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It breaks my heart, but today I'm presenting the last of ten "My Favorite Italian" restaurants in and around Munich. Number 10, and the final installment, is Restaurant Laurus in Gräfelfing. Laurus is wonderful. A somewhat secluded restaurant with Italian cuisine, wonderful service, and great food – definitely worth the trip. This restaurant has reminded me once again that you really should stop – well, not so much me, but you will 😉 – constantly visiting the same places. Of course, if you've found something you like, it's tempting. But there's so much new and good food to discover, which brings us back to Restaurant Laurus.
When my companion and I entered the restaurant in Gräfelfing, we immediately felt at ease. A friendly gentleman—the restaurant manager, as we later learned—approached us, shook our hands, and showed us to our cozy table for two in the left-hand section of the restaurant. This is where most of the tables are located, forming the heart of the restaurant. On the right-hand side, there's a bar and additional seating for guests. As you can see in the pictures, the restaurant is quite long and oval-shaped. The approximately 15 tables in the comfortable restaurant can comfortably seat around 40 to 45 people, but for events, the tables can be rearranged to accommodate up to 70 people.
As for the restaurant's menu, it offers typical classic Italian dishes. In addition, there's a handwritten menu on the wall with excellent dishes. I couldn't decide and ended up choosing something I'd never actually eaten before: a "Crostatina Ricotta e Tartufo" for €14.90. A small cake filled with a ricotta mixture and topped with delicious truffles. I almost wanted to cancel the main course and order another three or four truffle cakes with ricotta cheese. 😉 But I didn't. Instead, I ordered a generous portion of pasta, or rather tagliolini with truffles (€17.90). My companion did the same, choosing a starter and main course from the handwritten menu. For a starter, we had "Zuppa Porri con Mortadella" soup (€7.50) – a very good green leek soup with mortadella – and for the main course, beef tenderloin with a spiced crust and vegetables (€22.90). The beef tenderloin was cooked medium, well-portioned, wonderfully tender, and thoroughly enjoyable. The accompanying portion of vegetables was also ample. The same was true for my truffle pasta. The pasta was quite al dente, but perfect for my taste. I had a generous amount of truffle on my pasta and was very satisfied. We enjoyed wonderful white wines with the meal – a Pinot Grigio and a Sauvignon Blanc. There was absolutely nothing to criticize about the food, nor about the desserts that followed. Quite the opposite, in fact: my companion's tiramisu was incredibly delicious, not too creamy, and wonderfully flavorful. I believe tiramisu is the Italian equivalent of Kaiserschmarrn (shredded pancake). 😉 Everyone makes it a little differently, each one tastes unique, and yet everyone is convinced: This is the best tiramisu in the whole city. 😉 Laurus's is indeed a lovely finale. But my "finale," or rather, my dessert, was even better. I had one of the best desserts I've had in ages. A kind of ravioli filled with sweetened ricotta and ice cream. I could have eaten the whole thing.
The restaurant's menu is constantly changing. Of course, there are always classics like soups, salads, Italian appetizers, and pasta dishes, but also more unusual options such as sea bream, pumpkin, or truffle dishes, and much more. Fish, for example, is almost always delicious at Laurus. Before the full menu, we started with a Himberini (€5.90), which is a Prosecco with pureed raspberries, and a classic Hugo (€6.90), along with a basket of fresh bread. Both arrived promptly, and from the first sip and bite until we left the restaurant, we felt wonderfully looked after and well taken care of. The restaurant itself certainly contributes to this. High ceilings with recessed spotlights, a huge and unmissable chandelier in the middle of the dining room, light leather banquettes, white tablecloths, candlelight and plants on the tables, large mirrors on the walls, and an overall very cozy and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant, which has been around for almost exactly 10 years, naturally relies primarily on its regular customers from Gräfelfing, which is a shame. Of course, you have to factor in a bit of travel time, but even a die-hard Munich native can definitely feel at home here. I felt so comfortable, in fact, that I stayed quite a while and the friendly restaurant manager explained his personal passion in more detail: making his own grappa.
At Restaurant Laurus, you can get wonderful grappa. A wide variety of flavors, and they're absolutely divine. I think I tried three different kinds – I can't remember any more than that. 😉 All joking aside… if you're here, which I highly recommend, try them all. My absolute favorite: the cinnamon grappa. Super delicious! The blueberry and raspberry are just as good. Mmm! If you don't like grappa because you associate it with that hot, burning sensation in your throat, then try the cinnamon grappa. It doesn't have that at all, and it still has the same effect. Something else that's just as special and unique here is craft beer. It's called TRÜBES, and you might know the brand from Italy or from trade fairs and select restaurants. It's not easy to find. I took a bottle home with me and I have to say: Cheers and thumbs up! Only 10,000 liters are currently produced annually, and you can try it here.
You absolutely have to try Laurus. It's not a long drive, and the evening is guaranteed to be great. In the summer, you can also sit on the restaurant's terrace, which seats about 35 people, and stay there until 10:30 pm. You can even get there quite easily by public transport, specifically the S-Bahn (suburban train), as the station isn't too far away (a maximum of 5-7 minutes' walk). So, if you're looking for a really cozy place with good food at reasonable prices, where you can linger a while: head to Laurus. It's worth the trip, I'm sure of it.
I'll be back: Yes.
Place visited: Laurus – Gräfelfing
Address:Maria-Eich-Straße 67, 82166 Gräfelfing
Website: Laurus – Gräfelfing
Pictures:
Battling against the spread of fraudulent medications
Linda
It reads very well and the photos are convincing too, thank you for the article. I will pay Laurus a visit right at the beginning of the new year.