Café
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.
Ballabeni Icecream
A Munich ice cream maker founded in 2006, whose original shop on the corner of Theresienstraße and Türkenstraße is a short walk from the Pinakotheken.
At a glance
- Type
- Ice cream parlour
- Area
- Maxvorstadt, Munich, Germany
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- ballabeni.de
Good to know
- Take-away
- Several branches
- Open daily
Why we recommend it
Ballabeni Icecream has been making ice cream in Munich since 2006, and its original shop, the Stammhaus, stands on the corner of Theresienstraße and Türkenstraße in the Maxvorstadt university district. The company's guiding principle is to work with the best ingredients and to present them in their purest form, while keeping traditional methods and continually developing new flavours. It has since added a branch in Lehel on Triftstraße and a Werkstatt, or workshop, on Seidlstraße near the main station.
The appeal is simple: carefully made ice cream in a mix of classic and more unusual flavours that change regularly, so the counter on one visit may look quite different on the next. Rather than relying on a fixed list, it is worth asking for a taste of anything unfamiliar before choosing.
The Stammhaus opens Monday to Thursday from 11:30 to 20:00 and Friday to Sunday from 11:30 to 21:00. The Lehel shop opens daily from 11:30 to 19:00 and the Werkstatt daily from 11:30 to 20:00. The company notes that short-term changes to opening times are posted on its Google profiles, so check before making a special trip, particularly in the colder months or on public holidays.
Ballabeni suits families, students and anyone exploring the museums of the Kunstareal on a warm day. On sunny afternoons and summer evenings expect to queue. It is an inexpensive treat, and a scoop or two makes a good break between galleries. Most visitors treat it as a quick stop between sights rather than a place to linger.
The Stammhaus is a few minutes' walk from the Alte Pinakothek, the Pinakothek der Moderne and Museum Brandhorst, and from the U2 station Theresienstraße. The university and the cafés of Schellingstraße are also close by. On Sundays admission to the Pinakotheken and Museum Brandhorst is reduced to a token amount, so a Sunday museum day with an ice cream break makes an inexpensive outing. If you are staying near the Englischer Garten, the Lehel branch on Triftstraße is the more convenient choice, while the Werkstatt is handy for travellers arriving at or leaving from the main station.
Ballabeni Icecream FAQs
Where is Ballabeni Icecream?
The original shop is at Theresienstraße 46, on the corner of Türkenstraße. There are also branches on Triftstraße in Lehel and Seidlstraße near the main station.
What are the opening hours of the original shop?
Monday to Thursday 11:30 to 20:00 and Friday to Sunday 11:30 to 21:00.
When was Ballabeni founded?
In 2006.
Do the flavours change?
Yes. The company regularly creates new flavours alongside the classics.
Is Ballabeni good for children?
Yes. An ice cream stop is an easy break for families exploring the museum quarter.
Is it near the museums?
Yes. The original shop is a few minutes' walk from the Pinakotheken and Museum Brandhorst.
Are opening times different in winter?
Short-term changes are posted on the company's Google profiles, so check before you go.
How do I get there?
Take the U2 to Theresienstraße and walk a few minutes.