Last minute restaurant recommendations

July 7, 2009 5:24 PM

Last-minute restaurant recommendations for Salzburg, Lucerne and Munich!

I'm in charge of finding dinner accommodations for seven people, and I don't speak German, so I've been having some difficulty finding things online - I found this site from an AskMeFi search, which has been helpful for Munich, but since I'm asking...

Anyway, seven people, on the cheaper side (is that possible in Switzerland? Under $30/ person, perhaps?), looking for authentic German/ Swiss/ Austrian food without (too much) touristy kitsch.

In Lucerne, we'l be on St. Karliquai; in Salzburg, on the Rainerstrasse by the Mirabell Castle and in Munich by the Kolumbusplatz subway station.

posted by queseyo to food & drink (10 answers total)

In Salzburg, I highly recommend visiting the Augustiner Brewery--a monastery founded in 1621 that brews excellent (and strong) beer. I remember them having pretty good food too.
posted by arm426 at 5:44 PM on July 7, 2009

In Munich, I think that Dallmayr is a great delicatessen and a great spot for people watching. It's not really a full, sit-down dinner type place, but their oysters are amazing and it's within your price range.
posted by B-squared at 6:16 PM on July 7, 2009

I take that back; it looks like they have a full restaurant in addition to the cafe!
posted by B-squared at 6:22 PM on July 7, 2009

Granted, this was back in '97, but I loved Augustiner Bräustuben (Landsberger Strasse 19, Munich). It's about 500 ft from the Holzapfelstraße tram stop (about 15 minutes on the U-bahn with a transfer to the street car at Sendlinger Tor). I loved their Kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings) and Brezen (pretzels, although they were about 60 pfennig at the time).
posted by MikeKD at 11:33 PM on July 7, 2009

ditto Dallmayr: mazing place.
if you have a car in Salzburg drive to Restaurant Friesacher in Anif
posted by dougiedd at 12:57 AM on July 8, 2009

I've been to the Fondue House in Lucerne; it is about $30 pp for the fondue menu. It was a little touristy but handled large groups very well (we had about 30 people, and hadn't reserved, this was midweek and early evening).
posted by methylsalicylate at 1:55 AM on July 8, 2009

Salzburg: I can recommend Zum Fidelen Affen (The Faithful Ape). I got it out of a Let's Go Europe guidebook, and from what I gather it's a pretty well known place and will need a reservation. It's simple and inexpensive and has this great beer called Trumer Pils which is brewed not far from Salzburg. I went in the January with a friend, didn't make a reservation, was seated next to a (slightly alcoholic) celloist with whom we had a great evening, so YMMV. I also went to the Augustiner Brewery (as meantioned by arm426) in Salzburg, it was pretty good, I imagine it would be better with a group though as i was there with only one other person.

Munich: I went to Augustiner Bräustuben in Munich several times and enjoyed it each time both for the beer and the food, and would recommend it. I would say stay away from Hofbrau Haus, the biggest beer hall, as according to my local friend, locals hate the place and would never go there as it is only for tourists. We walked through it for 5 minutes and I could see what he meant.

Note: I spent only a few days in each city and none of this is off the beaten track.
posted by atmosphere at 2:49 AM on July 8, 2009

Re: Munich: If you want to stay near Kolumbusplatz, I'd suggest the Fraunhofer. It's traditional but not kitschy (quite authentic, pittoresque and very typical of Munich).
Wirtshaus im Fraunhofer
Fraunhoferstr. 9
80469 München
U1 + U2 Fraunhoferstraße (this is one station from Kolumbusplatz). If you want to make reservations, drop me an email and I'll help you (their website seems to be broken...)

If you're ok with going to other places in Munich, you could try
-the Hofbräuhaus, on the Platzl near Marienplatz. Apart from its world-famous, crowded, touristy beer hall on the ground floor, it also has a good and cheap (and much quieter) restaurant on the first and second floors. I'm a Munich native, and while I'd never go to the Hofbräuhaus beer hall, I really like that restaurant. They have (good!) traditional live music there though, so maybe that's too kitschy for you...? But it's really authentic.

-or, in case you're just looking for a more generic restaurant, I'd recommend Café Puck (Türkenstraße near Pinakotheken/Universität). It has reliably good and not too expensive German and international cuisine, and nice waitstaff. I'm a regular there since I live next door.
posted by The Toad at 2:45 PM on July 8, 2009

(I think Dallmayr might be a very nice place but I am quite sure it is also very expensive, far beyond $30 pp, in fact I just looked up the evening menu and it is above 100 € just for food...)
posted by The Toad at 2:51 PM on July 8, 2009

My initial recommendation was for the delicatessen. I then corrected my previous post that indicated there was not a restaurant there. I wasn't recommending the restaurant. You can eat very easily for under $30 at the deli/cafe.
posted by B-squared at 6:34 PM on July 8, 2009