Eats: Munich, Munich, Germany

No matter how near or far you are from home, a recommendation for a good restaurant or bar is always nice to have. EATS is a collection of places that I’ve enjoyed during my travels.

Our time in Munich was short, so our dining experiences were a little sparse. When we weren’t filling up on seasonal treats at Munich’s Christmas markets (mmm gingerbread!), we were out of the city on a handful of daytrips. On top of that, the December temperatures were on the rather chilly side and I was still getting over a cold, which slightly dampened our spirit to explore. Most nights we wanted hearty food and drink and we wanted it now.

Thank goodness for Der Pschorr. This upscale Bavarian beer hall is located right off the Viktualienmarkt and is one of those places where locals and tourists alike gather for the same purpose: a good meal in a welcoming environment. It’s named after Joseph Pschorr who invented the first method of cooling beer more than 200 years ago by cutting long pieces of ice from the river in the winter and storing the barrels on top of them in deep vaults.

The night we walked into Der Pschorr, the hall was beautifully decorated for Christmas and packed with people. Reservations are strongly encouraged, as we were initially turned away and lingered to formulate a plan before stepping back into the cold, which was just long enough for the man seating tables to flag us down and direct us to an empty table near the bar. Talk about being in the right place at the right time, we had a front row seat to watch the bartender tap keg after keg of the house specialty Hacker-Pschorr Edelhell beer, a premium lager from oak wooden barrels that’s chilled on blocks of ice in the cellar before being brought up to the bar. You should order at least one of these if you go to Der Pschorr. I also recommend the Bavarian wine list, as well as a post-meal schnapps if you are feeling brave. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).