Café
Rischart Café am Marienplatz
The Marienplatz café of Rischart, a Munich family bakery founded in 1883, serving breakfast, cakes and Bavarian dishes right on the city's main square.
Café Luitpold
A grand café on Brienner Straße founded in 1888, with a palm garden, in-house cakes and chocolates, breakfast until mid-afternoon and a small history museum.
At a glance
- Type
- Grand café and confectioner
- Area
- Maxvorstadt, Munich, Germany
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- cafe-luitpold.de
Good to know
- Palm garden
- Breakfast until 15:00
- In-house confectionery
- Sunday matinée with live music
- Cashless
Why we recommend it
Café Luitpold opened in 1888 on Brienner Straße, the elegant boulevard that runs from Odeonsplatz towards Königsplatz, and quickly became a meeting place for Munich's writers, artists and thinkers. The original building was destroyed in the Second World War, and the café reopened in 1948 with its Palmenhaus. Today it is one of the city's classic coffee houses, combining a restaurant, a confectionery and a café under one roof, with a small museum on the first floor telling the story of the house.
The palm garden, with around 100 seats, is the place everyone wants to sit, and tables there are often reserved well in advance. Cakes, tortes, pastries and pralines are made in-house, and the confectionery counter is worth a look even if you are only passing; the chocolates are also sold through the café's online shop. Breakfast is served every day until 15:00, which makes the café a relaxed choice for a late start, and on weekdays a weekly changing three-course lunch menu is served between 12:00 and 14:30.
On Sundays from 10:00 to 13:00 a matinée with live music turns brunch into an event, and booking is recommended. The café also runs Salon Luitpold, a series of talks and concerts in the evening. The menu changes with the seasons, so expect dishes such as mussels in autumn alongside the classics. Payment in the café is cashless, so bring a card.
The café opens on Monday from 8:00 to 20:00, Tuesday to Saturday from 8:00 to 22:00 and Sunday from 9:00 to 20:00. It suits couples, friends meeting for coffee and cake, and anyone who wants a long, comfortable breakfast in a historic setting. Prices are higher than in a simple bakery café, reflecting the setting and the quality of the confectionery. For the palm garden, reserve ahead, especially at weekends; otherwise, mid-afternoon on a weekday is the easiest time to find a table.
The café is a short walk from Odeonsplatz station on the U3, U4, U5 and U6. Combine it with the Residenz and the Hofgarten, the Theatinerkirche on Odeonsplatz or a stroll west along Brienner Straße to Königsplatz and the museum quarter.
Café Luitpold FAQs
What are Café Luitpold's opening hours?
Monday 8:00 to 20:00, Tuesday to Saturday 8:00 to 22:00, and Sunday 9:00 to 20:00.
Until when is breakfast served?
Breakfast is served daily until 15:00.
Should I reserve a table?
Yes, for the palm garden, which has around 100 seats and is often booked well in advance.
Are the cakes made in-house?
Yes. Cakes, tortes, pastries and pralines are made in the café's own confectionery.
Is there live music?
Yes. A Sunday matinée with live music runs from 10:00 to 13:00. Booking is recommended.
Can I pay with cash?
The café promotes cashless payment, so bring a card.
How old is Café Luitpold?
It opened in 1888 and reopened in 1948 after wartime destruction.
How do I get there?
Walk a few minutes from Odeonsplatz station along Brienner Straße.