Dresden: questions for experts
 

In January, Mr.Quokka and I will be in Dresden for a week. Daytime activities are set, we'll be busy doing research and taking photos for his and my new books (long story). The evenings belong to us, though.

We'd be grateful for some hints where to find nice places to eat and/or have a beer or two.
"Nice places" means: local cuisine or international bistro style or Italian, price range low to medium, no chain restaurants, some atmosphere, students' pubs.

Our base is an apartment in Neustadt, Louisenstraße. Seems there is quite a lot in the area?

What are the best local beers? We're both into Export and all kinds of dark beers, so Radeberger Pilsener is out. Are there any small breweries/brewery restaurants in town? Any specialities worth sampling?

Links in German are welcome.

Thanks for all recommendations!
The non-Australian mini kangaroo

Here's a recent thread on the same subject.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35067570

My 2 favorites are:

Schmidts, (outside town, taxi required) www.koenig-albert.de/schmidts/anfahrt.htm

Villa Marie (near the Blue Wonder, taxi required) www.villa-marie.de

Near your apartment is a nice, simple, cheap Spanish/tapas restaurant called Vincent at Sebnitzer Str. 11 tel 0351/5635725

There are a lot of restaruants in Neustadt, especially on or near Koenigstrasse, between your apartment and the river.

I've heard mixed reviews about Bean & Beluga from some colleagues - haven't been there myself.

Try these two breweries:

http://www.waldschloesschen.de/
http://www.watzke.de/

If you prefer the light Bavarian beers, you may go to Paulaner's im Taschenbergpalais.

Hi quokka,

Just a slight correction on J62's post -- no taxi required to get to the Villa Marie! Ingo and I visited it when I was in Dresden in Jan 07, and we got there by tram. It was very easy; I don't recall even having to change trams (excellent, comprehensive, and easy tram system!).

We walked back to town along the Elbe -- a lovely but long walk. Ingo pointed out the old villas along the riverbank, and I really enjoyed learning about life and history in this beautiful pre-war city.

Ingo also took me to an incredible restaurant right around from the building of the Semper Opera. Even though he's reminded me of the restaurant's name, I can't recall it now. Might be the Alte Meister. Hopefully, he'll chime in and confirm this (and hopefully I'll write it down this time!). Anyway, the creme brulee was the best on earth!

I'm quite jealous!

s

Hello Mrs. Quokka:

I surely don't rank with the Dresden experts on this board, but I did visit in October and enjoy fine dining. I especially liked our experiences at La Casina Rosa and Bean & Beluga. The concierge at the Taschenbergpalais considers the former to be the best Italian restaurant in Dresden and I am told that Michelin has already awarded a star to B & B, which opened only in May. I reported briefly on these restaurants earlier.


I visited Schmidt's and did not consider the long cab ride to be worth it.


I too am jealous because I was thoroughly taken by Dresden. Gradyghost

Thanks a lot! Keep 'em coming...

I don't think we'll want Bavarian beer when in Saxonia;-) But the two breweries sound good, traveller.

Swandav a Dresden expert! Great! ;-) I remember your visit very well. You're absolutely correct about Villa Marie - tram #6 runs from Albertplatz (DD-Neustadt) to Schillerplatz where the restaurant is located. And yes, the name of the restaurant next to the Semperoper is Alte Meister! www.altemeister.net

Welcome back, quokka! You don't write a book about Dresden, do you??

For local beer: Definitely try the Brauhaus am Waldschlösschen. Only a few tram stops away (#11). If I recall correctly they do brew dark beer too. Popular among students.
www.waldschloesschen.de

I am not too fond of Watzke's. I don't like their beer. Another idea is the Feldschloesschen Stammhaus, but it is located southwest of the Hauptbahnhof, quite a distance from your apartment.

For good dining, mid-price, in the area of your apartment:
www.villandry.de
www.lacasinarosa.de
The Spanish restaurant in the 'Kunsthof' passage El Perro Borracho is more casual, popular with the students:
www.kunsthof-dresden.de and www.elperro.de

(not only) Student places for hanging out at night:
www.raskolnikoff.de
www.café-blumenau.de
www.planwirtschaft.de (great selection of beer, also dark types)
Cafe 100 (Alaunstr. 100, almost vis-a-vis the Italian restaurant La Casina Rosa)
Blue Note, Görlitzer Straße 2b, a Jazz- and Blues Bar (live music)
www.scheunecafé.de (*the* institution in the Neustadt, so to speak, one of the oldest 'Szene' places)

For excellent cocktails:
Frank's Bar (Alaunstr. 80, very small, my favourite cocktail place)

A lively area with plenty of restaurants/cafés/bars in the old town, between Pirnaischer Platz and Kreuzkirche:
www.weisse-gasse.de
(Rauschenbach Deli and Förster's are popular e.g.)

A non-touristy restaurant with charm and local food in the old town:
www.zum-schiesshaus.de

Next to the Blue Wonder Bridge, a very popular restaurant with both locals and tourists:
www.schillergarten.de

A new favourite of mine:
www.ilcamino-dresden.de
(Italian restaurant with charm and very good food near the Blue Wonder bridge, make sure to have a look at their pictures under 'Ambiente')

Maybe too far for you, but highly popular is also the so called 'Anger' of Kötzschenbroda, a part of the town Radebeul, with plenty of wine bars, restaurants, art galleries, shops. S-Bahn to Radebeul West every 30 minutes or tram #4 (caution: buy a ticket for another zone).

oh my! I should have noted as gradyghost did that I'm far, far, FAAAAR from an expert. I mean, I only had one visit of about two days!

But I did want to post about my experiences in the lovely city.

hee hee heh, Ingo, I'm as expert on Dresden as I am fluent in German!!

s

Just to say thank you for all that info. I've printed it out. Looks like we'll be there in June.

Put Dresden in the "search this forum" box above. There have been several threads in the past few months. I donated a restaurant recommendation to one which was seconded by at least one other Fodorite.

Also, did you know that wine is produced in the area? But since you are drinking Export you have no taste buds to speak of. Pity, and you are writing books? Export is the stuff that the locals won't drink so they export it. Draft Pils with the 5 minute head procedure is the only bier to have in Germany. Hefe Weisebier is also good but is from the bottle. The last inch of the bottle should be swirled so you get all the yeast. Hefe goes good with dinner.

Export Bier (also called "Lager" = stock) was specially brewed so that it became more durable which was necessary for export. Export Bier was of higher quality than local beer which was made for immediate consumption.

In the 1970ies, Pilsner Bier (with more hops) became increasingly popular in Germany. With the exception of Bavaria, Pilsner has become Germany's favorite type of beer.

Today, there is a renaissance of microbreweries and specialty beers. Just try.

Thanks to everyone, especially Ingo. I'll print this and take it along.

Ingo, because you asked: myself, I'm working on protestant church architecture (and there is more to Dresden than just the Frauenkirche). My partner is writing a guide to Nazi and World War II sites in and around Dresden.

The other threads I found seem to discuss mostly Michelin star restaurants - these are not what we are looking for.

hopscotch, what's this arrogance for? Tastes are different, I don't like Pils and never will. And of course I know about the Elbe wines (but didn't ask about them here because I have an expert at hand who'll tell me where to get them).

Protestant church architecture? Wow, that is *extremely* interesting! I *love* architecture and esp. church architecture. I am well aware that there is more than just the Frauenkirche in Dresden!

I think I have been to about 90% of the churches in Dresden. 'European Heritage Day' or 'Night of the Churches' are perfect opportunities to enjoy the architecture AND get a feeling for religious life in the congregations.

You won't miss the first protestant church (chapel) in Torgau, eh? ;-)

Nazi and WWII sites - another very interesting field. Mr. Quokka will not want to miss castle Hohnstein; and the main building of the Dresden Tech University ... I better stop here, LOL.

Cheers Ingo, unfortunately I'm not allowed to advertise our books here ;-) Mine, a general overview of 500 yeaars of protestant church architecture in Germany, will be out in March, his hopefully for the 2008 Frankfurt book fair.

Of course, Torgau is in. Town and palace are a hidden gem that's well worth a stop. I had the chance to see it when I did some research in the town's archive in 2004.

I hope to finally see the church in Großenhain this time, and the last time I went to Dresden (Dec. 2004) the Frauenkirche wasn't yet open, so that's a must for me.

About the Nazi sites, he has already got a looooong list of places, so I'm not interfering with that. I guess I'll be sent out every morning with a camera and a map and a page of that list...

Thanks for your advice again!
Kathrin

Hi Kathrin,

if you don't mind would you pleaaaaase advertise in a private email? It's ibrenn (at) web (dot) de.

Agreed, Großenhain is a must for Protestant church architecture. Do you know that they plan to restore the Protestant chapel in the Royal Palace in Dresden?

I saw Torgau during the Landesausstellung in 2004 and the chapel in the castle was loaded with art pieces etc. so I didn't get a good overall impression.

I.

Cheerio,

Ingo

<i>We're both into Export and all kinds of dark beers, so Radeberger Pilsener is out. </i>

Arrogance?

<i>The other threads I found seem to discuss mostly Michelin star restaurants - these are not what we are looking for.</i>

My recommendation (I forget the name of the place) was definitely not M-star. It had down-home good cooking and great service in the center of town. You would love it. Click my name and scroll back a few months.

Have fun anyway, and good luck with your books. Also, lighten up.

Bookmarking for all the tips from the experts.

Sounds like a great project trip Kathrin. Back in 1999, the Alte Meister was also a nice surprise for us. The restaurant's strategic location is so perfect to catch tourists that we thought we shouldn't expect too much. The food turned out to be pretty good and reasonable.

Hi KathrinE:
Am I correct that your book will deal with Protestant churches built AFTER 1500? Does that mean a concentration on the High Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque, and Rococo styles? I'm with Ingo, and would like to know how to get your book when it is published. Please PM me with the information. If your book also has information on significant Protestant churches in Germany built in any of the modern styles, that would be the icing on the cake! Best of luck with the venture.

adeben: of course it's after 1500, there is no protestantism before 1517;-) And yes, it extends to the 20th century.

The book will be in German - don't know if that's a hindrance. Unfortunately the Thorn Tree messed up my registration completely with the recent changes, KathrinE is no more, so I'll have to get a new handle.

Ingo: mail will be sent in a minute.

&quot;there was no protestantism before 1517.&quot;

Not quite correct. Suggest you become familiar with Jan Hus and the Unitas Fratrum, which became the Moravian Church.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravian_Church

They may not have built churches, but they were most definitely holding a form of protestant worship well before 1517.

Are you planning to visit Herrnhut?