CAFÉ LUITPOLD – Altstadt – Café

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Two days ago, in the evening, I was once again at Café Luitpold on Briennerstrasse with my companion – about 200 meters away from Odeonsplatz in Munich.

I reserved a table that same morning using the online reservation system on their website, which I then confirmed via email. When we entered the stylish café that evening, a friendly woman behind the long, dark wood bar, which you could walk all the way around, immediately asked if she could help us. Before I could even mention that I had a reservation, another waiter approached, asked my name again, and then a third waiter practically rushed forward to finally take over and show us to a small, cozy table for two. Extremely friendly and very helpful. 🙂

The restaurant/café is very comfortably laid out and impresses with its striking design, cozy ambiance, and positive atmosphere. On the right are the small, dark dining tables, all seating two, which can be pushed together to create a larger table for bigger groups. The individual seating areas are visually separated by black leather banquettes at the tables, giving the feeling of sitting in a small, private compartment rather than a large, noisy room. On the tables are small acrylic holders with offers for, e.g., fondue (cheese fondue – cheeses: Emmental, Comté and Beaufort cheese for €21.50/person; meat fondue with broth – meats: beef, turkey, and pork and crêpe strips for €28.50/person; or chocolate fondue – Swiss fine chocolate – 50% dark and 50% milk chocolate – with fruit variations, homemade cookies and marshmallows for €12/person) and Murder Mystery Dinner in Café Luitpold and red tealight holders with a burning candle.

As mentioned, the ambiance at Café Luitpold is very cozy, chic, and pleasant. Upon entering, you immediately notice the elegant high stucco ceilings, the ornate white columns throughout the café, the large display cases filled with cakes and pastries, the intricately curved shelves behind illuminated glass running along the entire left side of the café, showcasing cakes, tarts, desserts, and decorative items, as well as the overall harmonious concept. At the spacious bar in the back of the café, you can also purchase various types of bread and rolls, pastries, mini cakes, chocolates, and much more – making it definitely worth a visit for a little sweet indulgence. Since a celebration was taking place in the adjoining large and opulent event space with its numerous additional seating options, we were repeatedly handed trays of absolutely delicious and savory cakes. Through the large windows that separate the actual café from the adjoining area, we were able to catch glimpses of the menus, desserts, prepared food and drinks of the guests – everything looked very delicious and was lovingly arranged, was served at the same time and seemed – judging by the expressions on the faces of those eating – to be enjoyed.

The Menus The café's menu is very extensive and offers something for everyone. Vegetarian dishes are marked with a small drawing of a carrot next to the dish. In addition to the lunch, standard, breakfast, bar, and wine menus, there are also regularly changing weekly and daily specials (from €13.80 to €18.50), a soup of the day for €7.90, and various wine recommendations. Lunch is served daily from 11:00 AM, and the daily specials are available until 5:00 PM.

I opted for a mixed green salad with roasted Jerusalem artichokes, grapes, and walnuts for €11.80. My companion chose the pumpkin gnocchi in brown butter with arugula and fig chutney for €12.90. The gnocchi portion was relatively small, but very delicious in combination with the figs. To drink, we chose still water and Hugo (€6.50 for a Hugo, €5.60 for a bottle of water – far too expensive! So, you're better off just ordering alcohol for less than a euro more 😉). Since the portions were quite small – the salad was okay, but not very filling – we also ordered a tarte flambée with smoked salmon, dill, and lime oil for €9.80. This was very good and fresh – you can order it without hesitation, and the price is reasonable for the size. The salad was delicious; I'd never eaten a salad with warm Jerusalem artichoke slices before. (A root-like tuber, sliced paper-thin, as a "bed" under the salad.) I would definitely recommend this salad. The gnocchi, however, aren't necessarily recommended if you're hungry, even though they were delicious.

Otherwise, there are various appetizers, main courses, meat and fish dishes (€17.50-€19.80, meat dishes up to €27), different types of tarte flambée, and desserts (from €2.60 to €4.90, from small pastries to apple strudel) – the selection listed here is particularly extensive due to the café's own confectionery. This includes, for example, pastries, slices of cake, cream cakes, whipped cream desserts, and strudel.

Café Luitpold has recently opened in the evenings. Previously, this was not the case. You can now enjoy culinary delights here on Mondays from 8 am to 7 pm, Tuesdays to Saturdays from 8 am to 11 pm, and Sundays from 9 am to 7 pm. Cakes, pastries, and other baked goods can also be pre-ordered in larger quantities, for example, for parties and other occasions, and then freshly prepared for pickup the following day.

Card payments are also accepted at Café Luitpold. Including a tip, I paid €59. I gave a slightly higher tip because the waiters were very friendly and attentive, always quick to attend to my table, yet still discreet. I will definitely come back for breakfast – even though it's not exactly cheap – if only for the ambiance. If you want to try it, I would definitely recommend making a reservation.

I'll be back: Yes, definitely. Sometimes for breakfast or a piece of cake.

Place visited: Café Luitpold
Address: Briennerstraße 11, 80333 Munich
Website

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