Food, Drinks & Nightlife in Cologne

Aachener Weiher

4.5(463)· Google

A 1920s artificial lake in Cologne's Inner Green Belt, framed by a beer garden, East Asian art, and the Hiroshima-Nagasaki Park.

Beerpongbar Köln

4.9(605)· Google

Experience bar on Cologne's Ringe where guests play beer pong by the hour in their own booths.

Bier-Esel – Cologne's Oldest Mussel House in the Old Town

4.5(2,695)· Google

A traditional tavern in Cologne's Old Town with over 700 years of inn history, calling itself the city's oldest mussel house.

Bierhaus en d’r Salzgass

4.4(810)· Google

A traditional pub in Cologne’s Old Town with roughly 400 years of brewing history – today a stop on the brewery trail, serving Päffgen Kölsch.

Bootshaus

since 1991

4.2(3,351)· Google

Cologne's premier EDM nightclub on the Deutzer Werft, repeatedly Germany's top-ranked club in DJ Mag — reaching #8 worldwide and #1 nationally in 2019.

Brauerei Päffgen

3.8(2,387)· Google

A traditional Cologne brewpub on Friesenstraße, family-run since 1883 — its unpasteurised Päffgen-Kölsch is served only on tap.

Brauerei zur Malzmühle

since 1858

4.4(2,880)· Google

A tradition-steeped Kölsch brewery with a pub on the Heumarkt, in family hands since 1858 and host to famous guests such as Bill Clinton.

Brauhaus Früh am Dom

since 1904

4.2(970)· Google

A traditional brewpub right opposite the cathedral – Cologne hospitality since 1904, a medieval vaulted cellar and a lounge with cathedral views.

Brauhaus Schreckenskammer

4.3(2,392)· Google

A tradition-steeped Cologne brewpub in the northern old town, family-run for generations and serving its own Kölsch.

Brauhaus Sion

4.0(7,747)· Google

Historic Cologne brewery tavern with roots going back to 1318 — home of Sion Kölsch and a stop on the Brewery Trail.

Cologne Brewhouse Trail

A signposted circular walk through the old town linking ten historic brewhouses — past the cathedral, the town hall and the Rhine. Walk, take in the sights and enjoy a freshly poured Kölsch along the way.

Crux (Youth Pastoral Centre)

4.7(25)· Google

Home of the 'church with the leaning tower' — Catholic youth pastoral centre in Cologne's Südstadt, combining a church, café, and community spaces under one roof.

Em Golde Kappes

4.4(2,368)· Google

A tradition-steeped Kölsch pub in Nippes since 1913, a listed building and carnival guardhouse, relaunched under Cölner Hofbräu Früh after a 2009 insolvency.

Em Kölsche Boor – A Traditional Brewpub on the Eigelstein

4.2(2,033)· Google

On the Eigelstein since 1760: a Cologne brewpub with an eventful history, named after the Cologne peasant.

Flönz

Mildly smoked Rhenish blood sausage, the base for Kölsch Caviar and Himmel un Ääd — historically also called "Flunz".

Früh em Veedel

4.6(1,409)· Google

A listed brewpub of Cölner Hofbräu Früh on Chlodwigplatz with its own distilling tradition, known locally as the "Invalidendom".

Gaffel am Dom

since 2008

4.3(9,994)· Google

A large brewpub on the station square opposite the cathedral – Gaffel Kölsch, Cologne cuisine and a legendary Friday singalong concert.

Gaffel Haus

4.5(1,393)· Google

The oldest house on Alter Markt – a Gaffel brewhouse since 1987, today the sports-bar brewhouse "Zum Prinzen".

Genusseria

4.6(260)· Google

A restaurant, bar and wine bar in one in Cologne's Ehrenfeld district, built around sharing — from Neapolitan pizza and antipasti to share to seasonal spritz variations.

gesund & süß

4.9(535)· Google

Vegan café in central Cologne serving gluten-free, low-sugar cakes made in its own workshop.

Gilden im Zims

4.3(10,621)· Google

Kölsch brewpub in a Renaissance townhouse on the Heumarkt – with Roman walls in the cellar and a carnival exhibition.

Gloria

4.5(3,814)· Google

Former cinema in Cologne's city centre, now a versatile venue for concerts, comedy, readings, parties, and carnival events.

Groov

4.6(105)· Google

Former Rhine island in Cologne-Zündorf, transformed between 1974 and 1978 into a leisure area with a marina, swimming facilities, and green spaces along the river.

Halve Hahn

Rhenish rye roll with Gouda – despite the name, no chicken involved whatsoever.

Haus Töller

since 1871

4.1(807)· Google

A tradition-steeped brewpub in the southern Old Town since 1871, with its original Thekenschaaf counter and a guestbook of famous visitors including Konrad Adenauer and Joseph Beuys.

Haxenhaus zum Rheingarten

4.1(4,512)· Google

Traditional brewhouse on Cologne's Frankenwerft with a documented history of over 780 years and hearty pork knuckles.

Kalscheurer Weiher

4.7(275)· Google

A man-made rectangular lake in Cologne's Outer Green Belt — with its own island, beer garden, and boat hire on the western shore.

Klein Köln

4.0(314)· Google

Kölns erste Kneipe mit Nachtlizenz: Das Klein Köln wurde zum Treffpunkt von Boxern und ihren Fans aus der Halbwelt – die „Mutter aller kölschen Milieukneipen“.

Köln Arcaden

Cologne's first shopping mall on the right bank of the Rhine, built on the site of a former chemical plant in Kalk.

Kölsch

A pale, filtered, top-fermented beer that may only be brewed in Cologne and its immediate surroundings — governed by the Kölsch Convention.

Le Moissonnier

4.7(690)· Google

A Cologne institution for creative French fine dining with two Michelin stars.

Monkey's Island Köln

3.4(1,152)· Google

Beachclub direkt am Escher See in Köln: Liegen am Wasser, Restaurant, Bar und Sonnenuntergangspartys, mitten in einem Naturgebiet mit Wanderwegen.

NeoBiota

4.5(595)· Google

On Barbarossaplatz, creative breakfast in the morning and Michelin-level dining at night – two concepts in one place.

Ox & Klee

4.8(602)· Google

Daniel Gottschlich's two-star restaurant in the Rheinauhafen, turning taste into a sensory work of art.

Päff

4.2(298)· Google

A cozy traditional tavern on Friesenwall, founded in 1968 as a jazz club — one of the few places serving Päffgen-Kölsch on tap.

Peters Brauhaus

since 1994

4.4(8,652)· Google

A brewpub in the old town since 1994 – Peters Kölsch and traditional cuisine, now with a second house by the Hahnentor.

Pottkind

4.7(323)· Google

Refined one-star restaurant in Cologne's Südstadt with a surprise menu and open kitchen.

Puszta-Hütte

4.7(2,846)· Google

A cult Cologne snack stand since 1948 on Fleischmengergasse, serving a single dish: Hungarian Gulasch made to a handed-down recipe.

Rathenauplatz

Cologne's leafy Südstadt park with a plane-tree avenue, a popular beer garden, and a name that mirrors Germany's turbulent 20th century.

Röggelchen

Rhenish double bread roll made from two pieces of rye dough, documented in Cologne since the 15th century and typically served as Halver Hahn in the brewhouse.

Schwimmbad Rhein-Sommergarten

4.1(1,214)· Google

A former swimming pool in Cologne's north, reinvented as a beer garden right on the Rhine riverbank since 1996 – with a playground next door and views over the water.

Sünner im Walfisch

4.5(3,726)· Google

A Kölsch brewery-tavern in Cologne's Old Town whose brewing site can be traced back to the year 1476.

Thekenschaaf

Im „Beichtstuhl“ Kölner Brauhäuser sitzt der Wirt: Das Thekenschaaf bot ihm ursprünglich zugleich Blick auf Gaststube, Hausflur und Bierfässer.

Tünnes und Schäl

Traditional Cologne brewhouse at Alter Markt, named after the beloved puppet duo from the Hänneschen Theatre — hearty local food and Kölsch on tap.

Wartesaal am Dom

since 1915

4.5(818)· Google

A historic event venue inside Cologne's main station, combining a restaurant, bar and club for up to 1,000 guests.

Wiener Platz

Central square and transport hub in Cologne's Mülheim district — a pedestrian zone with the district town hall, weekly market, and the 57-metre Bull high-rise.

Zur Alten Post (Dellbrück)

Listed 1842 inn that also served as post house and toll station, lending its name to the historic Old Dellbrück Bridge.

Food, Drinks & Nightlife