(Photo: Start-up Rasselbock at the EAT EAT EAT-Festival 2017, © Christian Modla)
Leipzig’s 1400 restaurants, cafés and bars are not only known for their culinary excellence, but also for their historical and literary significance. Leipzig unites Saxon cordiality and hospitality with its tradition of culture and trade. Furthermore, there is an active young generation of start-ups in gastronomy and food.
The restaurant Auerbachs Keller was first mentioned in 1438, when its founder, Professor Auerbach, served his students wine there. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe immortalised the restaurant in his play Faust, Auerbachs Keller being the first place to which Mephistopheles escorts Faust on their travels.
In his restaurant, Falco proprietor and head chef Peter Maria Schnurr offers his unique © ‘cuisine passion légère’. The restaurant high above the city roofs offers not only a breathtaking view, but is also rated with two Michelin stars. Christian Wilhelm was chosen by Gault&Millau as the 2018 German Sommelier of the Year
(Photo: The Arabic Coffee Tree, © Peter Franke/PUNCTUM)
Germany’s oldest coffee house, The Arabic Coffee Tree, which also includes a museum about coffee culture, is located in Leipzig’s city center. Since 1711, coffee, the Saxons’ favorite drink, has been served there. In 1734 Johann Sebastian Bach composed his famous ‘Coffee Cantata’ in Leipzig. Today a growing number of small coffee roasting houses offer individual taste and fair-trade coffee.
Germans like to drink beer. More and more restaurants in Leipzig brew their own beer, and more and more manufactory breweries produce all kinds of craft beer. A specialty from Leipzig is Gose, a slightly salty ale, brewed since 1738.
(Photo: Christmas Market, © Peter Franke/PUNCTUM)
The Leipzig Christmas Market dates back to the 15th century. With its 300 market stalls it is one of the biggest and most beautiful markets in Germany. It offers Christmas Stollen, German gingerbread, mulled wine and other seasonal specialties.
The Easter Market and the Historical Easter Fair offer food specialties and Renaissance culture in the Market Square and city center.
(Photo: Alluvial Forest in Leipzig, © Andreas Schmidt/Leipzig.travel)
With its 32,500 allotment gardens and the unique German Allotment Museum, Leipzig is the German capital of ‘Schreber Gardens’, invented in the 19th century. Community gardens are becoming more and more popular as areas for experiments for example in permaculture.
A network of more than 50 partners offers a yearly ‘Garden Program Leipzig’, including environmental and cultural education, work in parks and gardens, but also food-related workshops and excursions (for example ‘eatable city’).
In early Spring, bear’s garlic (allium ursinum) grows in the alluvial forests of the city.
After years of hard work and wonderful responses from our international members, Délice plans to strengthen the network by extending its global presence.
Délice is seeking cities with a new and innovative approach to food & gastronomy and strong food culture. New members of this exclusive network will have the opportunity to share experiences and best practices worldwide, compare their different approaches, get inspired from each other, create partnerships and stay up to date on the moving trends regarding food & gastronomy.
