MICHAELIGARTEN – Perlach – bayerisch

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The Michaeligarten in Munich's east is a true hidden gem, and I simply can't understand why you wouldn't spend every evening of the summer there, enjoying this fantastic beer garden and its adjoining restaurant. I was invited to a press event on May 20th, which included a tour followed by lunch. The Michaeligarten is only six kilometers from Munich's city center, meaning it's just a six-kilometer walk from the heart of the city to this perfect oasis in the leafy Ostpark.

The Michaeligarten in Munich closed at the beginning of 2014 and, after three months of renovations, reopened on April 12, 2014, completely redesigned and rebuilt at a cost of an incredible three million euros (restaurant 1.2 million; kitchen 600,000 euros; beer garden 1.2 million euros). I myself have known the Michaeligarten since childhood, having fed the ducks on the lake, eaten ice cream in the summer after a long walk in the park, and enjoyed the wonderful beer garden atmosphere and the feeling of a "mini-vacation" over the years. Now, after the renovation, which has given both the beer garden and the massively enlarged restaurant a completely new shine, everything is almost unrecognizable.

Before the renovation, the entire beer garden service area was integrated into the main building, which also included the restaurant. Now, after the renovation, the newly built beer garden service station is located in the southern part of the beer garden, set back slightly and not directly at the entrance. In my opinion, this creates a much more inviting and peaceful atmosphere. The renovation and new construction allowed the restaurant to be expanded from 150 to 220 seats. The terrace—with its view of the beautiful lake, nesting swans, long, wild grasses, splashing fountains, and small bridges—was doubled in size, two additional dining rooms were created, and the old rooms were also lovingly renovated with great attention to detail.

The Michaeligarten is supplied by Löwenbräu AG and Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu GmbH, which has been supplying beer and beverages not only to the Michaeligarten since 1966, but also to the Ochsenbraterei at Munich's Oktoberfest, as well as most of the other establishments of Haberl Gastronomie, the company that operates the Michaeligarten. The restaurant and beer garden have been part of Haberl Gastronomie since 1981, a company that has been an integral part of Munich's restaurant scene for over 40 years.

Naturally, one of the most important and decisive criteria is the culinary experience. At Michaeligarten, this is ensured by the new head chef, Jens Hädicke, who had already been delighting guests with his culinary creations alongside his predecessor for four months prior to the extensive renovations. The chef previously worked in renowned Bavarian Michelin-starred restaurants such as the Parkhotel Egener Höfe and the Olympiaturm Restaurant "181 First." With his exceptional culinary talent, he aims to maintain the traditional Bavarian cuisine for which Michaeligarten was previously known, while also adding many new dishes of refined Bavarian cuisine to the menu. The restaurant's kitchen has also been completely redesigned, equipped with the latest technology, and expanded.

Numerous guests can find a place in the various rooms, including the new and "old" parlors. Whether in the so-called "Schwämme" (65 people), the beautiful, small Kaiserstüberl (for 25 people), the Annastüberl (50 people), or the Michaliestüberl (80 people) – you'll feel comfortable in virtually every room, in every seat. An incredibly stunning view awaits you when you look out the windows of the individual rooms, overlooking the beer garden and the adjacent lake, or the restaurant's beautiful sunny terrace. A total of 78 employees ensure a perfect guest experience – 13 of them working in the new kitchen alone.

The restaurant's menu offers a wide selection of dishes. Appetizers start at a reasonable €9, main courses at €11.50, and desserts for those with a sweet tooth start at €6. In the beer garden, for example, you can get a liter of beer for €7.40, a non-alcoholic beer for €7.40, Obatzda (100g) for €2.60, a portion of spare ribs for €10.50, and Schmalznudeln (a type of fried dough) for €3. The beer garden also features special events in the summer, such as brass band performances, traditional costume festivals, and roast ox with musical entertainment.

As mentioned, I've known the Michaeligarten since childhood, and since I was there again privately for dinner both the day before yesterday and last night, I can only say that the words "hidden gem" and "lakeside restaurant of Munich's east" chosen by the owner, Antje Schneider, were definitely fitting. The huge terrace and beer garden right on the lake, the Bavarian-style rooms, the large (and also new) playground for children, the cakes from their own bakery, the incredibly easy and uncomplicated parking in the free parking lot after arrival, and the good connection to public transport (U-Bahn line 5 – Michaelibad) combined with the absolutely idyllic location are hard to beat.

The menu, presented and served at the press event, was a delightful surprise, featuring pike-perch with creamed cabbage and foie gras in a black pudding sauce as a starter, vegetable tempura with ratatouille and pesto as an intermediate course, pink-roasted veal rump, asparagus ragout and chickpea purée, and chocolate tart with mango ragout and lemongrass ice cream. I had the meat dishes replaced with vegetarian options. I only sampled a little of the pike-perch. The fish was exceptionally tender and delicious. The other courses were also excellent and delighted not only the eye but also the palate and stomach. With each course, the best-tasting beer (Franziskaner non-alcoholic wheat beer, Löwenbräu lager, Löwenbräu Triumphator) was served upon request. I only tried the first of the three – beer has never really been my thing. 🙂 As mentioned, I went back again last night for a private dinner, sat outside on the restaurant's terrace, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. We had originally planned to visit the beer garden, which seats over 2,400 people, but the lines at the bar and cash register were incredibly long, so we changed our minds and found a table in the restaurant right by the lake. I opted for a salad with fresh white asparagus and tartar sauce for €9. My companion chose spinach gnocchi with Almerer cheese and brown butter for €9.50. My salad was delicious, the dressing wonderfully light and, combined with the numerous pieces and spears of asparagus, absolutely scrumptious. The salad was also perfectly torn into bite-sized pieces, which I'm increasingly finding to be the opposite, and it's a bit annoying. The spinach gnocchi were excellent – I tried them and was particularly impressed by the salad and cheese combination that topped them. You can find the complete menu here. here. In addition, there are three dishes to choose from on the daily menu. (Currently, for example, turkey strips, sea bass or tagliatelle for a fair €7 or €7.50).

I can wholeheartedly recommend a visit to the completely renovated and beautified restaurant, complete with its wonderfully situated beer garden. The service is excellent, very friendly and attentive. The only thing I found a bit odd was that there were no pretzels left for us in the restaurant last night, since there were plenty of regular and giant pretzels just 30 meters away in the beer garden. Instead, after asking a second time, we were given a basket of bread, which unfortunately wasn't very fresh. Otherwise, there was nothing to complain about. Last night, we paid €31 including tip for a still water (0.25l/€2.50), a Pepsi Light (0.33l/€2.70), a cauliflower soup that was exceptionally delicious, fresh, and flavorful (€5), and two main courses, all paid by card. Considering that, the prices were absolutely reasonable.

Michaeligarten is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 AM and Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM. The beer garden is open daily from 11:00 AM when the weather is nice. It's also ideal for renting for weddings, birthdays, events, or similar family or company celebrations. The rooms are fantastic and, in my opinion, almost rival my very favorite and also very charmingly Bavarian-themed establishment. Harlaching Hunting Lodge, which simply cannot compete with regard to the lake and the idyllic location.

Have fun relaxing and enjoying yourself at the lake in the beautiful Michaeligarten!

I'll be back: Absolutely. An idyllically situated restaurant in the east of Munich with a fantastic view and great service.

Place visited: Michaeligarten – Restaurant & Beer Garden
Address: Feichtstraße 10, 81735 Munich
Website

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