Leipzig is a charming city in Germany that boasts a rich heritage, a vibrant culture and a thriving gastronomic scene. With a variety of restaurants to suit every taste bud, it’s no surprise that Leipzig has become a foodie’s paradise. From traditional German cuisine to international delicacies, there is always something to tickle your palate. In this article we have compiled the 10 best restaurants in Leipzig, where you are guaranteed to get your money’s worth. Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner for two, a family-friendly atmosphere, or a hip place to meet friends, we’ve got you covered. So, sit back, relax and get ready to tantalize your taste buds with our guide to the best restaurants in Leipzig.
Introduction to the Leipzig gastronomy scene
Leipzig has long had a reputation as a gastronomic stronghold in Germany, and it’s easy to see why. The city is full of restaurants, cafes and bars that offer a wide range of cuisines and flavors. From traditional German dishes like pork knuckle and fried potatoes to international delicacies like sushi and tapas, there is something for everyone to enjoy. What sets Leipzig apart from other German cities, however, is the diversity and quality of its gastronomic scene. Here you will find not only classic German dishes, but also innovative culinary concepts developed by up-and-coming young chefs.
Criteria for the selection of the 10 best restaurants Leipzig
When selecting the best restaurants in Leipzig, we focused on a number of criteria to ensure that only the best are included in our list. Here are some of the criteria we have considered:
Quality of food: We have selected restaurants that offer high quality and delicious dishes.
Atmosphere: We have selected restaurants that offer a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere.
Value for money: We have selected restaurants that offer good value for money and are affordable.
Service: We have selected restaurants that provide good service and respond to the needs of their customers.
Uniqueness: We have selected restaurants that stand out from other restaurants because of their uniqueness.
Since various criteria were taken into account in the selection process, the Top 10 list does not represent a ranking; the locations were sorted alphabetically.
Here is our overview:
Auerbachs Keller
Auerbachs Keller is the second oldest restaurant in Leipzig, known not only for its traditional German cuisine, but also for its historically unique ambience. The scene from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Faust”, which takes place in Auerbach’s cellar, brought the restaurant worldwide fame. It is located in the basement of the Mädler Passagen and has been a popular meeting place for students and intellectuals for 500 years. Auerbach’s cellar consists of a “große Keller”, four “historical wine taverns” with the famous “Fasskeller”, the “Goethe-Keller”, the “Lutherstübchen” as well as “Alt-Leipzig” and the “Mephisto-Bar”. The historic “Fasskeller”, which was named in Goethe’s “Faust”, can be booked with a “Fasskeller ceremony”, where the famous scene with the legendary barrel ride is re-enacted. Guided tours of the unique premises can be combined with the gastronomic offers. The food at Auerbachs Keller is known for its quality and authenticity, and the restaurant has a rustic and charming atmosphere. Those who would also like to try “Mephisto’s Elixir” or experience a “Ballad Program” can book various performances in Auerbach’s Keller.
Auerbachs Keller
Grimmaische Strasse 2, 04109 Leipzig
Web: auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de
Phone: +49 341 / 216 100
Reserve here
Barthels Hof – Gasthaus
Barthels Hof is a family-run, traditional restaurant in downtown Leipzig with outdoor seating in the unique Barthels Hof. The inn offers fresh, regional cuisine as well as seasonal specialties. Leipzig specialties such as the Leipziger Rinderroulade or the Leipziger Lerche pastry are of course also not to be missed. The culinary variety is complemented by a stylish and cozy atmosphere. Restaurant Barthels Hof is located in a historic building from the 16th century. The different rooms “Barthels Schänke”, “Webers Speisestube”, “Tollhardts Zechgewölbe” as well as the outdoor seating area in Barthels Hof combine traditional and modern elements. Guests will also find an extensive wine list that perfectly matches the dishes.
Barthels Hof – Gasthaus
Hainstraße 1, 04109 Leipzig
Web: barthels-hof.de
Phone: +49 341 / 14 13 10
Reserve here
Drogerie Leipzig – restaurant and wine bar
The wine bar and restaurant Drogerie is located in the Gohlis district of Leipzig. The building in which the restaurant is located dates back to the early 19th century and was used as a drugstore in the 1930s. In 1989 it was extensively renovated and converted into a restaurant. Today, the restaurant with French flair offers a cozy ambience and a daily changing culinary offer under the motto “the art of enjoying fine food”. The restaurant has 50 seats. Guests can choose from a 3 or 4 course menu with a matching wine pairing of regional and international wines. In the Genusslounge, lovers of fine spirits can enjoy a wide variety of international distilleries. If you would also like to experience a candlelight dinner for 2, an exclusive whiskey dinner or a special Valentine’s Day dinner, you can book these at the Leipzig Drogerie as well.
Drogerie Leipzig
Schillerweg 36, 04155 Leipzig
Web: drogerie-leipzig.net
Phone: +49 341 / 222 864 66
Reserve here
Frieda Restaurant
Frieda is a modern restaurant in Leipzig with innovative, contemporary cuisine and a family atmosphere. The restaurant, which also has a Michelin star, is located in the Gohlis district and offers a unique culinary experience with regional specialties and culinary excellence. The restaurant’s innovative cuisine combines global trends and modern techniques with traditional elements. The ecological aspect with the selection of regional-seasonal products is also in the foreground for the operators Lisa Angermann and Andreas Reinke. The restaurant offers a monthly changing menu “FRIEDA EN VOGUE” and an extensive wine list. Guests can choose between five or six courses, and there is also the “FRIEDA NATURELL” menu for vegetarians.
Frieda Restaurant
Menckestr. 48-50, 04155 Leipzig
Web:frieda-restaurant.de
Phone: +49 341 / 561 086 48
Reserve here
Gosenschenke „Ohne Bedenken“
The historic Gosenschenke “Ohne Bedenken” is a rustic restaurant with a beer garden in Leipzig. The restaurant is known for its traditional Saxon cuisine, a cozy atmosphere and, of course, Leipzig’s traditional beer “Gose”. The only Gosenschenke in the world still open is located in a historic building from the 16th century and offers a unique culinary experience in a “historic guest room”, a rustic “beer cellar” and a “traditional club room”. The beer garden has also been one of Germany’s TOP10 favorite beer gardens since 2012. In addition to Leipzig’s “Gose,” the restaurant and its pub brewery also offer a wide selection of regional beers, craft beers and wines.
Gosenschenke “Ohne Bedenken”
Menckestraße 5, 04155 Leipzig
Web: gosenschenke.de
Phone: +49 341 -/566 23 60
Reserve here
Max Enk – Restaurant with bar
Max Enk is a modern restaurant located in the Städtisches Kaufhaus in downtown Leipzig. The building was erected towards the end of the 15th century as a late Gothic Gewandhaus, then in 1893 it was converted into the Städtisches Kaufhaus. The building thus reflects more than 500 years of trade and cultural history of the city of Leipzig. The restaurant is also known for its high quality, use of regional products and competent and cordial service. Under the motto “Quality is not a luxury, but the basis”, the passion for the local cuisine, but also the international cuisine is in the foreground. The restaurant offers 160 – 200 artisan wines that perfectly match the dishes.
Max Enk – Restaurant with bar
Städtisches Kaufhaus Leipzig
Neumarkt 9-19, 04109 Leipzig
Web: max-enk.de
Phone: +49 341 / 99997638
Reserve here
Panorama Tower Restaurant
The Panorama Tower – Plate of Art restaurant stands for art on a plate and is located on the 29th floor of the City Tower in Leipzig, the highest office building and landmark of the city. This makes the Panoramatower restaurant the highest restaurant in central Germany. From an observation deck 120 meters above the ground, accessible via the restaurant, guests can enjoy a unique view of the city. The location, which is simultaneously a restaurant, bar and lounge, offers an elegant ambience and culinary highlights in the heart of Leipzig. From business lunches to romantic evenings and exclusive events to “brunch above the sky” – the Panoramatower Restaurant surprises with a young and modern cuisine. Chef de Cuisine Andreas Blanck combines the diversity of regional products with international cuisine. Regular events and culinary experience evenings such as the “Midsummer Night’s Dream”, the “Wine Harvest”, “Miracles up close” or “Delicate Crimes” complete the offer.
Panorama Tower Restaurant
Augustusplatz 9, 04109 Leipzig
Web: panorama-leipzig.de
Phone: +49 341 / 710059 – 0
Reserve here
Ratskeller of the city of Leipzig
The traditional restaurant Ratskeller is located in the cellar of the new city hall of the city of Leipzig, which was built on the foundation walls of the old Pleißenburg. The restaurant was opened in 1904 and has 7 social rooms with a total of 700 seats and a cozy outdoor seating area. The Ratskeller offers a unique culinary experience with classic German cuisine, Saxon specialties as well as offerings such as “from hand to mouth”, “food like at mother’s” or “from pot and pan”. Guests will also find a wide selection of local beers and wines, such as Lotteraner Kellerbier, brewed at the in-house Ratskeller brewery. The special features of the restaurant also include various guided tours, such as the “Tower Tour” up the highest town hall tower in Germany or the “Casemate Tour”, in which tour guide Hieronymus Lotter shows the corridors of the former castle. By the way, the Ratskeller restaurant also has a dog menu!
Ratskeller of the city of Leipzig
Lotterstraße 1, 04109 Leipzig
Web: ratskeller-leipzig.de
Phone:+49 341 / 123456 – 7
Reserve here
Weinstock
Restaurant Weinstock is located on the market square in the heart of the city of Leipzig and is known for its wine specialties from all over the world. The restaurant has 80 indoor seats, an exclusive wine cellar with 50 seats and 80 seats on the summer terrace on the busy market square. At lunchtime, the Weinstock Restaurant offers a “business lunch” as a 2-course menu as well as a daily menu. In the evening, guests can listen to the sounds of the in-house piano, from classical to jazz, in a stylish ambience, or enjoy a constantly changing selection of fresh seasonal cuisine with a glass of wine on the outdoor seating area.
Weinstock
Markt 7, 04109 Leipzig
Web: restaurant-weinstock-leipzig.de
Phone: +49 341 / 1406060 – 6
Reserve here
Conclusion for restaurants Leipzig
Leipzig undoubtedly has an impressive gastronomic scene to offer, and this list of the 10 best restaurants is just a small part of it. Whether you are looking for traditional German cuisine or modern European dishes, there is something for everyone in Leipzig. We hope this list has helped you to make a decision about which restaurant to choose in Leipzig and that you have an unforgettable culinary experience!