2 Best Restaurants in Heidelberg, Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley

This Baroque dining room inside the famous Heidelberg castle specializes in ente von Heidelberg (roast duck), but there's always something new on the seasonal menu. Whatever you order, pair it with a bottle from the extensive selection of international wines. Less pricey is the adjacent Backhaus, which has rustic furnishings and a nearly 50-foot-high Backkamin (baking oven). Light fare as well as coffee and cake are served indoors and on the shaded terrace. You can sample rare wines (Eiswein, Beerenauslese) by the glass in the shared wine cellar, or pick up a bottle with a designer label depicting Heidelberg. Reservations are essential for terrace seating in summer.

A 17th-century grain mill has been transformed into this romantic restaurant in the heart of the Altstadt (Old Town). The dark wooden beams add to the warm atmosphere. In summer, try to arrive early to get a table in the idyllic courtyard. You can opt for a three-course or four-course prix-fixe menu. Reservations recommended.