“What can power give more than food and drink,

To live at ease and not be bound to think?”

―John Dryden

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Germany? Do you immediately associate it with great food and drinks like we all do? Well, let me tell you that just crossing the Ocean in order to savor local delicacies is well worth it!

Eating and drinking like the locals right is part of cultural immersion. Therefore, after settling in at über cool design Hotel Drei Raben, we decided to go on A Foodie Tour in Nuremberg, Germany on a very hot and sunny afternoon (and stay awake as long as we could).

We started our marathon walk of Altstadt or Old Town, from KönigsTor (right by the Main Train Station) all the way to Hallerwiese Park located in the north-west.

Prior to leaving, We had asked for suggestions as to where we could find the best bars and restaurants and we were told to go to Café Schnepperschütz which is right by the Pegnitz river.

Small yet welcoming, this small bar/café has an outdoor patio with tables and high chairs. Since it was a Saturday, it was crowded and the only place available were the stairs and that’s where we sat down to enjoy our colorful, cold and delicious drinks:

Mine was called Orphée which consists of Prosecco mixed with ginger ale and a hint of Mint. The other drink a Twiggy Bee which is prepared with Raspberry Fields, Prosecco and Mint as well. It sure was cool, refreshing and very welcome after walking half the town!

That sun was burning but fortunately the breeze and soothing sounds provided by Mother Nature as its soundtrack helped!

Not wanting to miss a beat, and get the merriment going, we decided to continue walking and without a map. And that’s what I loved the most, getting lost on purpose.

We crossed many squares, small roads and ended up at SEON Restaurant, Lounge and Bar where we rested our feet while saying “prost” with cold Beck’s.

Then proceeded with the following cocktails:

Very green, rich and hearty german-style Mojito

Strawberry daiquiri

and we ordered these crunchy fries topped with cheese and it was so good!

After a long chat and we were definitely feeling exhausted, we decided to head back to the hotel and recover for a few hours.

It is important to mention that it was the UEFA Champions League Final in Berlin between my beloved team FC Barcelona against Juventus, so of course I couldn’t miss the game and had to watch them win!

Therefore after sleeping a couple of hours, we headed out in search for more food and drinks. Every bar/restaurant we went into was packed and eyes were glued to the screens (remember that football (or soccer) for Germans is almost like a religion. Well, being Latin American and having it in my DNA is too!

We wandered around until we came across Chilli’s Mexikanisch Essen Restaurant y Bar which is conveniently located across Lorenzkirche. Now why on earth would we go for Mexican food in Germany you may ask?

As I just mentioned, the restaurants were packed and that was the last option, so I thought ok, let’s give it a try.

I ordered the veggie burrito plate

and a strawberry margarita

Being a connoisseur of real mexican food and having been to Mexico, I can say that it was a good attempt but they sure do need to taste a real burrito. However It did taste good and filled me up.

What was even better was the awesome table that we got on the terrace. From there I could watch the game live on the giant screen and cheered when it ended in a victory 3-1 for Barcelona. Needless to say that there were so many Barça fans in the house and that made my heart very happy! We couldn’t have ended an amazing day in a better way 😉

After resting and recharging our batteries, we had a few hours left to enjoy Nuremberg before leaving for Erlangen (a city about 30 minutes away) to embark on our first river cruise with Viking River Cruises.

Since it was nearly lunch time, we decided to find a typical restaurant where local Franconian specialties are served. One thing that is very important to mention is that on Sundays a lot of places are closed (as opposed to North America). This is great for the locals as it is a day to rest and prepare for the week ahead.

However for visitors, you have to find a way to keep yourself busy if not just do the same as they do 🙂

Armed with a list of restaurants suggested by Tourism Nuremberg, we set out to find one of the best in the city: Heilig Geist Spital.

Sitting directly over the Pegnitz, not only it is one of the oldest Hospice for the elderly, which was built in the 1300’s by a wealthy mayor, it is now a Senior Citizen’s retirement home.

Upon entering, one would not think a charming, typical and historical restaurant (which serves over 100 types of wine) is found on the premises but it is!

Since the day was splendid, we decided to sit outside on the inviting terrace.

We asked our lovely server, a friendly lady dressed in a traditional light green colored dirndl, commonly seen at German restaurants, what she recommended us to try.

Believe it or not, I had managed to speak in German even though it had been quite some time since I last used it but she understood and appreciated the effort 😉

As for me, well I love bratwurst in all its varieties, therefore I ordered a portion of 12 Nürnberg Rostbratwurst (grilled sausages) which come with a side of fresh sauerkraut, rye bread and mustard.

To accompany our meals, a Tucher beer, which is the local brand, was ordered

and I (surprise) went for a glass of red wine from the region because as a wine lover, I have to try at least a local red 🙂

We thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, the food and drinks natürlich!

Sadly, the church bells were heard and that reminded us that it was time to leave for the train station but a return trip is surely in our future plans.

Stay tuned for the Viking River Cruises adventures along the Danube to come!

Now over to you,

Tell us…

Do you like German food and drinks?

If so, what is your favorite dish/brand?

If you haven’t, would you like to?

I’m looking forward to reading your stories and seeing your photos!

Bis nächsten mal, until next time!

Happy travels.

Tashi Delek, all the best,

K