Wirtshaus in der Au

The definitive Knodel restaurant in Munich, famous across Bavaria for its bread dumplings served in every variation imaginable. The building dates to 1901 in the Au district, a traditional working-class neighborhood on the east bank of the Isar. The kitchen treats Bavarian comfort food with genuine craft without turning it into fine dining.

The Wirtshaus in der Au in Munich’s Au district is the restaurant that Bavarians cite when someone asks for the definitive Knödel, the bread dumplings that are the backbone of alpine cooking. The 1901 building sits in what was historically Munich’s working-class east bank neighborhood, and the kitchen treats Bavarian comfort food as serious craft: multiple Knödel variations including spinach, cheese, and meat fillings, served in a wood-paneled room that feels like it has been doing this for a long time because it has. Order the sampler plate. Reservation recommended on weekend evenings. U-Bahn to Kolumbusplatz or tram 18 to Lilienstrasse; about 15 minutes from the city center. Munich is 1.5 hours by train from Salzburg, and the Au is a reason to spend a few hours in the city rather than just passing through the station.