Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [367]
Asien Haus ( 552 086; Schmiedtorstrasse 7; mains €4-7.50; 11.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am-3pm Sat) Flaming woks, spicy aromas and inviting clatter lure the midday crowds to this no-frills joint. The Thai curries and stir-fries are cheap and authentic.
Neckarmüller ( 278 48; Gartenstrasse 4; mains €7.50-15; 10am-1am) Overlooking the Neckar, this cavernous microbrewery is a summertime magnet for its chestnut-shaded beer garden. Come for home brews by the metre and beer-laced dishes from (tasty) Swabian roast to (interesting) tripe stew.
Alte Weinstube Göhner ( 567 078; Schmiedtorstrasse 5; mains €7.80-10.80; 10am-10pm) As down-to-earth and comfy as a Swabian farmer’s boots, this 175-year-old haunt is Tübingen’s oldest wine tavern. Join the high-spirited regulars to discuss the merits of Maultaschen, sip a glass of Trollinger and, if you’re lucky, hear someone bashing out golden oldies on the piano.
Wurstküche ( 927 50; Am Lustnauer Tor 8; mains €9.50-14.50; 11am-midnight) The rustic, wood-panelled Wurstküche brims with locals quaffing wine and contentedly munching Schupfnudeln (potato noodles) and Spanpferkel (roast suckling pig).
Sternwarte ( 968 995; Waldhäuserstrasse 70; mains €13-21; 11.30am-midnight Mon-Sat, 10am-10pm Sun) Stargazers trek north of the centre to this observatory restaurant, serving Med-style specialities like fragrant vegetable couscous and scallop risotto. Round off with drinks at the glass-and-chrome bar. The flowery garden has splendid country views.
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Drinking
Tübingen’s spirited nightlife centres on bar-lined Haaggasse.
JazzKeller ( 550 906; www.jazzclub-tuebingen.de, in German; Haaggasse 15/2; 7pm-2am Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat) This mellow Tübingen institution hosts DJs and gigs in the cellar. On Wednesday there’s live jazz at 9pm.
Schwärzlocher Hof ( 433 62; Schwarzloch 1; 11am-10pm Wed-Sun) Scenically perched above the Ammertal valley, a 20-minute trudge west of town, this creaking farmhouse is famous for its beer garden. Kids love the resident horses, rabbits and peacocks. The home-pressed Most (cider) is lethal.
Storchen ( 522 10; Ammergasse 3) Mind your head climbing the stairs to this easygoing student hang-out. This lively spit-and-sawdust bar serves enormous mugs of milky coffee and cheap local brews under wood beams.
Tangente-Night ( 230 07; Pfleghofstrasse 10; 4pm-3am, to 4am Fri & Sat) Totally chilled Tangente-Night enjoys a fierce student following. Belt out a classic at Monday’s karaoke party under the motto ‘drink faster and sing for your life’. The vibe is clubbier at weekends with music skipping from rock to electro.
Weinhaus Beck ( 227 72; Am Markt 1; 9am-11pm) There’s rarely an empty table at this convivial wine tavern beside the Rathaus.
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THE WAY TO A SWABIAN’S HEART…
The delights of dialect and cuisine are united in Swabia, where even the simplest restaurant order makes linguistic spaghetti of your schoolbook German. Scrimping grannies have thriftily been raiding cupboards for centuries to concoct dishes that please local palates and puzzle the Raigschmeckdr (stranger). Even the great pretzel was born in these parts in the 15th century, when Tübingen university founder, Count Eberhard im Bart, asked a baker from nearby Bad Urach to create a pastry through which the sun could shine three times.
As the Swabian saying goes: Was der Bauer net kennt frisst er net (What the farmer doesn’t know, he doesn’t eat), so find out before you dig in:
Bubespitzle Officially called Schupfnudeln, these short, thick potato noodles – similar to gnocchi, but stodgier – are browned in butter and tossed with sauerkraut. Sounds appetising until you discover that Bubespitzle means little boys’ penises. No prizes for guessing why…
Gaisburger Marsch A strong beef stew served with potatoes and Spätzle.
Maultaschen Giant ravioli pockets, stuffed with left-over ground pork, spinach, onions and bread mush. The dish is nicknamed Herrgottsbeschieserle (God trickster) because