Gans am Wasser Munich

Retro open-air spot in Westpark

Veronica from Munich

"Gans am Wasser in Munich is a retro lakeside café where time slows, locals gather, and the soul of a Munich summer comes alive by the Mollsee."

When the city's robust pulse becomes too insistent, I make a pilgrimage to Gans am Wasser in Munich's Sendling district. It is not the grand, storied café you will find in any conventional guidebook. This spot is a wonderfully authentic vision of retro-style freedom, a local community hub tucked away on the placid shore of the Mollsee inside Westpark.

The very essence of the place is a quiet rebellion against the city's polished veneer: a vibrant, repurposed bauwagen acting as the main counter, surrounded by a sprawl of open-air seating that mimics a relaxed beer-garden. It is a cultural melting pot, not a formal restaurant.

Here, I love to find a perch near the water, where the afternoon light fractures across the small lake. The air hangs heavy with the scent of something wonderful, and the quiet murmur of local life is all the music I need. Time, for me, slows to a gentle, reflective drift, much like the water birds on the Mollsee. This is more than a café; it is the unspoiled soul of a Munich summer, a true, local haven.

Coffee & tea

Relaxing

Restaurants

Buy one, Give one!

Share your 💚 this December

*on all products

Munich Spotter Veronica

I’m a journalist, editor and writer who grew up under the Maltese sun, studied and worked in Scotland, and since 2016 have been based in Munich. Trained by the Associated Press and with a Masters from the University of Edinburgh, I now run my own content company, ittra.eu, where I write creative and business content. I also coach public speaking. Beyond words, I’m a proud mum of wonderful boys and an actress who has performed and written my own plays. I’m at my happiest swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. Travel, for me, is about stories: discovering places through their people, food and hidden...

About this spot

Siegenburger Str. 41

€

no-price

Website

Social

Oct 20, 2025

Our Munich City Guide

Find your way with 86 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters

Discover hidden gems and all our locals’ favourites! Get full access to our Munich guide.

Loved it? Join us!

Loved this Spot?Join your international community. Share your favs and become part of our international community!

Nice place right!? There’s so much more to discover:

Discover all other hidden gems in Munich

Harlaching Way

A bike ride with a breeze

Here comes a tip about riding a bicycle in Munich in a very sweet area with beautiful views that's known around town as Little Venice - "Halaching Way."

Relaxing

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Isar Stone Beach

Summer in the sun

This stone beach on the Isar, the wonderful river that runs through Munich, is different because people are allowed to grill here! Come with cold drinks...

Relaxing

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

La Calabrisella

Authentic Italian pizza to-go

"La Calabrisella" is my top pick for having pizza in Munich. This tiny Italian restaurant will make all your pizza dreams come true, trust me...

Restaurants

Snacks

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Bergwolf

Who needs POMMES?

"Bergwolf" in Munich has a clean-cut menu for your fries (or pommes) and currywurst needs. Together with a grungy beer, they make for a great combo!

Snacks

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

GötterSpeise

For lovers of chocolate

"GötterSpeise" is a brilliant chocolaterie in Munich with its own concept - think Alice in Wonderland meets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory...

Coffee & tea

Shopping

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Gans Woanders

Gingerbread house as cultural scene

"Gans Woanders" has recreated and reinvented the Witch's Gingerbread House to present a masterpiece that houses a colourful cultural scene in Munich...

Art & culture

Music

Restaurants

Snacks

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Perlach Forest

Nature for every season

"Perlach Forest" in Munich is a piece of nature to the southeast of the centre of Munich. Every day of every season of every year, it is beautiful...

Relaxing

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Gelatobi

Ice cream flavours from your dreams

"Gelatobi" in Munich has a line that weaves all over the square on sunny days. How about some prosecco-honey-lavender or white-chocolate-pistachio ice cream?

Snacks

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Zum Flaucher

Bavarian Biergarten tradition

"Zum Flaucher" is one of my favorite Biergartens in Munich. It has music, it has space, it has a good selection of traditional foods...

Bars

Restaurants

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Cooperativa

Casual, cool restaurant

"Cooperativa" is my favourite restaurant in Munich. Absolute. Favourite. And not just for the past year, but for the past 10 years!

Restaurants

Chloe

Templeton

Dec 6, 2025

Steinsee

Lakeside escape near Munich

Steinsee is not the city’s grandest lake, but it has that rare combination: warm water, space for play, and a table waiting when the appetite arrives.

Relaxing

Veronica

Stivala

Dec 4, 2025

Seebauer

Gorgeous garden centre

Seebauer on Munich’s outskirts is a charming garden centre with greenhouses, a playful children’s area, café with great views, and even singing bears.

Coffee & tea