Rhine Sauerbraten: beef marinated for 3 to 7 days in wine vinegar, onion, bay and cloves, braised until tender and finished with a sweet-sour sauce of raisins and Lebkuchen crumbs.
Sauerbraten dates to the medieval German tradition of preserving meat in acid, with regional variants developing across the country. The Rhineland version, traditionally made from horse meat until the 20th century shift to beef, is defined by its sweet-sour finish with raisins and crumbled Lebkuchen (gingerbread). The dish has been the canonical Cologne Sunday roast in Brauhäuser since the 19th century. Served with Kartoffelklösse (potato dumplings) and braised red cabbage.
3 editor picks for Sauerbraten in Cologne, ranked by editorial score. All Cologne signature dishes · Sauerbraten across every city.
Brauerei zur Malzmühle ★ 4.3
altstadt · Heumarkt 6, 50667 Köln
Brauerei zur Malzmühle on Cologne's Heumarkt has brewed Mühlen Kölsch since 1858 and once served Bill Clinton; consistently fresh pours in the Altstadt.
Peters Brauhaus ★ 4.0
altstadt · Mühlengasse 1, 50667 Köln
Peters Brauhaus in Cologne's Altstadt serves hearty Rhenish brewery food alongside Peters Kölsch 350 metres from the Cathedral in a wood-panelled room.
Gaffel am Dom ★ 3.9
altstadt · Bahnhofsvorplatz 1, 50667 Köln
Gaffel am Dom occupies Cologne's main station forecourt, pouring Gaffel Kölsch from table taps opposite the Cathedral with Rhenish classics and Friday.