I will be in Dresden for four nights in September and am looking for restaurant recommendations. Nice meals are important to me, but not looking for Michelin, just good local food. I prefer to not have to go too far after a long day of sightseeing, so things close to my hotel (Wilsdruffer Str, looks to be just south of the Green Vault) would be great. Thanks!

It's been ages since I've been to Dresden so I don't have any up to date info.

It's not near your hotel, but the one place I consistently return to is Schiller Garten next to the Blue Wonder bridge. You can get a tram right there.
I have no idea if the food is any good, but I love the outdoor beer garden setting right next to the river & the historic bridge.

Maybe our resident Fodors Dresden expert Ingo will weigh in for you.

Another vote for Schillergarten, but it's of course a longer tram ride away. The problem with your location is that this is a touristy area. Locals rather dine out in the residential areas/in the outskirts if they want local/regional food. For gourmet food the old town/city center is a good choice. Anyway, here we go ...

Freiberger Schankhaus, in the Steigenberger Hotel building at Neumarkt square
Gänsedieb in Weiße Gasse off Altmarkt square/Kreuzkirche
Watzke am Ring at Dr.-Külz-Ring
Zum Schießhaus, one block away from Zwinger and Schauspielhaus theatre

There is also a Czech restaurant at Postplatz that serves pretty good rustic food.

am I right in remembering that Watzke (at least the original location) has something like a Tuesday night Schweinshaxe special? Braised pork to die for....

That and a 1L beer makes for a nice dinner with a group of coworkers.... When I visited DRS a few times a year for work we would always take 1st time visitors there for a true local meal... followed by Texas line dancing at the Karl May saloon in the suburbs, but that's another story...

ah... I miss those days (minus the Mass & the line dancing)...

Maybe I'll have to make an exception for Schillergarten. Ingo, I did realize it's probably a touristy location, but I wanted to be close to the things I want to see. Thanks to you both for these suggestions, I will check them out!

J62 - too bad these days in Dresden are over!
Schweinshaxe special is Monday. Tuesday is Maßbier Day (1 litre for 7.90 Euro)
My favourite is Wednesday, Schnitzel Day

LOL, line dancing in the Karl May saloon? Fits perfectly for his novels. Actually, Karl May Days were a couple of weeks ago in Radebeul. It was great fun!

SusanP - I understand your reasons for staying close to the main sights.

On second thought, Schillergarten is not too far away. Jump on tram 12 at Postplatz or Pirnaischer Platz, depending on where exactly you stay at Wilsdruffer Straße, and it's only a 20 minutes ride (unfortunately one change from tram to replacement bus EV12 at Blasewitzer Str/Fetscherstr due to road works.)

Thanks for the tram info. I might do it.