Food and drink

Completed in the late 15th century, this distinguished townhouse began serving wine in 1892 and has continued that tradition ever since, benefitting from a restoration and refit in 2016. Unsurprisingly the wine list is special and features an extensive range of bottles from both Germany and Austria.

But Weinhaus Neuner is more than a mere wine bar. Chefs Benjamin Kunz and Johann Rappenglück oversee a kitchen that focuses on Bavarian and Austrian dishes, using regional ingredients that are fresh and appealing. Try the raw, marinated white fish, which has echoes of ceviche, or the Saibling (char), which works delightfully with a side of sauerkraut. Then there’s the Wiener schnitzel, which is teamed with hand-picked cranberries and horseradish cream.

Tall windows, high ceilings and an 18-metre-long table made from 200-year-old spruce give Theresa Grill a loft-style feel. But it’s the open charcoal grill that’s the main attraction. Here meat and fish are cooked, including T-bone and prime rib steaks that have been dry-aged for 35 days. Drinks include speciality beer by Beck’s and Spaten, a predominantly German and Austrian wine list and a solid cocktail selection. If you’re looking for light snacks, the Theresa Bar next door is run by the same team.

Owner Roberto Careri hails from Palermo and has made sure that his small bar-cum-restaurant in the lively Au-Haidhausen district is a little reminder of his Sicilian home. Simple wooden tables are covered with red-and-white checked or floral-patterned plastic, the walls are decorated with black-and-white photographs from Careri’s homeland and Italian hits play on the radio – all of which gives the place a charming vintage appeal. 

The bistro menu is frequently updated and features a host of lunch staples and pasta alongside Careri’s delicious line of street-food specialities, which include arancini and spicy pizza. To round things off there’s homemade tiramisu or panna cotta – the perfect pick-me-up when paired with a strong espresso.

Situated in the Glockenbach district, Loretta Bar is a little off the tourist track – which only adds to the appeal. The small stop-in has a cosy, hideaway vibe and is as chilled as the cocktails that are rolled out when the sun goes down. The after-dark drinks make it a great place to start an evening but the cracking coffee and low lighting mean that it’s just as good a spot for morning-after recovery. Order a panini or slice of cake for a mid-morning tonic.

A class apart from the nearby tourist traps, Bar Giornale has a distinctly Italian feel. Its interior design recalls early-1960s Milan – think wood panels and leather seats in the restaurant and old-school stools at the bar – while the terrace lends a breakfast-by-the-Adriatic air to proceedings. The weekend brunch is generous and the small bites are perennially popular. For bigger appetites the focus is on trattoria-style dishes.