5 Best Restaurants in The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace, Germany

Speyer's oldest beer garden, a 15-minute stroll through the gardens behind the cathedral, is a popular, leafy spot to pass the afternoon. There's a good selection of beer, and the portions of rustic, regional fare are enormous. There's a good selection of vegetarian choices too. If you're hungry, try one of the grilled steak dishes, served—rather nontraditionally—with fries.

A long-time staple on "Vintner's Lane," this half-timber building houses a homey, rustic, wood-beamed dining room, and a sleek, airy dining area in the modern extension. As well as the Palatinate regional dishes, such as liver dumplings and Saumagen, you can opt for more internationally influenced dishes such as seared sea bream with sage gnocchi or Charolais steak with herb butter. Also a family-run wine estate, there is a standout wine list, featuring a range of local aromatic Muskateller wines.

Friendly service and fresh seasonal dishes make for an enjoyable dining experience in the town hall's vaulted cellar (dating from 1578). The frequently changing menu offers main courses such as Bachsaibling (brook trout) in a white wine sauce, and a selection of homemade ice creams.

Named after the patron saint of the wine industry, this upscale restaurant offers traditional Palatinate cuisine, such as veal dumplings or Saumagen (stuffed pig's stomach). An inviting outdoor terrace offers an affordable lunch menu, while the restaurant offers an excellent dinner, including a prix-fixe menu with wine pairings. If the weather is good, sit at a table on the market square with a glass of chilled Riesling. Dinner in the more formal and more expensive Michelin-starred Schwarzer Hahn has served its elaborate regional haute cuisine to royal and political figures from around the globe.