Ali Güngörmüs's Pageou in Munich's Fünf Höfe arcade cooks Middle Eastern plates on French foundations; the four-course Levante is the easiest entry.
Signature dishes: Levante tasting menu, Chef menu
Must order: The Levante vegetarian tasting, four courses; ask for the lamb when it is on the carte.
Tip: The sheltered courtyard terrace inside Fünf Höfe is the room's best summer seat.
Address: Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse 10, 80333 München, Munich
Mario Gamba's Acquarello in Munich Bogenhausen has held a Michelin star since 2000 on cucina del sole; the Italian list runs over 1,000 labels in the cellar.
Signature: Tasting menu, Risotto course
Order: Whichever risotto is on the carte plus the chef's tasting menu.
Tip: Lunch is a quieter and cheaper way in than dinner; the wine cellar tour is available for groups.
Broeding in Munich Neuhausen runs a Michelin Plate kitchen on a quiet residential street; the menu rotates daily and the cellar is a working wine shop.
Signature: Demeter tasting, Alpine cheese course
Order: The five-course tasting; the Alpine cheese course is the kitchen's signature.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday from 18:00 only; the wine list comes off the in-house shop.
Spatenhaus an der Oper, opposite the Bavarian State Opera in Munich's Altstadt, pours Spaten beer and cooks classic Bavarian; the suckling pig is the signature.
Signature: Wiener Schnitzel, Suckling pig with red cabbage
Order: The Wiener Schnitzel with cucumber salad; the suckling pig with braised red cabbage if you want one big plate.
Tip: Book the upstairs room for opera pre-shows; the ground floor is the casual side.
Andechser am Dom in Munich Altstadt pours the Andechs Monastery's beers a minute from the Frauenkirche; the kitchen cooks classic Bavarian for the lunchtime crowd.
Signature: Schweinshaxe, Andechs Doppelbock
Order: The Schweinshaxe with potato dumplings, washed with a half-litre of Andechser Doppelbock.
Tip: Daily 10:00 to 01:00; the Weinstrasse terrace is the room's best summer seat.
Weisses Bräuhaus on Tal is the Schneider Weisse flagship in Munich's Altstadt, in business since 1872; this is one of the city's strongest pre-noon Weisswurst rooms.
Signature: Weisswurst with sweet mustard, Kronfleisch
Order: Weisswurst with sweet mustard and a Brezn before noon; pair with Schneider Weisse Original.
Tip: Kronfleisch (organ-meat) is the house specialty for lunch and dinner; lighter eaters stick to the Schweinsbraten.
Augustiner-Stammhaus on Munich's Neuhauser Strasse, in business since 1829, is the city's oldest Augustiner room; ask for the 1897 Muschelsaal hall.
Signature: Schweinsbraten, Augustiner Helles vom Holzfass
Order: The Schweinsbraten with two dumplings; pair with Augustiner Helles tapped from the wooden cask.
Tip: The Muschelsaal (Seashell hall) is the most atmospheric room; ask when reserving.
