Passerine

We have a visitor arriving at Frankfurt airport on the 12th (and we can finally take our much-awaited trip to Leipzig and Dresden, hooray). She arrives early in the morning and I need to meet her at the airport. Rather than spend the night in a boring Frankfurt airport hotel, I'm taking a Sunday morning train up to Heidelberg, seeing the sights, spending the night there and catching an early morning train to Frankfurt airport next day.

So...I have a free day in Heidelberg. Any suggestions for a restaurant open Sunday evening? I don't want a big dinner, would prefer a big salad (with chicken) or similar and a little wine or beer. Don't want a student-type restaurant.

Any suggestions much appreciated.

klondike

Don't quite know what you mean by "studen-type" but if you were going to be doing any kind of sight seeing in the Altstadt there are numerous restaurants open on Sunday. You could walk the Haupstrasse, though be aware most shops are closed on Sundays in Germany, and if you time it right, you can pay the 1 euro to climb the Heiliggeist Kirsche Tower before sunset and enjoy the fantastic view it offers of the castle above and the old town and river below.

After a climb like that you'll be ready for some good wine or beer and a repast.

We really like the Bier Bretzel which has both inside and outside seating just opposoite the Holy Ghost Church (Heiligeist Kirche). They have a large variety of simple fare, right now their special is a glass of neuwein and onion tart with salad garnish for 7 euros, and I love their Flammkuchen with a Radler. The place right next store has always had great looking salads when I've passed by, but I haven't ever tried it.

If you want something more upscale, a few doors down in the famous Hotel Ritter with it's beautiful Renaissance architecture. They are in the Michelin Red Guide I believe.

If you wander down the back street behind the church towards the river, you will come across numerous eateries, with a cluster around the famous old Bridge. I love German salads, haven't had a bad one yet--though some throw on too much corn to my taste (a way to economize).

Enoy your stay!

Mainhattengirl

Not sure why you think you would have to stay at a boring airport hotel when the city of Frankfurt is only an 11 min. train ride away? You could stay overnight in the city and sight see here as well as pick from something like 3000 restaurants for your dinner.

Though if you have never been to Heidelberg, it certainly is wonderful for sightseeing. The two cities are very different from each other, but both have plenty to recommend.

From what city are you coming from?

Passerine

Coming from Basel, where we live. Frankfurt on a Sunday just doesn't interest me (I have been to Frankfurt several times). And the hotels in Frankfurt cost twice as much as the ones I found in Heidelberg (in terms of the type of hotel I want and availability/rates for that date).

Thanks for the tips.

Hans

I think Kulturbrauerei, Perkeo and Cafe Rossi would all be okay for what you describe. Kulturbrauerei is close to the castle end of the Hauptstrasse, Perkeo in the middle, Rossi at the Bismarckplatz.

If you like Turkish food, I can recommend the Alte Gundtei. It's not a Doener Kebab place, but a nice restaurant to sit down with very good Turkish starters etc. if you don't want a big dinner.

Restaurants are open on Sunday, so you won't really have a problem to find a place.

Passerine

Thank you for all your recs. I had a very nice day in Heidelberg. I stopped at a nice cafe for coffe and ended up having dinner at a Japanese restaurant just outside the old town. It was pretty good and very reasonably priced (esp. compared to the prices for sushi in Switzerland!)