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Planning A Euro Trip? Here Are The Best Places To Eat In Germany

Add these delicious spots to your to-do list.
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When you think of Germany you might imagine giant mugs of beer you can hardly hold and Lederhosen-clad folk, but in reality it is much more than what we see at Oktoberfest.

With its stunning landscapes, old castles and trendy, creative hubs (we're looking at you Berlin), Germany is rich in culture and history, and is a fascinating combination of new meets old.

This also goes for food. While you can find your traditional Würste, Brezeln and Black Forest cake, there is also a range of modern and Michelin starred restaurants.

From cheap eats to fancy pants high end restaurants, these eateries from Lonely Planet's Best Of Germany guide have got your next trip (or daydream) to Deutschland covered.

Here's what's on offer around the country. Guten Appetit!

Berlin

The beautiful Berlin skyline at sunset.
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The beautiful Berlin skyline at sunset.

Borough: Mitte

1. Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt

Tourists, concert-goers and hearty-food lovers rub shoulders at rustic tables in this surprisingly authentic Bavarian beer hall. Soak up the down-to-earth vibe right along with a mug of full-bodied Augustiner brew. Sausages, roast pork and pretzels provide rib-sticking sustenance, but there's also plenty of lighter (even meat-free) fare as well as good-value lunch specials. (www.augustiner-braeu-berlin de; Charlottenstrasse 55)

2. Chèn Chè

Settle down in the charming Zen garden or beneath the hexagonal chandelier of this exotic Vietnamese teahouse and pick from the small menu of steaming pho (soups), curries and noodle dishes served in traditional clay pots. Exquisite tea selection and small store. (www.chenche-berlin.de; Rosenthaler Strasse 13)

3. Katz Orange

With its gourmet organic farm-to-table menu, stylish country flair and swift and smiling servers, the 'Orange Cat' hits a gastro grand slam. It will have you purring for Duroc pork that's been slow-roasted for 12 hours giving extra-rich flavour. The setting in a castle-like former brewery is stunning, especially in summer when the patio opens. (www.katzorange.com; Bergstrasse 22)

Brandenburger Tor is one of Berlin's most famous landmarks. Once a mark of Berlin and German division during the Cold War, it is now a symbol of peace and unity.
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Brandenburger Tor is one of Berlin's most famous landmarks. Once a mark of Berlin and German division during the Cold War, it is now a symbol of peace and unity.

Borough: Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain

1. Curry 36

Day after day, night after night, a motley crowd -- cops, cabbies, queens, office jockeys, savvy tourists, etc. -- wait their turn at this top-ranked Currywurst purveyor that's been frying 'em up since 1981. (www.curry36.de; Mehringdamm 36)

2. Cafe Jacques

A favourite with off-duty chefs and loyal foodies, Jacques infallibly charms with flattering candlelight, arty-elegant décor and fantastic wine. It's the perfect date spot but, quite frankly, you only have to be in love with good food to appreciate the French- and North African-inspired blackboard menu. Fish and meat are always tops and the pasta is homemade. Reservations essential. (Maybachufer 14)

3. Max und Moritz

The patina of yesteryear hangs over this ode-to-old-school brewpub named for the cheeky Wilhelm Busch cartoon characters. Since 1902 it has packed hungry diners and drinkers into its rustic tile-and-stucco ornamented rooms for sudsy home brews and granny-style Berlin fare. A menu favourite is the Kutschergulasch (goulash cooked with beer). (www.maxundmoritzberlin.de; Oranienstrasse 162)

Berlin Wall, East Side Gallery.
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Berlin Wall, East Side Gallery.

District: Prenzlauer Berg

1. Konnopke's Imbiss

Brave the inevitable queue at this famous sausage kitchen, ensconced in the same spot below the elevated U-Bahn track since 1930, but now equipped with a heated pavilion and an English menu. The 'secret' sauce topping its classic Currywurst comes in a four-part heat scale from mild to wild. (www.konnopke-imbiss.de; Schönhauser Allee 44a)

District: Charlottenburg

1. Good Friends

Good Friends is widely considered Berlin's best Cantonese restaurant. The ducks dangling in the window are the mere overture to a menu long enough to confuse Confucius and including plenty of authentic homestyle dishes. If sea cucumber with fish belly prove too challenging, you can always fall back on sweet-and-sour pork or fried rice with shrimp. (www.goodfriends-berlin.de; Kantstrasse 30)

2. Café-Restaurant Wintergarten im Literaturhaus

The hustle and bustle of Ku'damm is only a block away from this genteel art nouveau villa with attached literary salon and bookstore. Tuck into seasonal bistro cuisine amid elegant Old Berlin flair in the gracefully stucco-ornamented rooms or, if weather permits, in the idyllic garden. Breakfast is served until 2 p.m. (www.literaturhaus-berlin.de; Fasanenstrasse 23)

Germany's famous curry wurst with pommes frites (French fries) definitely hits the spot.
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Germany's famous curry wurst with pommes frites (French fries) definitely hits the spot.

Munich

1. Schmalznudel

This incredibly popular institution serves just four traditional pastries, one of which, the Schmalznudel (an oily type of doughnut), gives the place its local nickname. Every baked goodie you munch here is crisp and fragrant, as they're always fresh off the hotplate. They're best eaten with a steaming pot of coffee on a winter's day. (Cafe Frischhut; Prälat-Zistl-Strasse 8)

2. Hans im Glück

Plugging into Munich's current obsession with the burger, this new joint in the old post-office building serves a juicy selection of meat in buns amid a forest of real birch trunks that grow straight out of the floor. Takeaway and vegie versions available. (Sonnenstrasse 24)

3. Bratwurstherzl

Cosy panelling and an ancient vaulted brick ceiling set the tone of this Old Munich tavern with a Franconian focus. Homemade organic sausages are grilled to perfection on an open beechwood fire and served on heart-shaped pewter plates. They're best enjoyed with a cold one from the Hacker-Pschorr brewery. (Dreifaltigkeitsplatz 1)

Colourful historical houses on Isar River in Landshut, Munich.
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Colourful historical houses on Isar River in Landshut, Munich.

4. Königsquelle

This Munich institution is well loved for its attentive service, expertly prepared food and dark, well-stocked hardwood bar containing what must be the Bavarian capital's best selection of malt whiskies. The hardly decipherable handwritten menu hovers somewhere mid-Alps, with anything from schnitzel to linguine and goat's cheese to cannelloni to choose from. (www.koenigsquelle.com; Baaderplatz 2)

5. Weisses Brauhaus

One of Munich's classic beer halls, in the evenings this place is charged with red-faced, ale-infused hilarity, with Alpine whoops accompanying the rabble-rousing oompah band. The Weisswurst (veal sausage) sets the standard -- sluice down a pair with the unsurpassed Schneider Weissbier (wheat beer). It's understandably very popular and reservations are recommended after 7 p.m. (www.weisses-brauhaus.de; Tal 7)

6. Wirtshaus in der Au

This Bavarian tavern's simple slogan is 'Beer and dumplings since 1901', and it's that time-honoured staple (the dumpling) that's the speciality here (the tavern even runs a dumpling-making course in English). Once a brewery, the space-rich dining area has chunky tiled floors, a lofty ceiling and a crackling fireplace in winter. (Lilienstrasse 51)

Bavarian sausages with Bretzeln and beer.
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Bavarian sausages with Bretzeln and beer.

7. Vegelangelo

Reservations are compulsory at this petite veggie spot, where Indian odds and ends, a piano and a small Victorian fireplace distract little from the superb meat-free cooking, all of which can be converted to suit vegans. There's a set-menu-only policy Friday and Saturday. No prams allowed. (www.vegelangelo.de; Thomas-Wimmer-Ring 16)

8. Ruff 's Burger

Munich's obsession with putting a fried bit of meat between two buns continues at this Schwabing joint, where the burgers are 100 percent Bavarian beef. Erdinger and Tegernseer beer and mostly outdoor seating. (Occamstrasse 4)

9. Tantris

Tantris means 'the search for perfection' and here, at one of Germany's most famous restaurants, they're not far off it. The interior design is full-bodied '70s -- all postbox reds, truffle blacks and illuminated yellows -- the food gourmet sublimity and the service sometimes as unobtrusive as it is efficient. The wine cellar is probably Germany's best. Reservations essential. (www.tantris.de; Johann-Fichte-Strasse 7)

10. Esszimmer

It took Bobby Bräuer, head chef at the gourmet restaurant at BMW World, just two years to gain his first Michelin star. Munich's top dining spot is the place to sample high- octane French and Mediterranean morsels, served in a dining room above the i8s and 7 Series. (www.bmw-welt.com; BMW Welt, Am Olympiapark 1)

Heidelberg

Heidelberg covered in snow. Magical.
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Heidelberg covered in snow. Magical.

1. Joe Molese

Amazing sandwiches like pastrami, tomato and honey-mustard vinaigrette; brie, rocket and truffle oil; or wild smoked salmon with lemon juice and olive oil are the standout at Joe's, but it also has fantastic salads, chicken drumsticks, burgers and buffalo wings. Black-and-white chequerboard tiling and fire-engine-red walls give it a souped-up New York deli vibe. Smoothies range from strawberry and basil to pineapple and lime, or you can order beer, wine and cocktails. (www.joemolese.com; Steingasse 16a)

2. 'S' Kastanie

A panoramic terrace provides sweeping views of the river at this gorgeous 1904-built former hunting lodge, with stained glass and timber panelling, set in the forest near the castle. Chef Sven Schönig's stunning creations include a sweet potato and goats cheese tower with papaya, and goose-stuffed ravioli. (www.restaurant-s-kastanie.de; Elisabethenweg 1)

3. Café Weinstube Burkardt

Charming Burkardt's latest incarnation sees it hitting its stride. A superb selection of wines from villages around Heidelberg are available by the glass, and the food is first-rate: paella, risotto with mushroom and asparagus, roast gnocchi with ham and rocket, and spinach frittata. The courtyard abuts the house where Friedrich Ebert, German president during the Weimar Republic, was born. (www.burkardt-heidelberg.de; Untere Strasse 27)

4. Zur Herrenmühle Heidelberg

A flour mill from 1690 has been turned into an elegant and highly cultured place to enjoy refined 'country-style' cuisine -- including dishes such as saffron-crusted dorade royale with baby spinach and creamed potato -- beneath weighty, 300-year-old wooden beams with candles flickering on the tables. Book ahead. (www.herrenmuehleheidelberg.de; Hauptstrasse 239)

Nuremberg

Nuremberg, an idyllic old town on the Pegnitz River.
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Nuremberg, an idyllic old town on the Pegnitz River.

1. Café am Trödelmarkt

A gorgeous place on a sunny day, this multilevel waterfront cafe overlooks the covered Henkersteg bridge. It's especially popular for its continental breakfasts, and has fantastic cakes, as well as good blackboard lunchtime specials between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (Trödelmarkt 42)

2. Naturkostladen Lotos

Unclog arteries and blast free radicals with a blitz of grain burgers, spinach soup or vegie pizza at this health-food shop. The fresh bread and cheese counter is a treasure chest of nutritious supplies. (www.naturkostladen-lotos.de; Am Unschlittplatz 1)

3. Albrecht Dürer Stube

This unpretentious and intimate restaurant has a Dürer-inspired dining room, prettily laid tables, a ceramic stove keeping things toasty when they're not outside and a menu of Nuremburg sausages, steaks, sea fish, seasonal specials, Franconian wine and Landbier (regional beer). There aren't many tables so booking ahead at weekends is recommended. (www.albrecht-duerer-stube.de; cnr Albrecht-Dürer-Strasse & Agnesgasse)

4. Bratwursthäusle

Seared over a flaming beech-wood grill, the little links sold at this rustic inn arguably set the standard across the land. You can dine in the timbered restaurant or on the terrace with views of the Hauptmarkt. Service can be flustered at busy times. (www.die-nuernberger-bratwurst.de; Rathausplatz 1)

Cologne

A glowing Cologne at sunset, with the Cathedral (Dom), old town, the Musical Dome and the Rhine River in view.
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A glowing Cologne at sunset, with the Cathedral (Dom), old town, the Musical Dome and the Rhine River in view.

1. Salon Schmitz

Spread over three historic row houses, the Schmitz empire is your one-stop shop for excellent food and drink. From the casual bistro to excellent seasonal meals in the restaurant to the take-out deli, you'll find something you like at Schmitz almost any time of day. Wash it all down with the housebrand Kölsch. (www.salonschmitz.com; Aachener Strasse 28)

2. Bei Oma Kleinmann

Named for its long-time owner, who was still cooking almost to her last day at age 95 in 2009, this perennially booked, grafitti-covered restaurant serves oodles of schnitzel, made either with pork or veal and paired with homemade sauces and sides. Pull up a seat at the small wooden tables for a classic Cologne night out. (www.beiomakleinmann.de; Zülpicher Strasse 9)

3. Bistrot B

Classic French cooking by chef Jean-Claude Bado stars at this prim little bistro that's one of Cologne's most popular restaurants. The dishes are inventive, seasonal and remarkably good value given the talents at work in the kitchen. Bentwood chairs add curvaceous charm to the simple dining room. (www.lapoeledor.de; Komödienstrasse 50)

Going to the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) anywhere in Germany is a must.
Krzysztof Dydynski
Going to the Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas market) anywhere in Germany is a must.

Reproduced with permission from Lonely Planet's Best of Germany (1st Edition) by Marc Di Duca, et al. © 2016 Lonely Planet. Available now, RRP: $34.99

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