13 Best Restaurants in The Fairy-Tale Road, Germany

A cheery hotel-restaurant a long uphill hike from the center of Steinau, the \"Roast Chicken Farm\" is unique to Steinau. Get your fill of rotisserie chicken in the open dining room, or take a room in the attached guesthouse.

This brewery has so much artificial greenery that you could imagine yourself in a beer garden, but with live music and DJs on the weekends, it's got more of a club atmosphere. Hannoverian pilsner is brewed on the premises, and regional specialties are the menu's focus.

This brewery and inn, established in 1752, was the home of the village storyteller Dorothea Viehmann, who supplied the Grimms with some of their best stories, including Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and Rumpelstiltskin. If you're planning on visiting on the weekend, it's best to book ahead or call to arrange a tour of the brewery.

The claim of "Hannoverian hospitality over three floors" written on the exterior of this half-timber tavern in the middle of town isn't made frivolously. Convivial waitstaff ferry plates to tables outside on the pedestrian zone in summer, or pull up a seat on the ground floor, where there's a well-stocked bar.

This café has the most spectacular view in town—and Marburg is famous for its panoramas. Both an outdoor terrace and a glassed-in terrace take full advantage of the site. It's all very \"Viennese coffeehouse traditional\" here, with piano music on weekends. The house-made cakes and chocolate creams are hard to resist.

An intimate atmosphere in a 350-year-old house with a sunny terrace near the city's baroque quarter complements the gourmet menu, which focuses on using regional, in-season ingredients in its traditional German dishes. An extensive wine list ensures you'll always have the right glass to go with your locally caught trout or grilled steak.

In a town rich with cozy taverns and hearty local food, the appearance of this Mediterranean restaurant, with its terra-cotta-and-blue color scheme, arty chandeliers, and light, airy spaces, stands out as much as its cuisine. Right in the middle of Göttingen's historic Börner Viertel, the restaurant is a favorite with staff from the university and its food and excellent service are worth the extra cost.

This Italian delicatessen doubles as a relaxed, friendly restaurant, which offers tables tucked behind the shelves that are stacked with fine Italian fare; in summer, tables also spill out onto Hamelin's pedestrian high street. The menu offers an impressive variety of pasta dishes, pizzas, main course salads, and house specialties, which change with the season. The creative cuisine and generous portions make it a popular spot with the locals.

If you like to walk and hike, consider heading to the Stadtwald (city forest) and then eating a meal at this half-timber lodge where locals go for the friendly service and hearty German cooking. A bit off the beaten path, the trip will take 20 minutes, but you'll be rewarded with wild game and steak options.

This cavernous cellar with vaulted ceilings is said to be Germany's oldest and most renowned town-hall restaurant—it's been here for 600 years. Its walls are lined with wine casks, and there are small alcoves with sliding wooden doors, once shut tight by merchants as they closed their deals.

A menu that includes sandwiches, soups, salads (plus several vegetarian choices), as well as a simple steak and chips is served in this half-timbered building on Steinau's main street, just a short walk away from the museum and castle. The dining room is homey and rustic, with plain tiled floors, wooden tables, and chairs. It's open non-stop from mid-morning to dinner, with afternoon options including tea and cake, or a cool glass of beer in the garden. Popular with locals and visitors, it fills up fast in the summer months, so reserve a table or be prepared to wait.

This half-timber wine bar's fine selection of German wines, and light, crispy Flammkuchen (a flambéed tart with bacon, onions, and crème fraîche) is a welcome break from traditional German dining. Just up the street from the Old Town's main marketplace, it's a busy spot, popular with patrons of all ages. with a little terrace for a view down the hill.