Authentic Caffs - Germany

Aachen
Käselust (shop/pub), Pontstrasse 6 (near Rathaus)
T +49(0)2414017449
Last visit: Dec. 2006.
Great choice of cheeses from all over Europe, for sale or to eat upstairs for lunch with grilled vegetables accompanied by a glass of German wine. A.o. Bavarian Obatzer and two varieties of Austrian Bergkäs (smelly and very smelly, no doubt).

Anywhere
In every town, especially in main railway stations: ‘Bratwurst’ (pork sausage), always served in a roll. We risk missing (international) trains to get one. The ones I favour are Krakauer and Thüringer.

Frankfurt/Main
Café Diesseits (pub), Konrad-Broßwitz-Straße 1, (Bockenheim)
T +49(0)69704336
Last visit: 2005.
Frequented by both arty and/or politically conscious students and young mothers (categories that are not necessarily mutually exclusive, of course). Good coffee, tea nana. Baked camembert, omelettes, cakes. The usual German non-gutbürgerlich stuff, but well made.

Frankfurt/Main
Farmer's market at Konstablerwache (Thursdays and Saturdays)
Last visit: 2005.
One of the very few reasons to visit Frankfurt's centre (life takes place in the quarters around it). Lots of good vegetables, goat's cheese, bread, sausages. Very good choice of herbs for one's garden. Not to be missed: the wines and sekts of Weingut Rollanderhof.

Frankfurt/Main
Mosebach (restaurant), Sandweg 29 (U4, Marianplatz)
T +49(0)694930396
Last visit: 2005.
‘Immerwährende Handkäs’, good food and equal German wines (reds too). Interesting mixture of normally excluding atmospheres: ‘gutbürgerlich’ and arty.

Frankfurt/Main
Zur Sonne (pub), Berger Straße 312 (Bornheim)
T +49(0)69459396
Last visit: 2004.
Traditional Ebbelweikneipe (cider pub). Order a home made cider (sauer gespritzt = with mineral water) and eat a ‘Handkäs mit Musik’ (soft yellow cheese; mit Musik = with vinegar and caraway). If you’re less adventurous: they also serve a good ‘grü’ Soss’ (Frankfurter speciality: green sauce, made of seven herbs and served with boiled eggs and potatoes or boiled meat) and an excellent ‘Schlachtplatte’ (pork sausages from freshly slaughtered animals; we even loved the black pudding). Large garden with wood tables where street vendors sell Bretzel.

Authentic Caffs - introduction

'... unpretentious in the extreme, not to say unequivocally basic (...) Only the boldest, the poorest or the most ignorant would seek shelter and sustenance here. (...) Forget pubs, he reasoned, this was where the country's true and ancient culinary heritage resided; only in these uncompromising estaminets would you find the quintessence of a unique way of English life, fast disappearing.'
(Quoted from Armadillo by William Boyd, p. 70-71)

If there is one thing in Boyd’s novel I'll never forget, it’s these thoughts of Lorimer Black, the novel’s protagonist, on a café across Old Kent Road, and his log called Classic British Caffs, in which he lists sorry places like this. But memory is a queer thing. I've been imitating Lorimer for several years now, but leafing through Armadillo, I realise imitating is hardly the word. In my list of Authentic Caffs I describe in a few short sentences various international ‘caffs’, in alphabetical order by country, town etc. They can be anything from simple diners to Michelin star rated restaurants, from beer gardens to wine growers. If they have one thing in common, it is a certain quality that appeals to me, something that makes them special, call it the X-factor.
I intend to publish these Authentic Caffs (by country or region) on this blog and keep them up to date for you. As this blog has no access to a database or content management system, I’ll link the postings to each other to improve their accessibility.
Some descriptions may seem curious, or difficult to understand if you’ve not visited the place yourself, but they should be telling enough in a way (after all, I only list those that seem commendable). Please be so kind as to correct me if you think I’m wrong.

Can’t wait to see what I mean? All right, the Belgian entries as an example, then.

Antwerp
Snack a-Amir (restaurant)
Last visit: lunch in 2004. Address: Appelmentstr. 18, T 00(3)232329655
Outstanding Lebanese in Jewish quarter featuring feasting Pakistani, Belgians and (partly fasting) Arabs. They serve wine too.

Sippenaeken
Le Barbeau (pub)
Last visit: 2003. Address: Near the church
Coffee and cake, in the evening good stews and a decent choice of Belgian beers. Almost perfect service. Often closed on weekdays.