Heading to a German restaurant in London is not the most obvious choice. Many people often attribute words like bland and boring to the cuisine and think of cabbage and sausages. Contrary to common belief, influenced by the country’s many regions, which are diverse in landscape and climate, German cuisine also features inspiration from Poland, Turkey, Italy, and Jewish traditions.
German food is a rich, hearty cuisine with regional specialities, such as Späetzle, which are Swabian noodles and Semmenknödel, a versatile dumpling that can be sweet or savoury. Sauerbraten is another favourite in Germany. It translates to sour roast and is a pot roast of beef, slowly cooked to produce a mouthwatering rich sweet and sour gravy with fork-tender meat. Are you feeling hungry? Let’s check out some of the best German restaurants in London.
The Best German Restaurants in London
So, to tempt your taste buds further, we went on a culinary tour of five of the best German restaurants in London.
1. German Gymnasium – Olympic Inspired
German Gymnasium occupies a spectacular building that was formerly a purpose-built gymnasium, funded solely by the German Gymnastics Society, in 1865. It was the location of London’s first Olympic Games in 1866.
The building, with its fascinating history, makes a unique setting for an all-day Grand Café, restaurant, two bars, and an outdoor terrace. The building has a lively vibe, and you can dine for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.
On the Breakfast Menu is a Leberkäse Breakfast, with a German meatloaf, fried egg, and mixed leaves for £11.50. Leberkäse is a popular dish in Southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The Grand Café is a European-style cafe that serves an A la carte menu, offering dishes such as,
Hausfrauenart, a dish made up of herrings, onion, apple, sour cream, and rye bread, for £14.00.
There is a Set menu served Monday to Friday, 11.30 – 17.30. The price for two courses is £30.00, and for three courses it is £35.00.
It is not all about meat and fish. The German Gymnasium offer good vegan alternatives such as the Redefine Lamb Meatballs, Königsberger Style, at £22.50.
The Meister Bar is upstairs and offers a good range of cocktails, German beers, and wine.
For a venue with a great atmosphere and something on the menu for everyone, German Gymnasium is one of the top German restaurants in London.
Address: King’s Blvd, Kings Cross, London, NC1 4BU
Telephone: 020 7287 8000
2. The Bermondsey Bierkeller – Party German Style
Oktoberfest was the inspiration behind Bermondsey Bierkeller. The World’s largest beer festival is one massive German party, and Bermondsey Bierkeller is a mini version perfect for beer lovers, German enthusiasts, and those passionate about Oktoberfest-style food.
If you are after lively fun, Bermondsey offers bundles. The beer is excellent, as Germany is renowned for its top-quality beer. There are six authentic German beers on tap, including the well-known Paulaner, from one of Munich’s top brewers.
Paualner prices are, for half, £3.60, a pint is £6.55, and a Stein is £13.00. Bermondsey sells its special brew, the Bermondsey Bravo, at the same price.
The food is good, with a nice mix for vegetarians and meat eaters.
- A currywurst is £12.55.
- A veggie dog is £9.95.
- Four cheese pizzas for £12.60.
- A Flammkuchen pizza with crème fraîche, bacon, and onion is £10.95.
There is a Games Vault, fantastic for watching live sports and getting competitive over table tennis or the electronic darts board.
The Bermondsey Bierkeller is one of the best German pubs in London. It gets five-star for its atmosphere and is a fantastic themed bar to play games, eat amazing food, and drink big beers. The bar is spacious, and the staff are entertaining, quick and efficient.
Address: 2 – 4 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2SY
Telephone: 020 7403 6333
More: London’s Top 5 Pubs with Pool Tables: Combining Sport, Style, and Class
3. Stein’s Richmond – The Bavarian Experience
Opened in 2004, Stein’s is a fabulous Bavarian restaurant in London, located in a prime position alongside the River Thames. The restaurant is outdoors, and you sit at long wooden trestle tables. Stein’s offers an authentic Bavarian experience in what was formerly a rundown and vandalised ice cream parlour.
Stein’s imports all of its food and drink from Germany. Their licence only allows them to serve alcohol with food. However, there are plenty of light snacks, such as a freshly baked pretzel, which are huge and delicious for £1.95.
- The Vegan Bratwurst with sauerkraut and new potatoes is excellent at £14.40.
- The Schnitzel vom Schweim is a tender, bread-crumbed pork escallop, Viennese style, with potato salad and salad, priced at £19.50.
- Ice-cold beers are available from £4.10 to £13.50.
- For colder days, warming cups of hot chocolate are £3.30.
Stein’s is an excellent location for a sunny day. On cooler days, there are patio heaters. For its gorgeous setting and traditional food, Stein’s is a fabulous German Bavarian restaurant in London.
It is worth noting Stein’s outdoor restaurant is predominately a walk-in restaurant. However, it does take bookings for groups larger than six. Smaller groups can usually wait for a short time before getting a table.
Address: Richmond Towpath, Richmond upon Thames, TW10 6UX
Telephone: 020 3746 6240
4. Munich Cricket Club – Bavarian Bierkeller
For an Oktoberfest experience, head to Munich Cricket Club. They have three German pubs in London. One is in Canary Wharf, another in Westminster, and the club’s newest member is in Tower Hill. So, if you want heartwarming food or a stein of German beer while listening to an Oompah Band, visit one of the Munich Cricket Club Bavarian bars.
Bavarian favourites on the menu include,
Schlactplatte is a plate of a half pork knuckle, slow-roasted, served with black pudding, sausages, sauerkraut, gravy, and cider apple sauce, all for £16.00. The crispy crackling of the pork will be some of the best you will taste, and the pork meat melts in your mouth.
The Käserkrainer, pork and cheese sausage served with Bavarian potato salad and sauerkraut is another clear winner at £13.00.
The portions are incredibly generous and well-priced.
The Germans know how to party, so why not have a private Oktoberfest? The Munich Cricket Club is an exceptional venue for office parties, Stag and Hen Dos. All three bars have private areas for celebrations.
Live Oompah bands play every Friday and Saturday night and will have you up on your feet and dancing.
The Munich Cricket Club is a great German pub in London, where it is Oktoberfest every night with great people, brilliant beer, and top-quality food.
Address:
- Victoria, 1 Abbey Orchard Street, SW1P 2LU
- West India Quay, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4AE
- Tower Hill, 9 Crutched Friars, EC3N 2AU
Telephone: 020 3746 2000
5. Katzenjammers – Oom-pah-pah, Oom-pah-pah
Katzenjammers is all about the atmosphere, beer, live Oom-pah bands, and German sausage in London. If you like all the above, you should have a good time at Katzenjammers. As one review says, it is loud, rowdy, and loads of fun.
The bierkeller serves nine authentic draught beers and up to 30 bottled beers. There are two floors. Upstairs is the original bierkeller that started six years ago. Downstairs is a large converted basement that is now a bierhall and where the bands and dancing occur.
- Sausage and chips are £10.95.
- Currywurst in a bun is £7.95 or £9.95, depending on whether you have the sausage with or without fries.
- Vegan sausage in a bun is £7.95
- Currywurst with chips is £10.95.
Upstairs the bierkeller has an extended menu with added extras such as Pretzels at £2.30 to £3.60 if you decide to go plain or add cheese or cheese and bacon.
Also available is a slow-roasted lamb shank for £14.95.
There may be better choices than Katzenjammers when it comes to a fine-dining experience. However, if you want to enjoy a lively vibe where the beer is fresh, you can drink it by the stein and sing your hearts out to fantastic live bands. Katzenjammers is tremendous fun and a good imitation of a German bierkeller.
Address: The Hop Exchange, 24 Southwark Street, London, SE1 1TY
Telephone: 020 7234 0835
Tips for Enjoying German Food
If you have enjoyed your experience of German sausage, pretzel, and German beer, and you want to replicate the pleasure at home. Here are a few tips on German food in the UK.
- The best well-known German foods are Currywurst, Schnitzel, Pretzel, and Sauerbraten.
- Where to buy German produce? German Deli is the perfect place to buy German foods in the UK. They have an online shop. Or, if you live close enough, you can pop into the warehouse shop near Wanstead.
- Why do Germans have so many sausages? Aside from Germans loving sausages. Sausage making was a way of preserving meat. Even the tiniest scraps of meat went into the earliest Bratwurst. Today they are enjoyed worldwide.