There’s no lack of restaurants, cafes and bars on every corner. You could spend days alone trying them all out. Below are a few suggestions, though I encourage you to go beyond just these!
- Café Anton – This cafe and wine bar, hidden away in an alley right around the corner from St. Stephen’s Cathedral, offers delicious coffee, home-made bread, excellent European-style breakfast. Its quirky interior and quiet little courtyard, alongside their excellent food and beverages made me fall in love with this place immediately. Kick back and forget all worries while relaxing and reflecting about what you’ve seen so far in this pretty town.
- Theatercafe – Enjoy excellent coffee and home-made cakes in a bustling yet tucked away small town square right next to Passau’s theater building.
- Biergarten and Bräustüberl Hacklberg – This brewery with a brewpub and beer garden is another one of my favorites, especially this green and lush oasis of a traditional beer garden. Growing up, we used to play in this labyrinth of shrubs and trees for hours, never wanting to go home when our parents were ready to call it a day after a summer’s afternoon at the lake, a nice Radler (shandy), and traditional food at the beer garden. Coming back as an adult (or so…), this natural jungle labyrinth of twigs, leaves and little trails beaten by children’s feet seems pretty small but we had fun for hours in there. Also, it’s not a real or constructed labyrinth, it’s just trees and bushes… Leave it to the kids, they will all simply love it! The beer is brewed on location and I would say it’s one of the best ones Passau has to offer.
- Café Innsteg right by the river Inn features river views from the sunny elevated terrace and river-side beer garden. The cafe offers daily and weekly menus of various dishes and beverages.
Finally, if you like baked goods, do get a “Butterbreze” at some point at one of the bakeries scattered throughout the city. It’s a Bavarian pretzel, cut in half with butter spread on it and the halves put back together. It’s a popular breakfast or snack on the go. Bavarian pretzels just as they should be, with the crispy crossed “arms” in the middle and a soft thick side. While I’ve found some pretty good pretzels here in the US, I haven’t been able to find one that is just right. Also, in Bavaria we like to eat them with butter, as opposed to dipping it in mustard, as it is done in the US. Which, admittedly, is a pretty tasty way to do it too! I recommend getting one in the morning, as they are still nice and fresh.