Food and drink in Darmstadt

More than just a wine bar: a very good Italian restaurant with a respectable wine list. The pasta dishes go far beyond standard tortellini and include, for example, scallops, pink tuna or fresh mushrooms. The meat, fish and seafood are based on catch and availability, both during the day and in the evening.

The French restaurant is located in the historic hunting lodge in Bessungen. The owner has Algerian roots and has traveled extensively. You can taste this in dishes like the Berber vegetable soup with cilantro and mint. Otherwise, French specialties dominate: Foie Gras, scallops, Kapaun, fish like sea bass and of course steak fries. In the summer, you sit in the romantic courtyard under the trees.

Ban Thai is considered the best Thai restaurant in Darmstadt and has many fans thanks to its authentic, fresh and aromatic cuisine. The selection of soups is impressive; curries and wok dishes are also plentiful, and vegan options are available on request. As for lemon leaves and lemongrass, there is no shortage of Thai basil, coriander, chili and coconut. The only downside: Sometimes you have to wait a little longer for your food.

At the entrance to the 17th-century Baroque park, the eponymous restaurant is located in the former orangery. The brothers Orlando and Pasquale Carroccia come from a small village between Rome and Naples and serve Italian cuisine of the highest standard, along with international specialties. The daily menu changes according to availability. The classics include veal fillet, pasta with white or black truffles, oysters, goose liver and fish from the catch of the day.

For 65 years, the University Bookshop Wellnitz has been home to Kantplatz. The name given to the venue still reminds people of the full bookshelves. With its bright, light interior, the Wellnitz is one of the city’s most popular meeting places. The continuous menu offers salads, focaccia, quiche and antipasti, and in the afternoon there are cakes. In the evening, the lights are dimmed, and you sit at the long counter.

In the winter you can enjoy goose, in the spring asparagus, and in the summer you can sit in the cozy garden around the corner. This long-established restaurant keeps the tradition alive. Inside it is cozy and rustic, and all year round they serve Hessian specialties such as green sauce, hand-made cheese with music, schnitzel, and grilled cod.

You won’t be able to sit in the center of Darmstadt for long: on the market square, in the former town hall from 1528, outside in the summer in the middle of the action. Apple wine is also available here, but you should try the freshly brewed beer from the in-house brewery. The Braustube is lively with rustic food. The Regenten-Stube on the upper floor is more upscale, offering fine German cuisine such as beef goulash, veal schnitzel and roulades, plus vegetarian and vegan dishes.