The World’s 10 Best German & Austrian Restaurants
German and Austrian dining in this guide spans two closely related traditions: the refined, produce-driven cuisine of contemporary fine dining and the more convivial world of beer hall, schnitzel, and regional classics. At the top end, restaurants such as Schwarzwaldstube, Rutz, and Steirereck frame local ingredients with modern technique, while still keeping strong links to Baden-Swabian, Berlin, Viennese, and Alpine flavors. That spectrum is part of the appeal. In Germany and Austria, menus often move comfortably between forest, farm, river, and city: game, herbs, root vegetables, freshwater fish, dumplings, schnitzel, spaetzle, and elegant sauces can all sit within one dining culture. Contemporary kitchens reinterpret those roots without severing them, which is why places like Schwarzwaldstube and Rutz emphasize seasonal tasting menus, while Steirereck balances modern creativity with Austrian identity. This guide therefore works best as a snapshot of a broad Central European dining conversation rather than a single style. It includes destination restaurants in Munich, Vienna, Baiersbronn, Berlin, Salzburg, and beyond, alongside more casual beer-driven concepts that reflect the social side of German-speaking dining. Together, they show how the region’s cuisine can feel both deeply traditional and unmistakably modern.
JAN
Munich, Germany
JAN is a restaurant in Munich, Germany.
Steirereck
Austria
Steirereck stands in Vienna's Stadtpark, its steel-and-glass exterior reflecting the surrounding park. Inside, the dining room is divided into several wings, with curved forms softening the contemporary architecture. Heinz Reitbauer and head chef Michael Bauböck lead a creative approach to Austrian cooking, with Birgit Reitbauer overseeing the dining-room experience. Six- and seven-course menus are offered at lunch and dinner alongside an à la carte selection. Lunch also allows a shorter four- or five-course sequence. Bread and cheese trolleys are a distinctive part of service, while sommelier René Antrag guides the wine choices. The combination gives diners several ways to explore the kitchen rather than a single fixed format.
Schwarzwaldstube
Baiersbronn, Germany
Schwarzwaldstube is a restaurant in Baiersbronn, Germany.
Schnitzel Forever
London, UK
Schnitzel Forever is a restaurant in London, UK.
Biergarten
Orlando, USA
Biergarten Restaurant is a German table-service buffet at EPCOT in Walt Disney World Resort, serving park guests in a casual dining setting shaped around the atmosphere of a traditional biergarten. Rather than operating as a stand-alone city restaurant, it forms part of the park’s wider dining line-up, so the experience is closely tied to the EPCOT environment. Disney presents it as a themed venue where German cuisine, buffet service and entertainment combine in one indoor dining room for a distinctly festive meal. Food centres on a rotating buffet of German-inspired dishes rather than a fixed plated menu, giving diners a broad selection across savoury mains, sides and lighter choices. Official menu descriptions mention items such as bratwurst, roasted chicken, pork schnitzel and salads, reflecting a hearty, familiar style of cooking suited to buffet service. Dessert also has a defined place, with hand-pulled apple strudel made fresh daily. For adults, the drinks list includes German beers and wines that complement the restaurant’s culinary focus. The room’s character is central to the appeal. Disney describes biergarten-style tables and lively polka-band entertainment, creating a setting that feels more like a performance-led dining hall than a conventional buffet restaurant. Music is not a background extra here but part of the structure of the visit, helping define the pace and mood of the meal. The overall design leans into a celebratory German beer-hall idea, so guests are dining within a themed environment built as much around atmosphere as around food. Within EPCOT’s dining collection, Biergarten stands out for combining buffet flexibility with a clearly defined concept. It is identified by Disney as German cuisine, casual dining and table service, which places it between a quick meal and a more formal restaurant occasion. That blend makes it suitable for visitors who want a substantial sit-down break without leaving the park’s themed setting behind. The result is a restaurant experience shaped by food, music and décor in equal measure, with entertainment woven directly into the meal.
Brotzeit
Singapore
Brotzeit is a restaurant in Singapore.
Rutz
Berlin, Germany
Rutz is a restaurant in Berlin, Germany.
Ikarus - Hangar-7
Austria
At Salzburg Airport, Restaurant Ikarus brings international chefs into Red Bull Hangar-7, the exhibition building that also houses historic aircraft and Formula 1 cars. Its defining idea is a monthly guest-chef menu. Executive chef Martin Klein travels to the visiting chef's own kitchen, studies the ingredients and techniques, then prepares the Ikarus team to recreate that culinary approach in Salzburg. The resulting tasting menus can move between French traditions, Nordic cooking and more experimental styles as the calendar changes. Wine accompaniment is available, with separate lists for Champagne, white and red wines. The dining room was redesigned in 2025, adding a renewed setting for this continually changing restaurant.
Bavarian Bier Café
Australia
Bavarian Bier Café is a restaurant in Australia.
Brotzeit
Hong Kong
Brotzeit is a restaurant in Hong Kong.