It's always good to know an even bigger city close by. Darmstadt is only 30 kilometers away from Frankfurt, and it takes you only half an hour. But driving that far just for having a dinner and a few drinks isn't necessary if you live in the lively student city of Darmstadt. 44,000 students live in this city of 160,000 inhabitants, which, with the Mathildenhöhe artists' colony in the most beautiful Art Nouveau style, the Hundertwasser House and the State Theater, holds its own as the cultural center of Hessen behind Frankfurt the financial metropolis – and as a location for science anyway. The recreational offer with gardens, parks and bathing lakes is diverse, and the culinary even more. Not to forget: The rather rustic cider tradition is also here of great importance.
However, all recommended addresses are located between two and five kilometers from your ipartment doorstep. It's worth the way!
You worked enough! Let's call it a day! You are you hungry, thirsty and new in town? Here our restaurant guide.
Ferrucci Winebar
The Ferrucci Winebar is much more than a wine bar. Namely a very fine Italian restaurant with respectable wine list. It offers traditional Italian cuisine, with many kinds of pasta dishes that go far beyond the standard tortellini because they are served with scallops, pink tuna or fresh porcini mushrooms. Meat, fish and seafood dishes are also on the menu, depending on the catch and what's on offer, and that's for lunch as well as dinner. Only Sundays and Mondays it's closed. (Wilhelm-Leuschner-Str. 30)
Belleville
The French restaurant Belville is located in the historic Jagdhof in the district of Bessungen. The owner is of Algerian origin and has travelled around a lot. The oriental influence is evident in the menu, for example in the Berber vegetable soup with coriander and mint. Otherwise, French specialties dominate the menu: Foie gras, scallops, capon and fish such as monkfish. Steak and fries are also available, of course. In summer, you can sit under the trees in the romantic courtyard. It's open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 6 p.m. (Forstmeisterstr. 5)
Ban Thai
Rather not so inviting on the outside, but great on the inside. Don't be put off by the unadorned facade. Because the Ban Thai is the best Thai restaurant in Darmstadt and has many fans because of its authentic, fresh and aromatic cuisine. The selection of soups is impressive, curries and wok dishes are also available in a large selection, on request also vegan. Lemon leaves and lemon grass are used as extensively as Thai basil, coriander, chili and coconut. The only drawback is that guests occasionally wait a bit too long for their food. The advantage: It's open every day. (Hügelstr. 21)
Wellnitz Café & Bar
At Kantplatz, tradition is being cherished a lot: for 65 years, the building housed the Wellnitz university bookstore, which not only lent its name to the establishment, but the full bookshelves are also a reminder of its legacy. With its light and airy interior, the Wellnitz Café & Bar is one of the most popular meeting places in the city, and in the "Martinsquarter" anyway. The restaurant is open every day from noon and offers a continuous menu during the day. There are various salads, focaccia, quiche, antipasti. In the afternoon there is a selection of cakes and in the evening the lights are lowered for a nice atmosphere at the long counter. (Lauteschlägerstr. 4)
L'Orangerie
At the entrance to the park, the 17th-century baroque garden, the former orangery is located and houses the same-named restaurant L'Orangerie. The two brothers Orlando and Pasquale Carroccia run the restaurant. They come from a small village between Rome and Naples and offer, of course, top level Italian cuisine and international specialties. The daily menu changes according to what's on offer, but classics include fillet of suckling lamb, pasta with white or black truffles, oysters, foie gras and fish according to catch and supply. Open for lunch between 12 and 2 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m., except Mondays. (Bessunger Str. 44)
Cider! The so called "Äppelwoi" rules!
Where is it most comfortable? Where do you sit together with the locals at a long table? Of course, where the Hessian national drink is served generously and with pleasure. Cider the so called: Ebbelwei, Ebbelwoi, Äppelwoi, Äppler or Schobbe – the dialect sometimes makes it difficult for foreigners, but what is always meant is pressed apple juice, which is poured from the Bembel (typical jug) into the Gerippte (glass) – with an alcohol content of around 5.5 percent. Two pubs are recommended in Darmstadt:
Bembelsche
In winter you can eat goose, in spring asparagus, in summer you can sit in the cozy garden that nestles around the corner house of the Bembelsche. Tradition is vital to this long-established restaurant. The interior is cozy and rustic, and Hessian specialties such as green sauce, handkäs with music (melted cheese with onions), various schnitzels and grilled knuckles are served during all the year. It opens Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m., Sundays from noon. (Irenenstr. 1)
Darmstädter Ratskeller
In Darmstadt you can hardly sit more centrally: At the market square in the "Ratskeller" and in summer outside in the mids of the hustle. The beautiful location is the former town hall from 1528. Of course, cider is also served here, but you should definitely try the freshly brewed beer from their own brewery. The place is divided into two parts: there is the brewing room, which is traditionally German with rustic dishes and opens every day from 10 a.m. and the Regenten-Stube upstairs, that is a bit more upscale and offers well-made German cuisine like beef goulash, veal schnitzel, rouladen, but also vegetarian and vegan dishes. The Ratskeller opens Monday to Saturday, starting at 5 p.m. (Marketplace 8)
