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Restaurant & Bar Guide

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Cologne is a vibrant city with a lot of opportunities to wine and dine. In this handout we try to compile a list of restaurants which cover a broad range of budgets and styles. We subdivide the selection into three main areas.

Area 1: Zülpicher Strasse - located near the confrence venue.

Area 2: Old town close to the Maritim hotel, where many participants are accomodated.

Area 3: ?Belgisches Viertel? (Belgium quarter), ?Ring? and ?Friesenplatz?

 

 

AREA 1

The Zülpicher Street and the surrounding area represent the student quarter of Cologne. Many pubs, bars and nightclubs invite you for a Kölsch (or two). There is a broad variety of restaurants (Vietnamese, Lebanese, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Russian, etc. and of course German) in the low- and mid-cost segment and a few high quality restaurants. Beyond that, there are many takeaways . The average pub-crawler is young-aged.

Restaurants

The restaurants presented here are only a small fraction of what can be found within 5 min walk from the conference site. In fact you can try any restaurant and not feel betrayed for the price you pay.

  • MENSA: the students cafeteria, no dinner, low-price, directly across the street from the conference venue, choice of 5 dishes each day , also the site of the poster sessions  -   Zülpicher Strasse 70
  • Magnus: Popular among students, wide range of dishes, low price, very near to the conference site  -  Zülpicher Strasse 48
  • Filmdose: Very close to conference site, low price, good breakfast but also other meals, amateur plays are staged here regularly   -  Zülpicher Strasse 39
  • Borsalino: Italian kitchen, low price, special noon offers, good price-performance ratio  -  Zülpicher Strasse 7
  • Oma Kleinmann: The biggest ?Schnitzel? (escalope) in town. Really, they?re HUGE. Nice domestic atmosphere in the low to mid price segment  -  Zülpicher Strasse 9
  • Rendevouz: Italian kitchen, low price, special noon offers, good price-performance ratio, clone of Borsalino  -  Heinsbergstrasse 11a (at the corner to Zülpicher Strasse)
  • Quattro Cavalli: Italian kitchen, big Pizza and a variety of Pasta,  low price, good price-performance ratio  -  Meister-Gerhard-Strasse 30
  • Feynsinn:  Good mid-price kitchen,  nice and cosy atmosphere,  well chosen wine of the month and good cakes  -  Rathenauplatz 7
  • Engelbät: an unusual Crêperie, sweet or hearty fillings served with good Kölsch in a homey atmosphere, low-price  -  Engelbertstrasse 7
  • La Société: High quality ? high price Restaurant.  Michelin Star awarded kitchen  -  Kyffhäuserstrasse 53
  • Bachus: good kitchen, good wine selection, mid price, you can sit outside on the nice patio  -  Rathenauplatz 17
  • Habibi: Lebanese kitchen (also takeaway), oriental atmosphere, low-price  -  Zülpicher Strasse 28
  • Tom Yam Gung: Thai food, nice service, low-price  -  Kyffhäuser Strasse 52
  • Etrusca:  high quality Mediterranean food , mid to high price  -  Zülpicher Strasse 27

Cafés/Bars/Pubs

The student quarter is densely packed with Cafés,Bars and Pubs. The average public is fairly young. You can just stroll along Zülpicher Strasse, Kyffhäuser Strasse or Roonstrasse and pick what you like. Anyway, here?s a small selection:

  • Rathenauplatz: not a bar or club but an open-air beer garden, particularly nice when the weather is hot, after the meeting a good place for a ?good beer?  -  Rathenauplatz
  • Roter Platz: Russian bar with a great variety of Vodkas to chose from. They also serve the Russian Baltica Beer   -  Zülpicher Platz 11
  • Boogaloo: Laid-back bar in 70?s style, small location (best for small groups), good music  -  Roonstrasse 19
  • Im Stiefel:  A real  ?dive? or ?gin-mill?, a non-glamorous and down to earth place to have a drink  -  Zülpicher Strasse 18
  • Umbruch: A bar that is concentrating on the core business: a good place to have a drink and talk  -  Zülpicher Strasse 11
  • Shamrock: Irish pub, they serve Fosters,Red, Stout,etc. - for those who don?t like Kölsch  -  Zülpicher Strasse 34
  • Stereo Wonderland:  Down to earth indie-rock pub  -  Thrierer Strasse 65
  • Rosebud: Classy cocktail bar, mid-price, different from what you find usually in this area (older crowd)  -  Heinsbergstrasse 20
  • Blue Shell: Live music bar that offers a platform to newcomer bands, live gigs in the conference week on Su 26th, Friday 31st  and Sa 1st , cheap admission  -   Luxemburger Strasse 32
  • Rose Club: small and cosy nightclub with different parties, open Tue-Sa after 22h, young audience  -  Luxemburger Strasse 37
  • Hotel Lux: Sovietbar, 70 different Vodkas, 70 Cocktails and a feature in the New York Times ? any questions?  -  Rathenauplatz 21

AREA 2

The old town between the Dom (Cathedral) and the Heumarkt (near the Maritim Hotel) is one of the few parts of town that was rebuilt after the bombings in the second world war. It represents the traditional Cologne and is very popular among tourists. There is a great variety of restaurants, so you ?ll surely find a suitable place to eat if you explore the small and winding alleyways of the ?Altstadt? (old town).  Most Colonian breweries have their brew houses in the old town. They usually serve local specialities and of course each brewhouse is convinced that it is in possession of the holy grail of beer brewing and that they serve the best Kölsch in the world. In fact, this is not that unlike, because per law only beer from Cologne is allowed to be called Kölsch . So if you manage to visit the brewhouses of the approximately 30 breweries in town, you definitely tasted the best Kölsch in the world! The food is usually rich and atmosphere homey, but you can also just sit here, ?verzäll?(talk) and taste the fresh beer. The ?Köbes? ? the waiter in these brewhouses is generally gruff and grumpy but not unfriendly ? don?t take it personal, it?s tradition. One more hint: In the traditional brewhouse, the Köbes will keep on bringing you new beer without any order, unless you put your coaster/beer mat on top of your glass as a sign that you?ve had enough!

Restaurants/Brewhouses

Most Brewhouses are comparable concerning the menu and the atmosphere ? they stress that the Kölsch is different. There are also a lot of cafés and restaurants on the Rhine promenade. If you go there for a walk along the Rhine, you will enjoy the air of the old town and definitely find what you are looking for.

  • Brauerei zur Malzmühle: Brewhouse of Mühlen Kölsch, qualified for big groups, opposite the Maritim hotel  -  Heumarkt 6
  • Brauhaus Sünner Im Walfisch: Brewhouse of Sünner Kölsch, if you want you can tap the Kölsch yourself  -  Salzgasse 13
  • Brauhaus Sion: Brewhouse of Sion Kölsch,  qualified for big groups, HUGE Bratwurst, not the best spot for vegetarians  -  Unter Taschenmacher 5-7
  • Paulaner im Roten Ochsen: Brewhouse ? but not of a Kölsch(!); They serve white beer (bavarian style) and bavarian food  - Thurnmarkt 7
  • Früh am Dom: Brewhouse of Früh Kölsch, more classy than other brewhouses, close to the cathedral   -  Am Hof 12
  • Gaffel am Dom: Brewhouse of Gaffel Kölsch, one of the biggest, you?ll have a hard time if you order water ?  -  Bahnhofsvorplatz 1
  • Päffgen: Brewhouse of Päffgen Kölsch, one of the smaller Brewhouses  -  Heumarkt 62
  • Chicago Steakhouse: A classical steakhouse  -  Am Hof 20
  • Campi im Funkhaus: Very good Italian food, you can watch the cooks while they prepare your meal  -  Wallrafplatz 5
  • Em Krützche: Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Jaques Chirac ? they all dined here; do you want to join the list? Not excessivey expensive.   -  Frankenturm 1-3

Cafés/Bars/Pubs

  • Em Streckstrump aka Papa Joe?s Jazzlokal: For 34 years there has been a live concert in this club every evening(!), very unpretentious  -  Buttermarkt 37
  • Flanagan?s: Bar/nightclub, you can play Dart and Pool, Monday Poker tournament, Tuesdays for students only  -  Alter Markt 36
  • Taberna Flamenca: Spanish pub, food on the first floor, live music from Tue to Sun

AREA 3

The Belgium quarter is not named after famous Belgiums that lived in Cologne, but just a generic term for the street names in this quarter, that refer to Belgium towns and provinces. The ?Ring? is a street through Cologne, that follows the old city wall. The part that adjoins the Belgium quarter is the most vibrant fragment of this circular road. The atmosphere is hard to describe but in any case versatile. There is a touch of art and subculture in the belgium quarter and vivacity on the Ring. In the meantime it?s a nice neighbourhood to live in with many old buildings. The Friesenplatz and surrounding area is more like the Zülpicher Strasse, but for mid-aged. A lot of bars  are trying to attract the audience's favour.

Restaurants

  • Barrios: Southamerican restaurant and bar with Mambo, Latin-Jazz and Salsa music in a relaxed atmosphere, mid-price  -  Hohenzollen Ring 21-23
  • Champs: American sports bar in a classical diner style. Mainly fast food and drinks, Sport shows on TV
  • Curry-deluxe: They serve fast-food but with style (e.g. they have a wine card!). You can try the organic ?Currywurst?, one of the world-famous german specialities, mid-price for a fast food restaurant, but worth it  -   Rudolfplatz 7
  • Curry Cologne: similar to Curry-deluxe, more stress on ?organic?, less stress on ?wine card?  -  Antwerpener Strasse 5
  • Los Flamencos: Spanish restaurant in a rustic atmosphere. Godd spanish diches in the mid-price segment  -  Brabanter Strasse 1
  • Café im Bauturm: intellectual atmosphere, artists and actors like to sit here and have a Latte Machiato, good breakfast and small meals  -  Aachener Strasse 24-26
  • Marios Trattoria: High quality italian food, not suitable for big groups, mid price  -  Lütticher Strasse 12
  • Aachener Weiher: Beer garden, outdoor restaurant at the Aachener Weiher (lake) in the park. Beer and small dishes  -  Aachener Weiher
  • Hallmackenreuther: impressive interior,small dishes  and good coffee. Wireless Network Connection for free  -  Brüsseler Platz 9
  • Stadtgarten: From breakfast to nightclub, from small dishes to ambitious kitchen, from beer garden to concert hall, you?ll find everything in here  -  Venloer Strasse 40
  • Päffgen: One of the few brewhouses outside the old town, rich and traditional food and a delicious beer, remember the coaster habit(!)  -  Friesenstrasse 64

Cafés/Bars/Pubs

  • De.lite: Old-school look ? new school electronic music, good and affordable cocktails  -  Moltkestrasse 74
  • Arkadia: This former brothel of the 60s (a lot of red velvet) offers cocktails and Kölsch in a nice atmosphere. Regular Parties in the back room.   -   Friesenstrasse 52
  • Weisser Holunder: Wanna see how Germany looked like in the 50?s ? go have a Kölsch here. (It?s not ment to be historic ? it?s just that they didn?t change a thing since back then)  -  Gladbacher Strasse 48
  • Scheinbar: Fancy interiour and mainly Cocktails served with good music  -  Brüsseler Strasse 10
  • Six Pack: Late night bar, they serve several bottled beers, mainly electronic music, good place for a nightcap  - Aachener Strasse 33
  • Low Budget: Billard, Foosball and brown Tequila from the wooden barrel ? what else do you need?  Down to earth pub.  ? Aachener Strasse 47
  • Päff: A very nice interior, good music, open minded guests and a very good Kölsch (Päffgen) fresh from the brewhouse nearby: simply a good combination  -  Friesenwall 130