Bonn: Rhineland Gastronomy and Cassius Garten ★ 4.1
Bonn is 25 minutes from Cologne by S-Bahn; Cassius Garten at Maximilianstr. 28d is Germany's most celebrated organic vegetarian buffet, open Monday.
Aachen: Printen and Charlemagne's Table is a food day trips in Cologne.
Aachen is 65 minutes from Cologne by train; Leo van den Daele at Büchel 18 has produced Printen gingerbread since 1655 alongside Aachener Bier.
Bonn is 25 minutes from Cologne by S-Bahn; Cassius Garten at Maximilianstr. 28d is Germany's most celebrated organic vegetarian buffet, open Monday.
The Ahr Valley is 80 minutes from Cologne; Germany's northernmost Pinot Noir region produces acclaimed Spatburgunder on steep slate terraces.
The Mosel Valley is 105 minutes from Cologne by IC train; steep slate vineyards produce Germany's most mineral Riesling alongside pike-perch at riverside.
Düsseldorf is 35 minutes from Cologne; Altbier at Uerige on Berger Str. 1 and Japan's largest Japanese community outside Japan at the Immermannstrasse.
Münster is 90 minutes from Cologne by direct IC train; the cathedral market sells Westphalian pumpernickel while Pinkus Müller on Kreuzstr. 4 pours Altbier.
Bergisches Land is 40 minutes from Cologne by RE train; the home of the Bergisches Kaffeetafel tradition, a Sunday coffee spread with Waffeln and Roggenbrot.