€€€€Modern Cuisine, Contemporary
Now that Nelson Müller and his team have moved from Essen to Bergisch Gladbach, the affable restaurateur and celebrity chef is showcasing his dine dining cuisine at Diepeschrather Mühle, a converted mill set in beautiful natural surroundings. They serve a modern, ambitious set menu with seasonal influences. Great attention to detail and an unfailing sense of balance never fail to impress in dishes such as "Seabed" – turbot, roe sauce, morel ravioli, mandarin, caviar or "From the Bresse" – imperial quail, spring chicken, pointed cabbage, duck liver, grapes. The vegetarian version of the set men
€€Farm to table
With its cosy and lively atmosphere, Postschänke is a fantastic alternative to Zur Post, the fine-dining restaurant. Here, the delicious seasonal cuisine made with select, fresh ingredients goes down a treat. They serve a daily set menu with options, as well as daily specials. The service is exceedingly friendly and attentive.
🕐 Mo-Su 12:00-14:00,18:00-22:00
€€Austrian, Modern Cuisine
Austrian cuisine is served in this charming restaurant with its various tastefully decorated rooms and pretty terrace. Whether traditional (such as the excellent schnitzels and memorable Kaiserschmarrn – shredded pancakes) or modern (Carinthian cheese noodles, pointed cabbage and blueberries), the dishes are always made from carefully chosen ingredients. More limited options, plus a schnitzel menu at lunchtime.
€€Modern Cuisine, Country cooking
Run by Jan Cornelius Maier and Tobias Becker (hence the contraction "maiBeck"), this inviting restaurant serves modern cuisine made from select ingredients. The decor strikes just the right note: upscale yet unpretentious; the service is friendly. The wine list offers excellent value for money, particularly the bottles. Finally, the location between the cathedral and the Rhine means that the terrace is a place to see and be seen. Tip: Take a stroll through the Old Town before or after you dine. Handy for motorists: The Philharmonie underground car park is just around the corner.
€€€Italian
Conveniently located in the city centre, a stone's throw from the cathedral and the Rhine River, this is the second maiBeck restaurant. In a trendy and chic setting, Jan C Maier and Tobias Becker serve up modern Italian cuisine with a focus on fish and seafood, although vegetarian options are also available. The pasta dishes are highly recommended. In addition to the excellent à la carte selection, the six-course "La Sera" set menu is available in the evening. The wine list is exclusively Italian. The front-of-house team are dedicated and attentive – the chefs also help to serve the food.
€€Contemporary, International
Stylish boutique hotel Legend, right in the heart of Cologne's Old Town, is home to the restaurant-bar PULS. The atmosphere here is lively, modern and urban. You can dine at the bar, at high tables or at standard tables – or, during the summer, out on the lovely terrace. Chef Johannes Langenstück and his team serve bar food alongside dishes in sharing or individual portions. Alternatively, you can hand over the reins and go for the "Chef's Choice" surprise menu. A good selection of wines and an interesting range of cocktails, including signature creations, round off the meal.
€€€Classic Cuisine, French
The exclusive Excelsior Hotel Ernst, right opposite the cathedral, is home to this tasteful and extremely elegant restaurant. With its dark wood panelling, it is an absolute classic, and something of a home from home for Cologne society. Hanse Stube offers ambitious classic cuisine with modern influences, in the form of a four- to six-course menu or à la carte. The special caviar selection is also worth considering. At lunchtime, there is an additional short set menu. Excellent wine list, friendly, proficient service, and a beautiful terrace. The restaurant can be accessed via the hotel entran
€€€Mediterranean Cuisine
Are you in the mood for Mediterranean cuisine with Greek influences? Then try, for example, the fried halibut with a chive beurre blanc and trout caviar or the house-made mezze – to share or as a starter. Good produce is used, including meat from Franz Keller and wild-caught prawns. The place has an appealingly trendy bistro look and a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere. Diners take their seats at regular tables or high tables – the latter offer partial views into the open kitchen. Tip for motorists: public multi-storey car park opposite.
€€€Italian, Mediterranean Cuisine
If you are in the mood for authentic Italian cuisine in Cologne, Roberto Carturan is your man. His father, Alfredo, laid the foundations for upscale Italian cuisine in 1973, and the second generation of the Carturan family has cultivated a straightforward and minimalist style of cooking. Without a doubt, the house classic is the pappardelle with braised duck. The charming chef-patron is on hand and will talk you through the menu in person. The atmosphere is relaxed – the focus is on pleasure. You can feel that the whole team is genuinely invested in your experience. Besides cooking, Roberto Ca
€€Italian
Neapolitan-born Anna and Marcello Caruso, working with Emanuele Barbaro, have come up with a cool concept: a flavoursome, relaxed and lively dining experience, played out in a chic atmosphere. Service comes courtesy of a relaxed, attentive team under the tutelage of the charming proprietress. They serve a three-course set menu, which you can put together yourself and add to as you wish – the main course is flavoursome house-made pasta! N.B. You should allow about two hours for three courses. There are two seatings: 6pm and 8.30pm. Trendy drinks at the bar.
€€Classic Cuisine, Mediterranean Cuisine
You may not see the cathedral here in Porz-Langel, but you do pretty much have front row seats onto the Rhine! This restaurant serves classic cuisine with seasonal and Mediterranean influences, prepared using decent ingredients, most of which are sourced from the region. You can choose à la carte or put together your own three-course menu for a set price. The friendly staff also have plenty of good wine recommendations up their sleeve, drawing on the decent selection with a focus on Austria and Germany.
€€€Seafood
Top quality products are deliciously prepared at this modern bistro with a fish orientated menu. The chef allows Asian, as well as Mediterranean and classic components to influence his food.
€€€€Modern Cuisine, Creative
Chef-patrons Sonja Baumann and Erik Scheffler propose ingredient-forward seasonal cuisine. The concept is strictly regional and forward-thinking: the majority of the ingredients are sourced from the surrounding area; some they even forage themselves. They draw heavily on produce from their own garden in Leverkusen and will gladly tell you about the provenance of all the produce. The food is predominantly vegan-vegetarian, with pescetarian and "omnivore" options available. The "Biota" evening set menu is composed of four, six or eight courses, including, for example, "grilled mushroom shashlik
€€€Japanese, Traditional Cuisine
Here, traditional Japanese food – washoku – is skilfully combined with modern influences, blending Far Eastern spices and cooking methods with European food. There is a short lunch menu and a more elaborate dinner menu. In Japanese "appare" is an exclamation of enthusiasm.
€€€French Contemporary, International
A wonderful addition to the Belgian Quarter's fine dining scene. The atmosphere is pleasingly laid-back and the vibe tasteful, whether you dine in the ground-floor space or at BelEtage. Chef-patron Alen Radic showcases his cosmopolitan cuisine, which draws on French influences and is made with fresh, good-quality ingredients – served as a five- or nine-course set menu of which there are two versions: "classique" and "veggie". During the week, there is also a five-course lunch, which includes dishes from the evening menu. The sheltered courtyard terrace is particularly inviting in summer.
€€Japanese, Modern Cuisine
In this trendy Japanese restaurant in the Belgian Quarter, Kengo Nishimi uses top-notch ingredients to create clearly structured dishes in which traditional Japanese cuisine is laced with modern European influences. In the evening, Japanese classics such as tempura, sashimi and sushi can be ordered à la carte, plus there is an extensive omakase menu. At lunchtime, a moderately priced set menu is available. In the front part of the restaurant, you can watch the chef at work at the sushi counter.
€€International
A trendy, urban establishment in the Spichern Höfe complex on the edge of the Belgian Quarter. Diners sit at wooden tables in a pleasantly unpretentious atmosphere; attentive service provided by charming waitstaff. Flavoursome, down-to-earth dishes based on regional and international ingredients are cooked up in the open kitchen. In summer, the gorgeous courtyard is much sought after.
€€Farm to table, Seasonal Cuisine
No stranger to the Rhineland's restaurant scene, Christoph Paul runs this trendy modern restaurant with his wife Juliane. The striking religious imagery on the wall is a reminder of the site's former vocation as a chapel. A seasonal three- or four-course set menu with a choice of dishes is served. The terrace laid out beneath venerable old trees is delightful. A parking space can be reserved upon request.
€€International
In their well-established restaurant – it’s been in the same family since 1895 – Hermann and Kerstin Berger prepare internationally inspired cuisine such as sliced salmon in a rocket and pesto crust with teriyaki beans, mashed potato and sweet mustard. The interior is cosy with a modern note.
€€Modern Cuisine, Seasonal Cuisine
In the heart of the Ehrenfeld district, Hannes Radeck and Kevin Rademacker (formerly of Cologne's Ox & Klee) have struck out on their own. The ambitions of this chef-owner pair are evident in delicately composed, creative modern dishes, such as "Potato brioche, Comté, celery, grapes" or "Bresse chicken, hazelnut, leek". As an alternative to the à la carte selection, there is a six-course surprise menu dubbed "Et kütt wie et kütt" ("It is what it is"), available in a meat/fish or vegetarian version. Seasonality and organic produce are central to the concept, with many fermented and pickled ingr
€€Japanese
Located in a residential area, this restaurant is a firm favourite with fans of Japanese cuisine. In a pared-back Far Eastern-style setting, diners can look forward to a pleasantly lively atmosphere, as well as friendly and professional service with an authentic Japanese touch. It is clear that a well-coordinated team is at work here. Your options include gyoza, tempura, grilled and pan-fried dishes, udon, sushi and sashimi, plus a large omakase set menu. Wine, sake and Japanese whisky to go with it.