Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [385]
Reis Garten ( 208 8819; Kartäuserstrasse 3; mains €6.90-12.50; 11.30am-10.30pm Mon-Thu, 11.30am-11.30pm Fri & Sat, 2-10.30pm Sun) This Chinese haunt rolls out the usual suspects from chop suey to crispy duck. Lunch is a steal at €3.90. Sit in the courtyard when it’s sunny.
Tacheles ( 319 6669; Grünwälderstrasse 17; schnitzel €7.50; 11.30am-2am Mon-Thu, 11.30am-5am Fri & Sat, 11.30am-1am Sun) Eat schnitzel and be merry is the motto at this laid-back courtyard-bar. On the menu: a mind-boggling 300 varieties of breaded veal. After 11pm, partygoers shuffle over to cave-like Club Daneben for grooving under the glitter balls.
Hausbrauerei Feierling ( 243 480; Gerberau 46; mains €7-13; 11am-midnight, to 1am Fri & Sat; ) Freiburg’s best beer garden entices summertime crowds to this microbrewery, serving vegie options and monster-sized schnitzels. Take care not to fall in the stream after one too many or you may become dinner for the open-jawed crocodile.
Englers Weinkrügle ( 383 115; Konviktstrasse 12; mains €8-13.50; 11am-2pm & 5.30pm-midnight Tue-Sun) Wisteria drapes this woody Baden-style Weinstube, dishing up flavoursome regional fare like trout in various guises (for instance in riesling or almond-butter sauce).
Martin’s Bräu ( 387 0018; Fressgässle 1; mains €7.50-16.50; 11am-midnight, to 2am Fri & Sat; ) Chefs whip up ox-tongue salad and half-metre-long bratwursts in the show kitchen of this bustling microbrewery. Such carnivorous fare goes well with home-brewed pilsners.
Más y Más ( 514 6022; Adelhauserstrasse 29; mains €10.90-29.90; noon-midnight) This slinky, monochrome bistro is a grown-up choice for Med-inspired dishes, from plump scallops to creamy mozzarella risotto and rose-petal sorbet. The cobbled terrace facing a church is a pleasing spot to sip a glass of something.
Greiffenegg-Schlössle ( 327 28; Schlossbergring 3; mains €21-27) This perky hilltop villa tantalises with full-bodied wines and southern flavours like tender lamb with olive polenta. Sunset is primetime viewing on the terrace overlooking Freiburg’s blushing red rooftops.
Self-caterers can grab picnic goodies at the following places:
Alnatura (Kaiser-Joseph-Strasse 26) Organic supermarket.
Münsterplatz food market ( until 1pm Mon-Fri, to 1.30pm Sat) Farmers come to sell local produce. Stalls are particularly numerous and varied on Saturday. Various versions of wurst-in-a-bun (€2), topped with fried onions, are sold here.
Rücker Käse und Wein (Münzgasse 1; 9am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat) For wine and cheese.
Schwarzwald City (Schiffstrasse 5; 10am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat; ) Central shopping mall with a supermarket, bakery, juice bar and free wi-fi.
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Drinking
While folk in neighbouring Black Forest villages are already tucked up in bed, Freiburg’s restless student population keep steins a-swinging in the beer gardens and bars and clubs pumping until the wee hours.
Alte Wache ( 202 870; Münsterplatz 38; 10am-7pm) Taste local Pinot noir wines and gaze up to the Münster’s gargoyles on the cobbled terrace of this 18th-century guardhouse turned buzzy wine bar.
Café Movie ( 382 210; Oberlinden 22; 11am-2am Mon-Thu & Sun, to 3am Fri & Sat) Bob Marley and Che Guevara beam down from the walls at this chilled-out dive, where the landlord’s love of reggae and big-screen sports shines.
Café Ruef ( 336 63; Kartäuserstrasse 2; 6am-1am Mon-Sat, 6am-7pm Sun) Mellow and well-worn, with armchairs for crashing and watching Fussball, Ruef is a bakery with tasty pies (around €2) by day and a pub with occasional live music by night.
Gioia ( 137 5588; Unterlinden 3; 9am-midnight Mon-Fri, to 1am Sat & Sun) This slick Italian bar has an attractive patio for lingering over a caipirinha or gelato.
Schlappen ( 334 94; Löwenstrasse 2; 11am-1am