Bars

Baal is located in a quiet side street of Dachauerstraße near St. Benno church. Here students, people from the neighborhood and hipsters hang out together. 

Baal is hard to categorize in terms of regional cuisine. Although it calls itself an “Osteria” with an emphasis on tapas, you will find the occasional Portuguese wine or some petiscos on the menu. All that in a Bavarian wirtshaus. The menu changes constantly, but the pasta is always delicious (they do get creative with the sauces!) and the tapas are perfect if you’re not feeling like having dinner but just want a bite to share with friends. Baal never seems to be really empty and for those who are into playing pool, there’s a table here!

To sum it up: Bavarian beer and gemütlichkeit, Iberian snacks and wine, paired with Italian food – it can’t get much better, right?

Note: Sunday is pasta day at Baal, so every pasta will only be 6 euros.

Tresznjewski is a bar slash cafe I’ve ignored for years. It is located next to the Pinakotheken and between two universities, so it’s always flocked with people. I’ve walked past this place where almost everyday countless people are sunbathing with a coffee or – more likely – a beer in their hands. Most of them are probably artists or students, because let’s face it, who can afford to get day-drunk at 11:00 on a weekday?

In hindsight I am wondering how I could be that ignorant not to try that one out. I’ll just blame the almost unspeakable name. Tresznjewski is a typical brasserie, serving solid and rich food (burgers, steaks, pasta), good breakfasts and one of my favorite beers from Bavaria – Ayinger (love the Bräuweisse, a fruity wheat beer).

The atmosphere inside is nice with high ceilings and lots of dark wood. However, sitting outside in a tiny chair on the sidewalk is so much better. At least when the sun is out.

One of my favourite rooftop spots in Munich, located right inside the main building of Technische Universität München. Just perfect to take a sundowner drink and watch the view over the roofs of the city. The terrace has a south/west orientation – so you can enjoy sunlight until sunset. Breakfast, lunch and snacks are served, and the barista loves to create the perfect crema on your cappuccino and is your man to mix even the most creative drinks of your delight.

PRETTY CENTRAL. Its location in the center of Maxvorstadt district is very close to the gallery/museum-area Königsplatz, Lenbachhaus and Pinakotheken, and easily to reach in a 15 minute walk from the city center.

GORGEOUS VIEW. Enjoy a great view over the nearby art temples and the city center roofs with the Bavarian Alps in the background (around 50km south of Munich). For sunny evenings before the holidays they sometimes play live music, which is announced on their Facebook page.

HOW TO GET THERE?! The cafeteria is not really easy to find, but this is how you’ll find the right way: After entering the main entrance of “Technische Universität München” –> simply walk left and follow the directory Vorhoelzer Forum, inside the huge university building. For all those without sportive ambitions > I strongly recommend you use the elevator, which ends at the 5th floor right inside the cafeteria.

OPEN TODAY? I’d recommend to check the Facebook page, as sometimes the cafeteria is closed, when the forum is booked for university events.

The open kitchen concept is not very new to Munich, however it’s a great type of dining if everyone has a different taste or is looking for inexpensive, yet quality food.

Ocui [open cuisine] has international foods prepared with regional ingredients, as well as a striking ambiance that has won several design awards. The restaurant is saturated with light, which really helps the functional herb decor to grow. It also reiterates the fresh ingredients that are used in the meals, which are prepared right before your eyes.

As soon as you enter the restaurant you will be given a chip card, which makes splitting cheques a thing of the past, and allows you to order whatever you’d like through the duration of your visit. You simply pay the cashier before leaving.

There are various counters for different types of foods: pizzas, pastas, rice dishes, soups + salads, as well as a bar for drinks and desserts. Everything is prepared while you wait, with the exception of the pizzas, which take a few minutes longer.

Visit the website to make online reservations. 

This is a bar that takes its job very seriously. The dimly lit atmosphere provides a nice ambiance, while the large book-like menu speaks for itself.  

With more than 140 different cocktails to choose from it may take several minutes to decide what to sample first. Even with such extensive options everything is perfectly prepared and expertly mixed by hand. Many of the drinks have also received awards from a variety of competitions.

The menu has recently been updated to include many prize winners from the past year. My current favorite is the Mojito Parfait with lavender creme and essence of orange blossom. The mixologist told me it came to him in a dream and it definitely tastes like it. 

For those who don’t drink alcohol there are also a variety of specially mixed juice cocktails, so everyone can join in on the fun. Negroni also serves popcorn free of charge for something salty along side some of the sweeter cocktails.

Be sure to arrive early on the weekend, or call ahead to reserve a table. 

It’s also important to note credit cards are not accepted, however those with a European EC card may use it to pay once their bill reaches € 30, which isn’t difficult to achieve, considering drinks average € 8 each.

Take any central line S-bahn or Tram 15 / 25 to Roseheimerplatz exiting towards Steinstraße.