2 Best Restaurants in Franconia and the German Danube, Germany

Established in 1419 and the oldest bratwurst restaurant in the world, this Historische Bratwurstküche (Historic Bratwurst Kitchen) should be your first stop for trying the city's most famous delicacy. After all, it's here that the city council decided upon the official size and weight of the Nürnberger bratwurst; the sausages must be small enough to fit through a medieval keyhole, enabling old-time pub owners to sell them after hours. Today, you can order your "Röstla" (as this place calls their bratwursts) in batches of between six and 20, served simply with potato salad and sauerkraut. Also available are Saure Zipfel (sausages boiled in a spicy vinegar and wine), along with a handful of non-sausage-based dishes.

Expect high-quality Italian cuisine with the occasional Spanish influence at this historic restaurant: think beef cheeks in red wine sauce with fried pimentos, or black risotto with grilled garlic prawns and aioli. The charming interior is all rough wooden beams, pristine white tablecloths, and painting-covered walls, with evening meals often accompanied by live jazz. The name, rather unfortunately, means "Empty Sack."