9 Best Restaurants in Heidelberg and the Neckar Valley, Germany

Steps from the Altes Schloss, the building dates from 1565, but the menu is modern, offering a mix of pastas, traditional Swabian specialties and vegetarian dishes. In a nod to Bavarian neighbors, the menu also offers Weisswurst, or veal sausages, but only on weekends. The Käsespätzle, or noodles with cheese, served with a salad, is enough for lunch or a light dinner, especially when combined with Opfenschulpfer, an airy bread pudding topped with vanilla sauce. There are daily beer and wine specials featuring local and regional producers. It's popular with local office workers for its location, service, and good prices, including for breakfast.

Little more than a hole in the wall, this former cooper's workshop has been transformed into a candlelit pub. No matter when you go, it seems to be filled with people seated around the wooden tables (so dinner reservations are a necessity). The menu features regional specialties from Baden and the Pfalz, such as schäufele (pickled and slightly smoked pork shoulder); leberknödel (liver dumplings); and plenty of schnitzel varieties.

For more than 200 years, this wood-panel inn has been a favorite of students attracted by filling yet inexpensive selections; locals, because the food is the typical Swabian fare their mothers made, and out-of-town visitors, who love the old-fashioned atmosphere. Nearly everything is served with homemade Spätzle, the ubiquitous noodles so popular everywhere in Germany. In summer try to get a seat at one of the sidewalk tables,

This is a popular American-style steakhouse chain which ages its own beef. There are some 50 outposts in Germany, including two in Stuttgart. There are daily lunch specials, including burgers, ribs, and vegetarian chili. Dinner focuses on T-bones, rib-eyes, and filet mignon. Portions are large, except for the children’s menu. Save room for dessert, including a Belgian waffle with powdered sugar and cherry compote and New York-style cheesecake. Reservations are essential on weekends.

The motto here is \"Wurst and Bier are friends,\" and there’s plenty of both consumed in this popular brewpub. Paulaner is a Munich beer, so you’ll find traditional Bavarian fare, including Weisswurst, on the menu along with Swabian favorites such as house-made Maultaschen (meat-filled ravioli). There's even an Austrian dessert, Kaisershmarrn, named for the ruler who loved pancakes cut in small pieces and mixed with fresh fruits and whipped cream. Tables upstairs are quieter.

Traditional Italian fare is on offer here, including antipasti, pasta dishes, pizzas, and special daily offerings. The restaurant is in a central location in the main square, and in warm weather you can opt for a table outside on the cobblestones—perfect for people-watching with your meal.

Named for the old German word for cousins, Vetter is owned and operated by two cousins, serving updates of both traditional Swabian and Mediterranean cuisines.  The menu changes daily, featuring seasonal produce and local meats and fish. 

It's worth elbowing your way into this bar for the brewed-on-the-premises beer. Try the Dunkles Hefeweizen, or dark wheat beer, which is not produced as widely as the lighter version. As with most German brewpubs, there's a full menu, too, including a long list of wurst dishes and schnitzels, and even an American style platter of chicken wings with chili sauce.

Founded in 1398 and in this location on Heidelberg's Hauptstrasse (main street) since 1778—so you know they are doing something right—the White Swan specializes in regional fare. The menu includes several versions of Maultaschen (traditional Swabian ravioli) and local mushrooms and asparagus are featured in season. Unlike most German restaurants and pubs, which serve one local brew, there are a dozen on tap here; the most popular are Klosterhof and Heidelberger.