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Update: After the closure of the soup kitchen, now the „"Meschugge"“ resident.
This week, my companion and I had dinner at Volksküche. Until recently, Volksküche was called Volksgarten and offered a diverse, somewhat unusual menu at quite affordable prices. Now the owner has changed, the concept – and the name – are new, and we went to check it out. 😉 You enter the restaurant through a small courtyard, right next to the Volkstheater on Briennerstraße – not immediately visible from the street – only indicated by a large sign at the front.
The restaurant is entered through a glass door, which forms part of the completely glass-fronted facade. Numerous tables and benches are set up in front of this door, also part of the restaurant's overall design. Since it was a rather mild evening, almost all the outdoor tables were occupied, and we were given a seat inside – which we could choose ourselves. The server approached us immediately upon entering, offered her assistance, and made us feel welcome and appreciated – not always the case in restaurants, even though one might assume the customer is the one bringing in the money. 😉
The first thing you notice about this community kitchen, with its relatively narrow and very long floor plan, is its decidedly sparse decor, reminiscent of an 80s canteen – with sophisticated lampshades over the tables that also fit the overall aesthetic, a simple dark floor, old tables – about 20 in total – and very basic chairs. The tables are quite far apart and can accommodate up to six or more people. So it's definitely not cramped, and overall, despite the cafeteria-like atmosphere, we didn't feel uncomfortable. Directly opposite the entrance is a long bar, behind which most of the staff's activity takes place. As the evening progressed, more and more tables were occupied – certainly by theatergoers – and all the tables outside were full.
The menus, in the form of small clipboards with DIN A5 slips of paper clipped in, were already on the tables when we sat down. The menu isn't overly extensive, but it offers a good mix. Most striking: the quality of the menu definitely didn't match the restaurant's decor. 😉 From seared scallops on celery puree and wild herb salad (€13.90) to potato and pear gratin with salad (€8.70) or merguez lamb with vegetable couscous (€11.90) – the menu at this casual eatery has something to offer. We opted for sea bream on sweet potato puree with seasonal vegetables (€17.80) and coq au vin with carrot and potato puree (€14.80). To drink, we chose Hugo. It arrived quickly and – rather unusually for this drink – in two regular drinking glasses, but unfortunately, it had very little elderflower flavor. I've definitely had better Hugo – I wouldn't necessarily order it here, and it didn't improve even after stirring. The food took quite a while to arrive, about 25 minutes. While we had pleasant conversations at the table and the time passed quickly, this was still rather borderline acceptable – especially since there were plenty of empty tables inside. If you only have about an hour to spare (for example, before going to the theater), it's rather difficult. In our case, however, the wait was definitely worth it.
When the dishes were served – all at once – we were surprised by the presentation alone, as we were expecting something more like canteen fare 😉 – but that wasn't the case at all. We started eating and were delighted. My sea bream was a generous portion, nestled on sweet potato purée – absolutely delicious, truly exceptional. I was so hungry anyway, and I devoured my meal in no time. The fish was incredibly tasty, cooked through perfectly, and definitely worth the price. Fish is generally quite expensive, but here it was reasonably priced. The vegetables still had a nice bite and were a good portion size. My companion's meat was also very generous and delicious. The texture was perfect, neither tough nor bland. The sauce was quite rich, the purée was delicious, and the asparagus had just the right amount of bite – both were simply delicious and perfectly cooked.
We briefly hesitated about whether to go in at all, as some friends had eaten there beforehand and hadn't had the same luck, being served a rather strange-tasting and far too small main course for far too much money. However, I must say that we were much luckier and had nothing to complain about – except perhaps the Hugo cocktail and the fact that the waiter who cleared our plates neither looked at us nor asked if we had enjoyed our meal. Oh well – there are worse things. We didn't feel like dessert; they offer, for example, dark chocolate mousse for €4.60, crème brûlée for €4.30, or a French cheese platter with fig mustard, salted butter, and baguette for those of you with a less sweet tooth for €12.40. The low drink prices are definitely a plus. A 0.3l juice spritzer, for example, costs only €1.80 – where else can you find that? 🙂 In general, the drinks are exceptionally inexpensive.
The Volksküche is open Monday to Friday from 11 am to 1 am. On Saturdays, it's also open until 1 am, but only from 6 pm onwards. On Sundays, it's open from noon to 1 am. Card payments are accepted. The restaurant is best reached via Stiglmaierplatz (U1 subway line) or Königsplatz (U2 subway line). As mentioned, don't expect too much in terms of ambiance, but it's not unpleasant. For great food in a simple atmosphere, with friendly staff and very attentive service, the Volksküche is definitely the place to go. We paid €45 for two main courses and two Hugo cocktails (each €4.20), but we also left a €4 tip. Give it a try and enjoy! Good food in a simple setting is better than the other way around. With the right company, the Volksküche is the perfect place for a great evening.
Place visited: People's kitchen
Address: Briennerstraße 50, 80333 Munich
Website: (no longer available)
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