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Are you craving delicious pasta at affordable prices in Munich's Isarvorstadt district, or a tasty salad at a fair price?… or would a great soup be just the thing? I can understand that, because I recently had a hankering for a huge goat cheese salad and, on the recommendation of my dear colleague Lisa (thanks again!), my companion and I went to Hey Luigi – not far from the Fraunhoferstraße U-Bahn station (U2 line). I actually wish I had gone much sooner, but every time I tried to make a reservation, I got the same answer on the phone: "We only reserve half the tables so people can just drop by and still find a spot. You can always try it." But I generally never just show up and have little chance of getting a table. Reservations usually need to be made a week in advance. After being told this several times on the phone, questioning the logic, and complaining a little, the lady was kind enough to tell me that the reservations wouldn't arrive until around 7 pm and that there were plenty of tables available before then.
Well…we drove there, arrived just before seven, and lo and behold: almost all the tables were empty. A waitress immediately approached us, and before I could even say that we hadn't made a reservation, she was already on her way to the back of the restaurant to seat us at a small table. The tables were all for two, but some had been pushed together, and when the restaurant quickly filled up after 7 p.m., there were even groups of ten people sitting together.
The interior design and ambiance of Hey Luigi struck me as rather gloomy and bare upon entering. A huge white buffalo head hangs above the inside of the door, there are about 20-25 dark wooden tables, a dark bar in the front area, and relatively bare walls – some with simple drawings. The many small animal figurines stuck to the walls in the back of the restaurant are a fun touch. A small blue wood-burning stove, tall dormer windows, wooden beamed ceilings, very basic furniture, dark floors, and a lack of charm complete the picture. During our visit, my companion and I also felt that Hey Luigi's ambiance and atmosphere were better suited to larger groups looking for a lively, boisterous evening than to a cozy dinner for two. While the staff were very friendly throughout the meal, the menus were brought to us immediately after we were seated, and our order was taken and served promptly, we still didn't feel entirely comfortable and didn't want to linger any longer than absolutely necessary.
The menu offers a good mix of mixed and, of course, Italian dishes at very fair prices – whether appetizers and salads (from €3.50 to €8.50, e.g., bruschetta, hummus, beetroot salad, mango salad, or mixed appetizers), soups (e.g., red curry soup, zucchini and eggplant cream soup), pasta, meat dishes, vegetarian options (Kässpatzen with roasted onions and salad, grilled halloumi cheese with marinated vegetables and tabbouleh, or fried potatoes with egg, between €6.50 and €11.90), or desserts (chocolate cake or crème brûlée, each for €4.20). Homemade stone-baked pizza is available every Sunday. It's best to take a look at the entire menu with all the available dishes. here I opted for the "Devito" salad – a mixed salad with arugula, topped with roasted vegetables: green asparagus, red bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, and spring onions, along with pear slices and baked with goat cheese. It came with cranberries in an apple-sherry dressing for €9.90. When the salad arrived, I couldn't believe it was only €10. But it was, and thankfully, it tasted excellent. 😉 The salad wasn't actually baked with goat cheese – instead, it had two rounds of goat cheese on top, which I preferred – but that's not meant as a criticism. My companion couldn't quite decide, but finally chose the "Linguine Filet" – pasta with marinated pork tenderloin, mushrooms, and sun-dried tomatoes in a light red wine cream sauce with Parmesan for €8.90. All pasta dishes at Hey Luigi cost between €8.50 and €9.90, which is quite reasonable considering the huge portions and the wide variety of combinations. Tagliatelle with salmon for €9.90 – with zucchini, vodka, dill, sour cream, and pink peppercorns – is, in my opinion, also perfectly priced. My companion's pasta didn't look particularly appealing – I have to say it – but it tasted absolutely delicious. The meat wasn't tough, and overall everything was just right. We drank a white Burgundy (0.2l/€6.50) and a Diet Coke.
Overall, Hey Luigi is a nice place: they serve good food, delicious pasta and other dishes at really fair prices, and the service is decent. During our visit – every table was occupied by the end – the clientele consisted exclusively of younger people (at most in their late 20s/early 30s). The noise level was also rather high – it's a bit difficult to truly relax in a cozy atmosphere, have a quiet conversation, and enjoy the excellent ambiance. We paid for two main courses, a glass of wine, and a Diet Coke. Card payments are accepted. The restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 12:00 PM to 1:00 AM, Saturday from 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM, and Sundays and public holidays from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM. They also offer a daily changing lunch menu with main courses ranging from €2.80 to €7.50, which is also reasonable. Give it a try; you won't regret it.
Place visited: Hey Luigi
Address: Holzstraße 29, 80469 Munich
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