• Poseidon (Clemens-August-Str. 81) - good Greek food served with a free Ouzo or schnapps compliments of the house after your meal.

• Spiegel (Sternenburgstr. 37) - I used to be here a lot. A nice little bar to hang out in.

• Spleen (Am Botanischen Garten 20) - decorated a bit crazy with lots of old, unmatched chairs and sofas. I've been told the politicians used to come here to relax.

 

Regierungsviertel

• Bowling alley (Bundeskanzlerplatz) - if you like to go bowling this is the place for you.

• Pantheon (Bundeskanzlerplatz) - I was here recently for a cabaret and was quite impressed. A great little theater and bar. I especially liked the Batilda Orange.

 

Südstadt

• Albert's Cafe (Ermekeilstr. 28) - they serve great Milchkaffees here. I like coming here.

• Alibi (Weberstr. 41) - a fun little pub - especially during Karneval.

• Café Extro (Lessingstr. 50) - recently reopened under new management.

• Pathos (Weberstr. 43) - a great little restaurant & pub. They serve a *fantastic* brunch buffet on Sundays.

• Wespennest (Argelanderstr. 139) - I love how they decorated this place - very cozy. I've also been told it serves the best Sunday brunch in town. The hot food comes out at 12 noon, although we still had a nice selection from 9 AM on.

• Zur Kerze (Königstr. 25-27) - Is it or isn't it closed? This used to be the best place to go once all the other bars had closed.

 

Venusberg

• Bohemia (Nachtigallenweg 90) - Nuevo cuisine - a little bit of food for a lot of money. The food was good and the roaring fireplace added to the romantic ambiance of the place. Unfortunately we were hungry and my date was expecting typical "Bohemian" servings he was used to before the reunification, so we were a bit disappointed. I wouldn't mind giving it another try though.
  

Cologne

• The first "dark" restaurant in all of Germany has opened right here in Cologne in Stavenhof am Eigelstein. Blind waiters escort you to your table, in the dark, where you will be served scrumptious dishes. Psychologist Dr. Axel Rudolph promises that this "invisible" dining experience will pique your other senses to such a degree that it will make this an extraordinary experience.

• If you love sushi don't miss the sushi bar (Sushi No. 1) in the basement of the WDR-Arkade.

• Another interesting restaurant is L'Imprimerie (Bookbindery). It is located at Caesarstr. 58 in Bayenthal. The restaurant was originally a bookbindery. It is off the street, tucked into a courtyard. The interior setting is quite simple with urns, crockery, cooking utensils and dried herbs. Seating consists of long rows of tables, end-to-end. The restaurant is usually almost full by 8 PM and they don't take reservations. Apparently the food is exceptional.

• Jameson's has excellent British dishes (I recommend the chicken) and great beer on tap. I spent many wonderful evenings here listening to live music.

• Serithai (Schaafenstr. 63, 0221 231969) has the best Indian food in the area. Reservations only. Open 6 p.m. to midnight.

• Based on recent Gastronomy awards: the best Kölsch restaurant is Höhn's Dom Brauhaus, the best bar is Brauhaus Stüsser, the best Biergarten is Wippenbeck, the best wine restaurant is "Zur Traube" Urbacher Weinstube, the best fine dining is at Loup de Mer, the best Italian restaurant is Branzino

© Jill R. Sommer, July 2000.