Exactly where to drink beer in Munich (2024)

They serve beer for breakfast here. Need we say more? Well we did warn you, they really love beer here in Munich. And Schneider Brauhaus is the place to experience it, done properly. Tuck into a weisswurst (Bavarian sausage) smothered in Weisswurstsenf (sweet mustard) and paired with a pretzel (made in-house), and then enjoy it with one of their classic beers, most likely a wheat beer like Hefeweizen.

2.Hofbräuhaus

Hofbräuhaus is a 16th-century tavern, said to be the most famous of its kind in the world, owed to its history as an emblem of tavern culture and the German tradition ‘Gemütlichkeit’. There’s a ground floor, where over 1000 beer drinkers can take a drink, dine and be merry (and watch live music). If you look closely, you’ll see names and messages carved into the wood, some dating as far back as 1897. Outside is a huge, sunny beer garden, and other rooms put on folk dance nights and festivals.

3.Wirtshaus in der Au

Wirtshaus in der Au is a stalwart of the traditional Munich beer (and Bavarian food) scene. Replete with wood panelling, large tables and ceiling-spanning arches, Wirtshaus serves Munich Paulaner beer, plus a fine dark craftWeißbiernamed Karl Valentin (a big name in the city’s early 20th-century comedy scene and a frequent visitor). It’s also home to Munich’s most reveredKnödel, the heavy Bavarian dumplings that kids around here used to grow up on (some still do). As per tradition, they’re made using a base of potato or bread, but at Wirtshaus, they also contain Paulaner beer and are served alongside gravy and the usual huge lumps of roast pork. Other varieties available contain wild garlic and spinach with cherry tomato sauce.

5.Der Pschorr

Der Pschorr is the brewery house of Munich institution Hacker-Pschorr. Though located in Viktualienmarkt, it’s not to be confused with the market’s beer garden – Der Schorr has a big indoor restaurant and its own outdoor seating. Chill out under a red table parasol or slip downstairs into the wooden keg parlour, where you can drink overlooking handmade barrels stored behind glass in a cooling area. The wooden barrels sit for hours under ice blocks until they get tapped, ensuring everyMaßis chilled and has a thick layer of foam. While the Edelhell is Hacker-Pschorr’s speciality, you can also choose from dark beer (Dunkel) andWeißbiervariations.

6.Beer garden at Viktualienmarkt

The centrepiece ofViktualienmarkt, a legendary gourmet food market in Munich, is this beer garden comprising lines of wooden benches beneath the abundant leafy shade. Local breweries, from Augustiner and Löwenbräu to Hacker-Pschorr and Paulaner, take turns on tap here every few weeks, so you never know what’ll be served in yourMaß. According to Bavarian beer garden tradition, guests can unpack and enjoy their own snacks, so most simply peruse the market’s artisan vendors. Obscure cheeses, hams, truffles, olives and jams are just a few of the decadent options available.

7.Richelbräu

8.Tap-House

9.Stehausschank

This secret beer bar is a time warp to bygone Bavaria: it’s a tiny wooden parlour with no seating, little personal space and only the finest Augustiner tapped fresh from oak barrels,Stehausschank, or ‘standing bars’, like this were once ubiquitous, but alas, here is Munich’s final original, attached to the restaurant Nuernberger Bratwurst Gloeckl am Dom(not to be confused with the new-age standing bars Giesinger Braeu). It doesn’t have a website of its own so find it via Google Maps. Duck in on a weekday night and expect to (literally) rub shoulders with office workers kicking back cold ones. The price is reasonable considering this place is on downtown touristy turf. Get cosy and dive straight into high-octane chatter, just be warned: if you ring the bell, you owe everyone in the room a pint.

10.Crew Republic

Crew Republic’s taproom looks more Berlin than Munich – the building sticks out in its quaint residential neighbourhood a half-hour drive from the city centre. Having started with a home-brew kit in 2011, the tattooed and bearded dudes behind the brewery have bucked Bavarian tradition with an anti-Reinheitsgebotassortment, such as the popular Drunken Sailor IPA or an imperial stout called Roundhouse Kick. Tours and tasting are available with reservations, and increasing numbers of restaurants and supermarkets stock Crew beers.