Adrian Klie (1984)

Those who have ever been to Viktualienmarkt, might have wondered about the 10 or so butchers located right next to each other. They all look the same (pretty much) and actually I have never given too much attention to the differences between them. A while ago, I did decide to nail it down to one – the last one in the row just before the Vinzenzmurr.

They only sell organic meat – do try the merino lamb which is sourced from a farm just outside the city. The best thing about it though is the “Kalbskasemmel”. Kalbskas (literally: veal cheese) is a variant of Leberkas that I think tastes a lot better than regular Leberkas – if that’s even possible. Come to think of, I have been finding excuses to go to this place to snack on kalbskas rolls quite often lately.

By the way, if you’re don’t like the crowds at Viktualienmarkt, there’s also a shop near Goetheplatz.

“…where’d you get it? MC Mueller you say? That’s that Bavarian burger joint. I heard they got some tasty burgers. Ain’t never had one myself, how are they?”

Seriously, I love restaurant-style burgers. Good burgers in Munich are generally hard to come by, but MC Mueller definitely delivers in that respect. Patties and buns aside, the thing about MC Mueller is that it can’t really decide between being a club and a restaurant. It’s both – this is a revolutionary concept, considering that usually you have to go find good food late at night when going out.

Here, you’ll save yourself all that and just order a burger with some fries (and not the McDonalds type of burger). Of course, that means that MC Mueller is darker, louder and more crowded than the average little diner. In return they serve vodka and other delicious beverages to wash this burger down with. If you like hamburgers give ‘em a try some time…

You might have heard of the “Wirtschaftswunder” (lit. economic miracle), a term describing Germany’s blazing fast recovery after WWII. Politicians over here still frequently cite the back-then Secretary of Commerce when calling for a new era of ridiculous economic growth. It sometimes seems as if those days were the “good, old days” when everything was well and social security and economic success weren’t mutually exclusive. Kongress Bar brings you back there, even in times of economic recession.

Lending its name from the former congress and trade fair center, the bar is designed to match the style of the post-war era. Beginning with the white suits of the barmen, to the wooden and red leather interior, the black dial pad telephone on the bar, that place could just as well be the set of an episode of Mad Men. Most drinks are named after either Hollywood legends or famous politicians and the architect of the Germany’s economic miracle – Ludwig Erhard – is watching you from a giant poster on the wall.

The best day to go is actually the first Friday of every month, when the (really good) house-band holds jam sessions here.

I like cafes and restaurants that are somewhat out of the ordinary or offer food that you’ll have a hard time finding anywhere else. Sobicocoa fits both criteria. They have an insane variety of special teas, hot chocolate and chunky Australian cookies.

The breakfasts are not bad (yet pretty standard) but the tramezzini an piadine make up for that (especially the CPS sandwich, made of chouriço, parmesan and sundried tomato). Also try the mueslis, which come in some sort of reusable grandma-style glass so you can take them home without adding to plastic trash.

The interior is packed with all sorts of stuff, mostly books and food. Actually, lots of books, which I think you can even swap like you would do in many hostels (take one home if you leave one there in return). I think it’s cool that the whole place is a little “out there”, differentiating it from all those off-the mill coffee shops.

Prices are surprisingly reasonable, something you can’t say of too many cafes in Schwabing!

While many Italian places seem to care more about showing off how stereotypical Italian they are, Porto Cervo is a nice and completely unpretentious trattoria, well hidden in a residential neighborhood at the corner of Zentner- and Schellingstr. in Munich’s Maxvorstadt. Porto Cervo is said to be sort of upscale, which I cannot understand. It’s friendliness and down-to-earth atmosphere is actually what I like so much about this restaurant.

The daily menu does really depend on seasonal ingredients, but it’s always mouthwatering. Don’t miss out on the freshly made pasta (the spinach-ricotta ravioli in a buttery sage sauce are fantastic) or the salmon carpaccio. When it comes to desserts, there is less to choose from but the home-made mascarpone with fresh fruits is always worth it.

While I always like coming here, I think Porto Cervo is best when it’s warm enough to sit outside at night.

Prices range from 7 to 20 Euros for entrees, if you order pizza to take out you’ll get away with 4-6 Euros for a pizza. Wines will set you back between 15 and 40 Euros a bottle.