2 Weeks of Food in Munich

Plus the coolest toilet in the city.

I visited Munich, Germany, as a solo traveller from July 29 - August 9, 2024.

The hunt for culinary greatness began again as I travelled to Munich for Tanzwerkstatt Europa, an annual 2-week dance festival.

This German Bavarian state is famous for its pure beer —mandated by the state’s beer purity law, the Reinheitsgebot — and white sausages.

As visitors to foreign countries know, though, there’s nothing that spells home quite like a good meal in a familiar taste. As I explored all that Munich had to offer, I found myself veering toward the Asian spices and the Chinese cuisine.

Munich has an amazingly large Chinese population. Everyday I heard someone speaking Mandarin on the underground or walking along the shopping streets. Apparently the city is popular with international students.

That meant I didn’t have to worry about not being able to find a good fried rice or chicken gristles.

Below is a list of every single place I bought food from in my 2 weeks in Munich:

You’ll see some of them are supermarkets (REWE and HIT), where there’s a lot of relatively healthy on-the-go food — a lifesaver when you realize everything closes on the dot at 8 PM in Munich. (The reason for this, according to my Airbnb landlady, is that Munich has very strong labour unions.)

Many of the restaurants and cafes I dined at are located in and around Sendlinger Strasse and the Marienplatz core. Usually I avoid eating at central tourist destinations, but Munich’s offerings really impressed me.

I found myself going back every day to the shopping street of Sendlinger Strasse specifically for the cute cafes.

Whether they were yummy, quirky, or a cultural must, here are the highlights of food from my 2 weeks in Munich:

iceDate - the vegan organic ice cream manufacturer

In German: iceDate — Die vegane Bio-Eismanufaktur.

My hostel mate introduced this place to me. You’d expect a lot from an eis shop with a name like this, and, indeed, their ice cream is

“Dates instead of sugar.
Cashews instead of milk.
Fruit instead of additives.”
— iceDate brochure

All vegan, all organic.

It’s a cool concept, and I absolutely support anything that’s organic and mostly allergen-free, but the texture was a bit too “powdery” for me — probably due to the dates.

It was such a hot day our ice cream started melting immediately.

For a sweet treat, iceDate isn’t bad, especially if you want to encourage healthier eating.

A gurke at Viktualienmarkt

A trip to Munich is not complete without eating a gurke (pickled cucumber) in hand at Viktualienmarkt.

Viktualienmarkt is the oldest farmers’ market in the world, with beginnings in 1807, right in the middle of the town square. Vendors are heavy on the spices — so many kinds! — but there’s also flowers, gifts, wine, kombucha, and a multitude of local food stalls.

The story behind this is that my hostel mate noticed everyone just walking around Viktuanlienmarkt with a pickle in their hand. She promptly set out to find one for herself. It’s the equivalent of walking around New York with a hot dog.

There’s a stall where most of the gurkes are sold called Die Saure Gurke GmbH.

These gurkes come marinated in all different flavours, from chili to curry-turmeric to mustard. Plus, they’re oh-so-cheap! You cannot find a cheaper snack anywhere else for 70 cents (!!!).

I asked the seller what he recommended, and he wrapped up a chili one for me. Good — I love spicy stuff.

Mission accomplished.

Schlemmen am Markt (bratwurst for days)

The catch about Viktualienmarkt is that it can be expensive. Plus, few of the food menus have English translations. The Confident World Traveller inside me quickly shriveled to the back, and I ended up walking by all of the food tents without mustering up the courage to go inside.

But what’s a hungry girl to do?

Luckily, I found a tiny bratwurst stall, Schlemmen am Markt, right on the outer edge of Viktualienmarkt with fair prices. They also sell currywurst, getränke (drinks), and regular wurst.

The owner has a great sense of humour, completely happy to be there. He recommended the cheese-infused one, his personal favourite, but since I can’t eat cheese, he offered the spicy one instead.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t “Asian spicy,” he joked with me when I conferred my love of spice, but I was content nevertheless.

There are condiments on the side where you can add your own ketchup, mustard, and — newly added — mayonnaise, which is funnily enough a target for theft.

I highly recommend sitting at one of the picnic tables and watching the people pass by on a clear summer’s day. It’s very peaceful.

Mamma Bao (handpulled noodles)

If you need a warm (food) hug, go to Mamma Bao, a Chinese biang biang noodle shop. They currently have 2 locations: Adalbertstrasse and Augustenstrasse, so they’re a Munich exclusive. They do also serve bao buns, but that’s not what this “bāo” refers to. In their Chinese translation, this “bào” means “hug.”

Their portions are huge and hearty. One bowl of biang biang is definitely enough to sustain a single person. Their fried chicken bao bun was pretty delicious too.

The design of the place is sleek and modern, the staff are super friendly, and the marketing is sweet and funny.

Trachtenvogl (white sausage time!)

I came for the famous white sausage (weisswurst).

I left … not sure how to feel.

The white sausage is one of those food items like durian; you either hate it or love it. It’s definitely a strange alternative to the sausages I usually eat from supermarkets.

White sausage is made of pork and/or veal. Instead of smoked, it’s boiled. My sausage was literally brought to me in a teapot of water, along with a small dish of some zingy mustard sauce.

I managed to stomach the whole thing, but it took the kind of dedication and effort it takes me to stomach sushi, which is a bit too raw for me.

Cinnamood München

I caved. I was walking along Sendlinger Strasse when I saw a huge lineup outside Cinnamood München, and I just had to try this sugary place out. (Darn it!)

Cinnamood is a chain store around Germany featuring uniquely decorated, variously flavoured cinnamon buns. They also do a daily “surprise bun” that you have to walk in to catch.

The lineup doesn’t take long, thankfully. It’s more of a grab-and-go nook in the wall.

I got their red velvet cinnamon bun, that of which cream I was surprised to find was completely vegan (thank you, Gods of the Lactose Intolerant!). The bun itself was a bit tough and not as chewy as I would’ve liked. It’d probably been sitting there for a while. The flavour was ok, though, and it wasn’t too sugary, which I liked.

Not a bad experience overall. If you get to sit down with it on a plate, it makes for a great photo.

Ballabeni Icecream

The Holy Grail of eis.

My gosh, sometimes it pays to follow the crowd.

I passed by a huge group of locals outside the Ballabeni Stammhaus location on my way to Dantebad, a swimming pool. My traveler instincts tingled, and I quickly looked it up on Google Maps: 4.7/5. On the way back from the pool, I made a pit stop at Ballabeni Werkstatt to find what all the fuss was about.

Friends and family, I present to you the best ice cream in Munich, hands down. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was something else, but the ice cream melted delectably on my tongue. Each smooth spoonful left my serotonin receptors kicking for more.

I got the pistachio-vanilla combo in the smallest cup (pistachio-chocolate is their bestselling one); it was the perfect portion. Ballabeni only has stores in Munich at the time of writing, so this is definitely one for the bucket lists.

Cafe Bistrot TreffPunkt

I kid you not, their sunny-side-up eggs sent my soul to heaven and back.

I came here for breakfast my first day after moving into an Airbnb from the hostel. They focus on healthier, organic eating, with avocados, leafy greens, and yogurt staples of their menu.

I ordered an avocado and toast breakfast plate and a bowl of homemade yogurt. The presentation of the yogurt was already exquisite, and, honestly, it’s enough for a one-person meal. The breakfast plate came later, and I noticed the egg whites surrounding the yolk looked almost clear and translucent. I wondered how they did it.

Then I took a bite, and my taste buds exploded. Seems like my mom, who’s a great chef, has some competition now.

The cafe itself is a quiet, unbothered space — very clean and modern. Most of the customers are locals, since the (very posh) neighbourhood is located away from major tourist sites.

The only caveat is that this place is moderately expensive for the budget traveller, but I can wholeheartedly vouch that for the price, it’s absolutely worth it.

Niu Asian Cafe München

A cafe that sidles up to its East Asian demographic, Niu Asian Cafe is a unicorn blast of sparkles, rainbows, and glittery fun. They’re located on a small side street along Sendlinger Strasse, but if you happen to walk by, it’s impossible not to notice them. If the daily long lines don’t tell you anything, the colourful exterior certainly does. So far there’s only 2 locations in Germany: Munich and Nuremberg.

Their signatures include various flavours of mille crepe cakes and black glitter coffees. They also serve smoothies, slushies, and basically whatever drink you can concoct in pastel hues and latte art.

Even their washrooms promote Instagramming, with the magenta pink walls and full-length vanity mirrors. I can’t say the same for the actual cleanliness of the toilets, but I’ll forgive that for the experience.

I ordered the Venom black sesame cake and a signature black glitter coffee. As an avid mille crepe fan, the cake wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but they lean toward less sugar and healthier alternatives, so maybe that had an effect on the taste. (Regarding less sugar in Asian culture: if you know, you know.)

(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

One cake and one coffee is enough to fill you up, no problem.

The deal here is that after you’re seated, you look at the menu and go to the front counter yourself to order and pay. Make sure you tell them the right table number.

Check out their eye-candy website: Niu Asian Café (niuasiancafe.de)

Ah, cuteness heaven.

Alte Utting

When my new friend told me Alte Utting was a ship restaurant, I didn’t realize it was a ship restaurant on land. We met for dinner here one evening, and I couldn’t believe my eyes missed this massive structure the first time I passed by the bus stop here.

Alte Utting is a Munich special; you can’t find this anywhere else. Instead of being one huge restaurant, it’s more like a food market, with vendor stalls, public seating, bars, and traditional restaurant patios. Depending on where you eat, you’re not necessarily on the ship. It includes an area of ground level dining surrounded by woods and fairy lights hanging across the trees.

Nighttime is the best time to come here for atmospheric fun and live bands. On hot summer nights, the interior dining spaces can get really stuffy, so most people stay outdoors.

I had a tomato curry and rice dish for myself along with another German traditional: stockbrot (bread on stick). Even more fun — I got the white stockbrot!

Hot tip: Drink vendors take a 1 EUR deposit for the bottle along with the drink price, so remember to return it to get your deposit back.

4th and 6th photos by Tini Isa.

Matcha Rina Bar München

In terms of matcha, it’s very mediocre (just like the Google reviews said, but I just had to find out for myself).

In terms of hidden delights, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Who knew I would’ve discovered the coolest toilet in all of Munich atop this low-key matcha bar? Matcha Rina is located inside Studio Odeonsplatz by Mercedes-Benz, a car exhibition and dealer right in the middle of one of Munich’s historic hotspots.

It’s not like they advertise the toilets. It’s on the second floor, shared by everyone in the building. Then you walk inside, and suddenly you’re enveloped on all 4 sides by mirrors and a funky colour-changing LED show. The setup itself isn’t complicated, but the mirrors make for an infinity effect that’s super cool to gawk at.

I spent several minutes just twirling around in the washroom with my phone before actually getting to business.

Outside at the sink, they also offer additional items like deodorant and mints. Talk about swanky.

For more photos of the cool washroom, see here.

Schmalznudel - Cafe Frischhut

Bavaria has some amazing pastries, and there’s no better place for tourists and locals alike to get a taste of traditional Bavarian desserts than at Schmalznudel — Cafe Frischhut, right across the street from Viktualienmarkt.

In fact, their signature pastry is called a schmalznudel. It’s a large, fried, donut-shaped pastry with an indented centre rather than a gaping hole. Sugar is sprinkled on top of it, though you can ask for no or less sugar.

Their 2 other favourites are the Stritzerl and the Krapfen (with a jelly filling). The cafe features an open frying station where you walk in to see the chefs preparing the pastries fresh.

The pastries are inexpensive — 3 EUR each — and a lot of people buy 1 of each to try, though the menu also offers way more, especially if you dine in.

A schmalznudel is the perfect to-go.

Max’s Beef Noodles

My traveler instincts led me to this one too. Max’s Beef Noodles has a very unassuming front, just a small corner shop at Sendlinger Tor with fading food posters in the windows, but these are exactly the type of joints waiting for travelers to find.

And, as Google Reviews verified, Max’s Beef Noodles is an absolute favourite of the local community. They even serve snacks and tea while you wait in line! A waiter offered me a traditional Chinese rice chip as I was passing by, even before they could’ve known I was lining up anyway. Then, because I was solo, another waiter beckoned me to skip the line and seated me at a tiny window booth for one.

Very relaxed and very pleasant service. I soon realized, however, that hot noodle soup and no air conditioning don’t go well together. Especially after my hectic day, I was literally sweating buckets as I tried to force my heart rate to calm down, and even the lychee drink (though delicious) did nothing to cool me down. A fly buzzed around me, attracted to the pheromones. That’s the only issue I ran into here.

Otherwise, Max for the win.

Haferkater

I love Haferkater.

It’s cheap, it’s delicious, it’s convenient. Plus, the name literally means “oat hangover.”

Haferkater is a chain across Germany featuring their signature oat porridge bowls and salads. There’s also several sit-down cafés in Berlin where you can open up a laptop and chill. It’s my go-to whenever I’m short on time and/or don’t have the budget to splurge anymore.

My favourite is the Bärenkater porridge bowl. Those cranberries and goji berries hit hard, and I find they add the perfect amount of sweetness to the more neutral palette of oatmeal.

I made it a mission to try as many of the bowls on their menu as possible, but I couldn’t get to all of them before I left. Guess I’ll just have to go back ;)

Honourable Mention: Maelu

Maelu is a casual café right between Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz, along Theatinerstrasse (i.e. the super high-end shopping street where you’ll find all the big-brand names). Their pastries are über-cute!

I didn’t try it out this time, but hopefully the cakes taste as good as they look.

Honourable Mention: Augustiner Beer Halls

Augustiner-Bräu, a brewery operating since 1328, operates several restaurants and beer halls under its name, including Augustiner-Stammhaus and Augustiner-Keller, to name a few. The Augustiner-Stammhaus location is near central Marienplatz. Come here for the famous drinks and authentic Bavarian cuisine, so I’ve heard.

Honourable Mention: Container Collective & Area

The Container Collective is an artsy cultural hub in the up-and-coming district of Werksviertel-Mitte, on the east side of the Isar River. The project behind it has transformed 27 overseas shipping containers into a medley of artist galleries, bars, food vendors, and public seating.

It’s right next to Wombat’s City Hostel. Also next door are a collection of small food stalls selling Russian pelmeni, Korean bibimbap, and more, along with hip nightclubs and karoake bars.

To further peak your interest, there’s an extremely popular Thai restuarant nearby called Khanittha Im Werksviertel. There’s no opening time when this restaurant isn’t busy.

I discover most of my food by walking. It’s the best way to find hidden gems and local secrets. Watching the scenery outside on a streetcar is also a great way to find those tingle-inducing storefronts. As you travel more and more, you’ll get better at identifying which joints are worth stopping for. It’s all part of the mysterious fun of trekking new territory.

And remember, if you clink glasses with anyone in Germany, stare them right in the eyes :) It’s a cultural thing. (And let me know how that Bavarian beer tastes.)

All photos by Lonely Girl, Lonely World unless otherwise stated.