Monastic Magic and other Bavaria, Germany Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Klosterschenke Kreuzberg

The Klosterschenke is part of a sprawling complex that is the Kloster Kreuzberg, a real working Monastery that houses a simple Bed & Breakfast and a brewery (surprise, surprise) too! It's full of dark wood and looks like something out of a old movie. There is a surprising and refreshing room for non-smokers. :))

Favorite Dish: The house-made soft pretzels are some of the very best I have ever had in Germany and go well with the Monks' house-made Schweizerkase (a spicy white cheese). We also had a plate of house butchered meats that were equally delcious and very economical as it fed the both of us for under 5 Euros. The dunkles beer was a fantastic blast of malt with a long bittersweet dry finish and the weissbier and pils were excellent as well. Liters of beer were less than five Euros too. Try and get that in Munich!

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 09772 91240
Address: in Kloster Kreuzberg
Directions: Located just up the hill from Bischofheim in Franconia, about two hours northwest of Bamberg.
Website: http://www.kreuzbergbier.de/

Restaurant Name: Gasthof Reinwand

This is big old coaching inn with accomodation as well as a timeless old pub, all housed in a half-timbered building from another age.

Favorite Dish: We had stuffed peppers, which were excellent, cheap, They went well with the village brewed hausebier, a dry hoppy lowly carbonated session beer.

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Maximillansplatz 99 in Sesslach
Directions: Sesslach is about an hour from Kloster Kreuzberg on the way to Bamberg.

Restaurant Name: Zum Roten Ochsen

A bit more upscale then the neigboring Reinwand but still a great old fashioned eatery with an old world feel.

Favorite Dish: We didn't eat but the menu was a bit more elaborate than Reinwand's and they had the village brewed beer on tap too.

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Flender-Strasse 95 in Sesslach
Directions: Just across the square from Reinwand in Sesslach.

Restaurant Name: Pension Lowen-Brau

This place was a little bit too kitschy for both of us, seems they might use doilies instead of beer mats as coasters. ;) Still, it was a pleasant place despite the slow service and all we wanted was beer!

Favorite Dish: Again, we did not eat here as time did not permit. If I had eaten in all the breweries, I would have got even fatter than I did. lol The menu looked great and to stay in business in a small village like this with Gasthof Dinkel up the street, it has to be good. The vollbier was fruity and full-bodied, finishing slightly bitter and dry.

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Stubland 45 in Stublang
Directions: In the Staffleberg region, about a half hour north of Bamberg.

Restaurant Name: Braustuberl Staffelberg

This very popular eatery/brewery has a cozy atmosphere, great food and beer, but the service leaves something to be desired. Still, it's hard to argue with a half-timbered brewery that serves up big portions at very reasonable prices, along with a nice array of house-brewed beers.

Favorite Dish: Meals are in the 6-10 Euros range with a decided leaning towards typical Bavarian fare like dumplings and pork, but also offering some meals with more flair. The vanilla ice cream with hot raspberries were to die for and enormous! The Marzen is one of the best in Franconia, a real nutty amber beer full of malt yet managing a dryish finish.

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Loffeld 8 in Loffeld
Directions: If you find the village, you wil find the brewpub, there ain't much else. About 20 minutes walk from Stublang.

Restaurant Name: Alte Klosterbrauerei

Vierzehnheiligen is a monastery worth visiting whether you like beer or not, but if you do, it is certainly a must see. The little pub and beer garden behind it are great value and offer a glimpse into simple pub life when the tourist buses are not in. ;)

Favorite Dish: The real calling card of this little pub is the Kloster Nothelfertrunck, a mouthful to say and a great mouthful of beer too. It's a supremely bitter dunkles beer and one of the very best in Franconia. It goes very well with the cheese plate, which is doused with salt, pepper, paprika, and raw onions. Yum yum.

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Vierzehnheiligen 6
Directions: The monastery is hard to miss from anywhere in the Staffelberg region, a half hour north of Bamberg. You can visit it best by hiking around the area from one of the small neighboring villages as the car park can be busy with buses.

Restaurant Name: Gasthof Dre Kronnen

This was a very pretty upscale restaurant that still managed to capture the air of another time, but we were in a rush and only wanted to try the Stoffla so the waitress wanted little to do with us as it was time for dinner by her watch.

Favorite Dish: The Stoffla is their odd by tasty Marzen cum Kellerbier with rauch inflections. Worth the trip, worth her steely glances.

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Address: Haupstrasse 19 in Memmelsdorf
Directions: This charming village is only 4 kilometers up the road from Bamberg and worth a detour.

Restaurant Name: Schlenkerla

If you could only go to one restaurant in Germany, I would highly recommend this one. Schlenkerla is the kind of place I dream about finding, a timeless air that oozes from its walls. The main taproom is full of dark wood and small wooden kegs and other than electricity, you could have just entered another century as you walk throuh its doors. This time around, we ventured into the more cavernous drinking hall and it was no less awe-inspiring with leather chandeliers that begged for candles.

Favorite Dish: Rauchbier is a beer produced with malt that is roasted by beechwood fires, thus imparting a smoky flavor and Schlerkerla is the world class example of the style. It is an oily near fishy treat that goes well with all their meals but the great thing about this pub, is the locals drink it like it's water. The bierhaxen is the best haxen I've encountered in Germany with a crispy skin and sublime sauce made with their tasty beer. The simple snacks are great too and the beer does beg for something to chew on. ;)

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Dominikanerstrasse 6 in Bamberg
Directions: Bamberg has winding streets but you will wind by this gem sooner or later, or just ask.

Restaurant Name: Brau-Gaststatte Gambrinus

This was to be a typcial place that I might not want to bring Doreen into, but it was time to eat lunch and we were both starved. Despite being a small village pub, we didn't feel funny walking in and it was a very nicely furnished little place. The barman was helpful and right on the ball getting beers too.

Favorite Dish: I had the Steigerwaldplatte, which was a massive plate of home-butchered Franconian meaty delights. The pressack was particularly tasty and a real Franconian specialty. At only 4.40 Euros, it was a real bargain and went well with the house-brewed Lagerbier on tap. Doreen had an equally massive salad that I had to finish for her. :=)

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Address: Haupstrasse 76 in Unterheid
Directions: Unterheid is a small village in the Steigerwald, a pretty area just 8 kilometers northwest of Bamberg.

Restaurant Name: Gaststatte Brauerei Mager

This is a classic Franconian pub/restaurant that has an outdoorsey wooden interior, a down home atmosphere, great waitress service and huge portions at unbeatable prices. They also have a few rooms. Doubles with private bath go for 45 Euros, 35 without, and that is for two people!

Favorite Dish: Spanferkel is baby suckling pork and mine was tender as can be, in a delectable sauce and very filling for only 7 Euros. D's Jagerschnitzel was massive for only 8.30. Beers were only 1.90 for half liter mugs with pils, helles, and dunkles styles represented. The dunkles was particularly tasty

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Theme: Pub/Brewery
Comparison: about average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 09243 333
Address: Haupstrasse 17 in Pottenstein
Directions: Pottenstein is just off the main highway between Munich and Berlin, in the Fraconian "Switzerland" area. It's also not far from Bamberg on a very scenic route.