Dukey1

Amazingly, we have decided to visit these two cities in April of this year. Used up a bunch of lingering e-credit with Delta and staying for a total of nine nights. Have opera tickets in both cities as well as hotel reservations. Usually we simply eat in places that look inviting (breakfasts will be in the hotels) and it has been a long while since we both ate three full meals in a day. But this time around we think we may splurge on fine dining or at least visit places that have memorable (in your opinion) food so suggestions are welcomed. We are not into anything that is still moving on the plate or staring back at us. Preferably the portions are big enough to be seen with the naked eye. And no, we do not usually eat sushi. Budget is pretty much open.

Thanks in advance.

Ingo

For Dresden, not in particular order:
regional food:

www.schillergarten.de
www.koernergarten.de
They are located vis-a-vis from each other right by the Blue Wonder bridge - Schillergarten on the Blasewitz (old town) side, Körnergarten on the Loschwitz side. The latter is still family run, the former is larger with a bigger beer garden. Both very good. Schillergarten has the better views - the hillsides dotted with beautiful 19th century houses, gardens, the cable car.

www.historisches-fischhaus.de
A somewhat remote location. About 10 min walking from tram 11 stop "Wilhelminenstrasse" in the woods. Rustic, charming ambience, regional food with focus on spices/herbs.

Italian:
Enotria da Miri - Restaurant und Gents Club Dresden
The best Italian restaurant in the old town IMO.

www.lacasinarosa.de
My favourite Italian restaurant in Dresden, in the vibrant Neustadt district, family run, rustic, feels like in Italy.

Fine Dining:
www.genuss-atelier.net
The newcomer, unpretentious, in a basement with bare sandstone walls - rustic ambience. (1 star Guide Michelin)

www.restaurant-elements.de
In a former industrial area, vintage charm, classical to mediterranean cuisine. (1 star Guide Michelin)

Caroussel (in Hotel Bülow Palais)
The chef has changed during the pandemic and I have not been there since then. Before it was the best restaurant in Dresden (1 or 2 stars, I think) and I had an amazing dinner with American friends there. Now you can choose right on your table whether you want the gourmet dining or bistro cuisine.

Other ideas that come to mind - Alte Meister next to the opera house, Moritz in Hotel Suitess (love their roof terrace right behind the Frauenkirche!)

Dukey1

Ingo, thanks very much. Will print out your reply

Fodorite018

We were in Dresden in January 2020. We stayed at the Gewanhaus, which had an excellent restaurant on site called M eatery. The hotel also had an excellent breakfast buffet, but I have no idea how that is now. Other restaurants that we enjoyed were Kinh Do, Gansedieb, Sfizio, Augustiner, and La Osteria. Camondas Schokoladen was a great place for dessert, as was the cake shop in our hotel. There is one place that I stopped one day for lunch that was beyond awful, and that was Rauschenbach Deli.

lavandula

Not exactly 5-star dining: I think you have been to Berlin before (no?), but you may not have tried the currywurst, which is a traditional Berlin dish. There is a sausage stand that has been there since the 1930s, Konnopke's Imbiss. It is a bit of an institution and this is something cultural to try out. Not taking the mickey. Here is their website:

https://www.konnopke-imbiss.de/en

Very down to earth, but a genuine Berliner experience.

There are also some nice restaurants in the Nikolaiviertel, which is the closest thing you will get to an old city in Berlin, albeit with an East German touch to it. Sorry I don't have names of the restaurants, but there is a nice atmosphere in the area and it's worth a morning to visit the Nikolaikirche (former church, now museum).

Lavandula

Dukey1

MMS and Lavandula,
thank you both for the recommendations which are helpful. I will print all of these out as well. To answer the question, yes we have been to Berlin several times in the past.

jeffreycwuk

Berlin

Ristorante Rosati
Bismarckstraße 88, 10627 Berlin
A family run Italian restaurant opposite the Deutsche Opera

https://goo.gl/maps/EPuXnXgR4J4DHvjt8

Tiergartenquelle
Bachstraße S, Bahnbogen 482, 10555 Berlin
Offers traditional Berliner cuisine
https://goo.gl/maps/MMcbXfxSKMWwguoa9

Beef House - Taiwanese Restaurant
Kottbusser Damm 94, 10967 Berlin
Family run Taiwanese beef noodles
https://goo.gl/maps/CWaCzNNKthTvekr38

Café Einstein Stammhaus
Kurfürstenstraße 58, 10785 Berlin

Higher end German cuisine

https://goo.gl/maps/7it7aqiZ1VVKHUme6

jeffreycwuk

Bakery

ZEIT FÜR BROT
Savignypl. 9, 10623 Berlin

A trendy and hipster bakery which has long queues (speaking about its popularity)
https://goo.gl/maps/NMyugecJPRoUTnGS6

Dukey1

Across the street from the DO? Perfect for sure since that's where we will be for a couple of nights. Thanks for all of your suggestions.

hetismij2

No suggestions, just happy to read you are travelling again! I hope you have a great trip.

Trophywife007

+1

Dukey1

Thanks, Heti and Trophy. The logistics remain somewhat formidable at this point. I really hope we can forego the return viral test but I somehow doubt it. Also, wearing a mask for a 7+ hour flight is not my ideal travel mode but what can we do? All of this, as usual, sows doubt as to the 'worthiness' of the entire thing. We could wait because we THINK "it will still be there" but I am not so sure of our continued ability to travel given health constraints so we are going for it while we still can.

Fodorite018

Dukey--We jsut got back from Iceland and flying from Seattle means it's a long flight. We too felt like we should go for it even with testing etc. It WAS so worth it!!!

Dukey1

You know my biggest fear??? Getting over there and then coming up test positive and not being able to get back home!

Fodorite018

Dukey--that was somewhat our fear. My husband works remote though, so he had his laptop just in case. In Iceland, if you turn up positive they put you up and they cover your food, so cost would not have even been a consideration for us. We went in August and then again just the other week. It feels so good to get back to normal, somewhat.