I’ve come and gone through Munich’s train station a number of times over the years, and even stayed in the area out of convenience, and every single time I struggle to find a decent place to eat!  Now don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of restaurants near Munich’s main train station, but most are of the fast food and budget quality.  While this isn’t always the worst, I  wanted to find a nice, non-budget restaurant near the train station for my trip to Oktoberfest this year (as I was staying nearby at the Aloft on points!).  After lots and lots of searching, results steered me toward Geisel’s Vinotehk!

 

 

 

Geisel’s Vinotek is a lovely wine bar/restaurant located just across the street from Munich’s train station.  Geisel’s is small, upscale, filled with locals and an excellent place to sample Germany’s numerous wines, or just take a break from its ubiquitious beer!  Geisel’s has a Bavarian feel and truly makes you feel like you are in Germany!

 

We walked into Geisel’s Vinothek without a reservation on a Monday night and that was a real risk.  We were able to sit at a shared table until 9:30 when the next reservation was due to arrive.  Don’t make this mistake – MAKE A RESERVATION AHEAD OF TIME.  The staff was very accommodating, and treated both locals and foreigners equally in my opinion.  For example, our waiter was super patient and assisted us in choosing a big, delicous red German wine (which is not easy to find!).

 

Our dinner at Geisel’s started with simple crostinis with tomatoes, basil and olive oil.  I don’t have a picture, but it was a solid tomato crostini for €6,00.  The crostini starter was also large enough to share.  For mains, I ordered the veal ragout with pappardelle and fresh cranberries.  The dish was huge and contained loads of veal.  The meat was cooked very well and the cranberries perfectly complimented the veal.  

 

Dan went a bit more “manly” and ordered the beef shank with seasonal vegetables.  I think Dan’s beef shank was a bit better than my ragout, although both were high quality.

 

 

For dessert, Dan and I split a trio of mini crème brûlées – chocolate, coffee and vanilla!  Our dessert was quite good, but I think the concept of a trio of crème brûlées was more fun than the dessert was delicious…

We absolutely enjoyed our dinner at Geisel’s Vinothek and, we will definitely return to Geisel’s Vinothek on our Oktoberfest 2018 trip!  Side note – its always good to plan a meal at a non-beer restaurant during Oktoberfest.  Those large beers and festival food get old quicker than you think.  For those planning a visit to Geisel’s, Geisel’s changes its menu at least seasonally, if not more often, so you will probably see slightly different offerings.

 

STEAL OUR TRIP

Geisel’s Vinothek: Connected to the Excelsior Hotel, Schützenstraße 11, 80335 München, Germany. T: + 49 89 551370.  Reservations can and should be made online here.  Open 12 – 1, Monday – Saturday, 18:00 – 1:00 Sunday.

ON A BUDGET

Geisel’s Vinotek is a bit upscale for those on a budget, especially a backpacker budget.  If you are looking for decent budget options near the train station, try Ristorante Ca d’Oro.

Ristorante Ca d’Oro: Bayerstraße 31, 80335 München, Germany. T. + 49 89 594600. Open daily 9:30 – 1:00.  Reservations not required.  Take out available.