german bars/restaurants

[degustazione]

i was wondering if anyone knew of any german bars or restaurants in the philadelphia area. the only one i knew of is ludwig's garten and that is now closed from my understanding

thanks

[gabe]

Devil's Den, on 8th & Ellsworth, has the best selection of German draft beer I've found since Ludwig's closed. The food there isn't particularly German, though, just decent upscale pub grub.

[cwdonald]

Devil's Den, on 8th & Ellsworth, has the best selection of German draft beer I've found since Ludwig's closed.  The food there isn't particularly German, though, just decent upscale pub grub.

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The only two that I am aware of are Austrian Village just outside the city in Rockledge, (just north of 5 points near where Blue Ox used to serve good German food).

The other is Otto's Brauhaus in Willow Grove, just up 611 from the Willow Grove exit on the turnpike. Food is good not great. They have a buffet on Sunday's that is an ok deal, (all you can eat for around 21 dollars, including schnitzel, hunter's strew, spaetzel, roast pork and prime rib.) The best thing about the restaurant is their biergarten which is a nice place to sit outdoors during the spring and summer. The bar is cigar friendly, (or at least will be until the law changes in Pennsylvania.) Their beer selection of german types is good not great. Usually two or three types of Paulaner, Hacher, Warsteiner, on tap. Sometimes you will find Jever there which is a great german pilsner (much dryer than the Czech Pilsner Urquell).

But overall there is a dearth of good german restaurants in the area. The legacy of the german people that have settled the Philadelphia area is reflected in bakeries and butchers like Rieker's on Oxford Avenue that remain in the Fox Chase section of Philadelphia

[Holly Moore]

Though not German cuisine, the Warsaw Cafe on 16th, just south of Spruce, serves up both wienerschnitzel and sauerbraten. I'm a fan of their wienerschnitzel, especially when I can convince the chef to serve it Holstein, with fried eggs, anchovies and capers.

The Warsaw Cafe dates back to the Restaurant Renaissance some thirty years ago - one of the few survivors of that era.

It is too bad German cuisine has gone the way of the oompah band, at least in Philadelphia. Come January in Center City there is better than a bowl of liver dumpling soup, an order of potato pancakes with sour cream and apple sauce followed by a plate laden with sauerbraten, spatzle and red cabbage to warm one's soul.

Gotta mention Luchow's. How could New York City have ever let Luchow's fade away?

Edited June 20, 2008 by Holly Moore (log)

[philadining]

It's a bit of a haul, and not all that German, but Stoudt's brewery in Adamstown has a few things on the menu, like Saurbraten, Schnitzel, some sausages...

[mandabear]

The Newportville Inn in Bucks County has a nice German Menu

I find it very authentic and the portions are huge!

The menu is online and the food and beer there is great.