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We've compiled the best of the best in The Rhineland - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Wiesbaden's most interesting vegan restaurant is all about plant-based Latin American food. Expect everything from enchiladas to empanadas, chilaquiles to chicharrón. Tucked away in an arcade between Marktplatz and Wilhelmstrasse, it can be easily found by simply following your nose—or the hip, young crowds.
Düsseldorf has one of the largest Japanese communities outside of mainland Japan, and Naniwa is a standout in the heart of the Japanese Quarter. Lines can stretch down the block, but service is quick and worth the wait for traditional soup and noodle dishes.
Locals and tourists mingle naturally at this proper, old-world Geheimtipp (hidden gem), near the open fireplace and antique winemaking equipment; as the night progresses, locals might unpack their musical instruments and start playing. The food is local and fortifying: sausages, cheeses, ham, and homemade soups served with the wines from host Arthur Schmitz's own estate. There's no beer served here.
Weekend brunch (served until 4 pm) can get busy at this café, located on a quiet square one block from the riverfront. Otherwise, the bistro—with its big windows and walls plastered with old movie and museum posters—is an oasis from the hustle and bustle of the Altstadt.
This legendary brewery serves classic German comfort food along with its excellent namesake beers (both Altbier and Pils) in typically rustic dining rooms, as well as out in the spacious glassed-in winter garden.
There's no better Bräuhaus in Cologne for drinking Kölsch, the city's home brew, than in one of the city’s oldest microbreweries. You won't sit long in front of an empty glass before a blue-aproned waiter sweeps by and places another one before you.
For three decades, writers and artists from Cologne's elegant Agnesviertel neighborhood have been meeting at this cozy locale on a quiet, tree-lined street. Inside, the ambience—like a little corner of Montmartre—is just right for thinking deep thoughts, or simply chatting over a slice of chocolate cake. Even when the cake's all gone, night owls can enjoy the café's delicious Camembert and lingonberry blintzes.
Gelato fans shouldn't miss a visit to this ice cream shop opposite the Liebfrauenkirche. Natural ingredients and inventive (and occasionally slightly baffling) flavors, from "cold eggnog" to "English soup," make this place hugely popular. Prepare to stand in a long line, though the service is generally quick and efficient.
Beethoven was a regular at this tavern, which has been around since the late 14th century. Today it offers one of the best-value lunches in town, and the kitchen stays open until 1 am. The interior is rustic, the food hearty and nonfussy.
For real down-home German cooking, few places in Cologne compare to this time-honored brew house in the shadow of the Dom. It's often crowded, but the mood's fantastic. Bold frescoes on the vaulted ceilings establish that mood, and the authentically Teutonic experience is completed by such dishes as Hämmchen (pork knuckle). The seasonal beer garden is a great spot for people-watching.
For over 80 years, this rustic corner tavern, in the shadow of the lovely St. Gereon's church, has served solid German comfort food to a mostly local crowd. There’s fresh Kölsch on tap, and the service is remarkably friendly.
The quiet, walled, rose-filled wine garden, run by the nearby Weingut J. Koegler and adjacent to their "weinhotel", is a wonderful town-center spot to enjoy their fine wines alongside classic Italian delicacies, including freshly-prepared pizzas. If you fall for their liquid produce, you can purchase bottles at the on-site shop.
Just off the town's pretty Marktplatz (Market Square), this popular bar-restaurant serves classic German fare: think goulash soup, currywurst, and schnitzel. But the undoubted highlights (and best value options) are the flammkuchen—wood-fired, thinly rolled-out discs of dough covered in a variety of toppings (a little like a thinner, crispier pizza). The traditional version, topped with onions, bacon, and cheese, is superb, but there are also fish and vegetarian alternatives. Sit out on the spacious, sunny terrace to watch the world go by.
This wine estate's tavern and hotel, Boppard's oldest, is full of smiling faces: the wines are excellent, the food is simple and hearty, and the welcome is warm. Old chestnut trees shade tables in the courtyard. If you'd like to visit the cellars or vineyards, or have a wine tasting, ask the friendly hosts.
The Bastian family (also owners of the vineyard Insel Heyles'en Werth, on the river island just north of town) runs this cozy tavern in a half-timber house dating from 1421. The "wine carousel" is a great way to sample a full range of wine flavors and styles (11 wines) alongside light snacks that include delicious Wildsülze (game in aspic), with potato salad, sausages, and cheese.
