The Best Beer Gardens and Beer Halls of Munich, Germany

If you’ve ever been to a beer hall in Germany, you must know that beer drinking isn’t for the faint of heart. And in Munich, in particular, beer drinking is a serious past-time. There is etiquette, there is terminology, there are pairings, and ultimately there is ambiance. But briefly, here’s what you’ll need to know.

Ordering Beer

Beer is served by the liter or ‘Mass’, or by the half-liter or ‘Halb’. Ordering quantities smaller top beer brands in india than that is generally frowned upon. For non-drinkers, even though sodas and colas are available in some of the beer gardens, a customary drink is ‘Apfelschaftschorle’, which is soda-water mixed with apple juice. This is of course not only much healthier but also more refreshing than a cola. And then there is the ‘Radler’, which literally means ‘cyclist’, and is half-beer, half-lemonade.

Food with Beer

The staple food in beer gardens is large, soft pretzels and sausages of all sorts, usually served with sauerkraut and potatoes. A favorite in Munich is ‘Weisswurst’ or white sausage, which is traditionally served in the morning, often with sweet Bavarian mustard and beer. Etiquette requires that you eat ‘Weisswurst’ by hand and leave out the skin. In most of the beer gardens, you are also permitted to bring your own food, although never your own drinks.

Seating in a Beer Garden

It is also not uncommon to share tables with strangers in some of the busier restaurants, and beer gardens that sport long tables and bench seats are no exception. All you have to do is ask if there is free space: “Ist das platz frei, bitte?” However, it is advisable to not sit down at a ‘Stammtisch’ even if you find it to be completely empty, since this is a table reserved for members of a group or society, available to their membership only or by invitation.