Freiburg can be hard to decipher food-wise. Eating well requires you to be in the know, and once you are, you can dine really well!
I’ve listed my favourite cafes, bars and restaurants below:
Coffee or lunch
Hermann café
Hermann’s is my favourite brunch spot in town. Their menu changes regularly – with many different pancake variations always available – and the view is just so Freiburg: the blue bridge, with Black Forest hills in the background. They’ve also got a large balcony for warm days; for the colder ones, you’ll still get some rays in thanks to their large windows.
JORIS BioCaféRestaurant
Joris’ is a fairly hidden but cosy cafe-restaurant; its menu offers an array of delicious organic dishes, and it’s a solid choice if you’re looking for somewhere that will take a large party.
Au Contraire
Au Contraire is a cafe by day and a bar by night.
It means it’s the perfect spot for a 6pm drink, where half your party wants hot drinks, and the rest wants something alcoholic.
It’s really central and is the go-to spot for young people.
Café POW
Café POW is the perfect sun spot in a lesser frequented part of town – they make the most scrumptious carrot cake!
It’s a place where people really bed in, so you’ll have to be hawk-eyed to find a seat on sunny days.
Küchenschelle
If you fancy a short walk in the greenery a little way out of central Freiburg, Küchenschelle is a solid option.
Eat something from their fabulous cake collection in their quaint interior, or enjoy a beer in the sun in their garden.
Café Hinterzimmer
Café Hinterzimmer is a secret little nook perfect for warm days.
They serve tasty coffee and an array of vegan snacks, and their seating area offers plenty of comfy sofas and benches for an outdoor chill out.
Fili Café & Bar
Fili’s is the cool kid’s coffee spot. Patrons are often spilling out onto the street, and the floor to ceiling windows and central location make it the spot for people watching.
Cocktail bars
Juri’s cocktail and wine bar
If you want cobbled streets, pretty views of the canal and every cocktail you’ve ever desired, then Juri’s is the place.
One Tricky Pony
One Trick Pony is hidden away at the back of a tiny alley. It’s got a really nice bar area near the entrance, and a large seating area at the back (note that the part at the back is a smoking area).
FREDERICS Cocktail Club
FREDERICS is quite a new joint; it’s in a cellar near the centre of town; the cocktails are really tasty and the ambiance is low lit and relaxed.
Brasíl
If you’re a fan of caipirinhas then look no further than Brasíl. It’s got plenty of seating indoors – including a large bar you can sit at – and some outside.
Bars with food
Kastaniengarten
Kastaniengarten is one of my favourite summer spots, which you can stop off at after walking up to the Schlossberg.
Enjoy the best views in Freiburg, a lively atmosphere and delicious food.
Make sure to order the Frikadellen if you see them on the menu!
Schlappen
Schlappen is the closest you can get to an English pub in Freiburg (except for the Irish pubs…). It can get really busy at peak times, so if you want a non-raucous experience, go at quieter hours, when you’re more likely to get a seat i.e. not Friday or Saturday night.
Bear in mind that you can only pay in cash in Schlappen!
Schwarzer Kater
Schwarzer Kater does good solid pub food and has a terrace with large heaters for the smokers amongst you. It’s also at the end of a road with a trail of bars that eventually leads to Schlappen, so is good for a mini bar crawl for the supremely lazy.
Feierling
Feierling is worth a visit for a number of reasons, not least in order to marvel at their giant copper-coloured beer barrels.
They’ve expanded to a space across the river due to popular demand, so make sure to have a look there if the main space is full. On warm days you can sun yourself on their large terrace too!
Martin’s Bräu
Martin’s Bräu is my favourite beer Keller in Freiburg because of the atmosphere. It’s below ground, decorated with cuckoo clocks, and does delicious food. Their special is the pork knuckle, called Haxe in German.
Blauer Fuchs
Blauer Fuchs is a really lively bar with ample seating inside, and some out. It’s a bit of an old faithful of mine when everywhere else is rammed. People don’t stick around if they can’t get a table, meaning it’s a good option for the crowd-averse.
Skajo
Skajo is a fabulous choice on sunny days thanks to its ample rooftop terrace. It’s a little on the pricey side but is worth it for the views.
On cloudy days it makes for a decent place to take a large party, with large tables populating the inside.
Rooftop Bar powered by Breuninger x Geldermann
If Skajo is rammed, try Rooftop Bar, which offers similarly beautiful views of Freiburg’s skyline, though it’s a lot smaller. You can access it through Breuninger Department Store or via a separate elevator outside the building.
Bear in mind that it only opens when the weather is good, and the bar is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays to Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to midnight.
Trotte Weinbar
If you’re looking for something more intimate, Trotte Weinbar is the one. A small hole in the wall overlooking the canal, it’s worth booking a table as it’s very popular for its small fancy bites and low-lit atmosphere.
Poolbar
Poolbar is a weird concept; it looks directly over Faulerbad swimming pool. You’d be amazed how many people do lengths at 8pm on a Friday night.
It’s got a nice outdoor garden and the indoor area is old school and cosy; they’ve even got table football.
Restaurants
Erste Liebe
Erste Liebe is a great place for local food, including Flammekuchen, Maultaschen and other Badisch specialities, as well as offering plenty of veggie options, They’ve got a big terrace out back and a large, cosy indoor space, which gets really atmospheric for evening service.
Jeju Korean Bistro
Jeju has a small selection of delights. You can’t book a table; turn up, put your name on the list, and come back when instructed. If the weather’s good, you can have a drink outside whilst you wait.
Markthalle
There are 16 different stands at the market; they always have a range of cuisines, currently including Persian, Afghan, Italian and more. See the current stands here.
Kuro Mori
If you’ve got money to burn, and you’re wondering what Asian-German fusion is like, then try Kuro Mori. Expect to pay 100€ a head without drinks. The food is sensational, perfect for a special occasion.
Umami
The best ramen in town is without a doubt at Umami. Their menu is small but the food is scrumptious.
You can’t reserve a table, but they’re really good about squeezing people in.
If you can’t get a table here, try Milas, which is almost as delicious!
Chada Thai
Chada Thai is a hugely popular restaurant in Freiburg. They’ve got a smaller, soup-only place in the centre of town, and a much bigger joint in the north of the city.
Forty Seven Pizzeria
Are you ready for the best pizza in Freiburg? Forty Seven pizza is the real deal.
You can’t reserve a table, and their indoor space is small, so turn up early, and don’t be surprised if you’re shoved on the end of a long table. They serve outside during the summer months, so your chances will be higher then.
No table? No problem; they do takeaway!
Ruef
Ruef is a restaurant-bar with wooden booths in cosy corners and fine food; they even make their own ice cream.
This is as gourmet as you’ll get in Freiburg, at a reasonable price point. See here if you don’t believe me!
Make sure to reserve a table even on weeknights.
piqueo Restobar im Vorderhaus
At piqueo they serve the most delicious Peruvian food! It’s tucked away in the direction of Herdern, around a 20-minute walk from the centre of town. They have ample space inside and out, on their terrace. The pisco sours are divine.
Have you visited Freiburg and did you go to any of these places? Any favourites?
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