Bon Appetit

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• Metzgerei Schmitz read more ›
  (28 Aachener Strasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 139 5577)
  This funky salon/bar is one of the best places in Cologne for brunch/lunch or a coffee on the pavement. Fast, efficient service and interesting clientèle.
• Bento Box read more ›
  (116 Breite Strasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 420 7740)
  For tasty Japanese food that won't break the bank try Bento Box for lunch or dinner. You'll be nicely surprised by the excellent food and reasonable prices.
• Sonja's Kneipe read more ›
  (13 Friedrichstrasse, Bonn. )
  A no-smoking bar where you can enjoy traditional German bar snacks like mussels, goulash, cheese and onion rolls. It's quiet and pleasant, with live jazz on Sunday.
• Couleur Café read more ›
  (250 Subbelrather Strasse, Ehrenfeld, Cologne. Tel. 0221 169 3401)
  A French-style bistro/café serving cheap but tasty dishes in a laid-back and stylish atmosphere.
• Munzert's Suppenbar read more ›
  (9 Franziskanerstrasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 336 1858)
  A soup bar in the centre of the city serving home-made soups and salads. Exotic, inventive and unusual-the menu is varied and the bread keeps on coming.
• Klein Bon(n)um read more ›
  (5 Paulstrasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 694 365)
  A cosy little café/restaurant with a very homey feel. It's full of regulars, friendly and welcoming staff, and offers a fresh and interesting menu.

• Haus Müller read more ›
  (2 Achterstrasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 932 1086)
  Tucked away in the Sudstadt, this traditional German restaurant serves tasty specialities and has a great beer garden on a pretty, leafy square.
• Schnoerkellos read more ›
  (85 Rosental, Bonn. Tel. 0228 698 323)
  This homely, living room-style restaurant is perfect for a romantic dinner, or lunch on the terrace. The food is top notch with tasty specialities like fish with chilli, lobster sauce and couscous (www.schnoerkellos.info, German only).
• Teca a Biase read more ›
  (4 Eifelplatz, Cologne. Tel. 0221 322 433)
  A perfect lunch venue on leafy Eifelplatz. Café-style dining inside or outside with Italian flair. Try the daily lunch special: bruschetta, pasta and a glass of wine.
• Bastei Bonn read more ›
  (1 Von-Sandt-Ufer, Bonn-Bad Godesberg. Tel. 0228 368 0433)
  A beautiful building, with a beautiful view and good, wholesome food. Enjoy the sunny terrace or shady beer garden in the spring sunshine.
• Pizzeria Caminetto read more ›
  (36 Eifelstrasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 310 4664)
  Extra-thin, baked in an authentic oven and made with only the freshest ingredients, some people say Caminetto serves the best pizza in Cologne. Service is friendly and prices reasonable.
• Unsichtbar read more ›
  (5-7 Im Stavenhof, Cologne. Tel. 0221 200 5910)
  In this restaurant you sit in pitch-black darkness to eat food you can't see. Unsichtbar (Invisible) is a crazy concept, but you'll never taste anything else quite like it.

• Miyako read more ›
  (74 Bornheimer Strasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 636 637)
  For a taste of Japan in Germany, visit Miyako and enjoy the exquisite dishes, from sushi and sashimi, to teryaki and tempura. It's pricey in the evening and more affordable at lunchtime.
• Arabesque read more ›
  (62 Burgstrasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 312 650)
  For an Arabian night full of the sounds and smells of the desert, this is the place to be in Bonn. There's a delicious menu full of Middle Eastern delights and belly dancing on Saturday.
• Zur Lese read more ›
  (37 Adenauerallee, Bonn. Tel. 0228 223 322)
  This restaurant in a five-star hotel has a wonderful view of the river and Siebengebirge mountains, as well as a superb three-course lunch menu with crayfish tartlets and rib of lamb.
• Altes Treppchen read more ›
  (308 Endenicher Strasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 625 004)
  Traditional German specialities, great service and a leafy beer garden. Who could ask for more? Daily specials like the roasted duck are sure to impress.
• Bierhaus Machold read more ›
  (52 Heerstrasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 963 7877)
  An excellent German restaurant in the middle of the Altstadt. In a relaxed but traditional atmosphere you can taste typical German dishes in historic surroundings.
• Rheinterrassen Restaurant read more ›
  (Grandhotel Petersberg, Petersberg, Bonn-Königswinter. Tel. 0222 3740)
  If you're looking for a little romance visit the Rheinterasse restaurant at the fantastic Grandhotel Petersberg: astounding views across the Rhine valley, delicious food, discreet service and romance in the air.

• Ristorante Il Punto read more ›
  (6 Lennestrasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 263 838)
  Back in the day, you could rub shoulders with the members of the German government. Book ahead and dress up for this five-star establishment - and be prepared for a delicious assault on your palate.
• Basilicum read more ›
  (33 Am Weidenbach, Cologne. Tel. 0221 323 555)
  Tucked down an inauspicious Sudstadt side street, Basilicum is one of Cologne's best-kept secrets. Fine French cuisine, a cool interior and balmy terrace, try the lamb with apple-coriander crust and potato and horseradish purée.
• Le Mérou read more ›
  (2A Domkloster, Cologne. Tel. 0221 20240)
  This two Michelin-starred fish restaurant in the Dom Hotel is smack bang in the middle of town next to the cathedral. Mix with local high society in the bar and enjoy the view.
• Le Moissonnier read more ›
  (25 Krefelder Strasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 729 479)
  One of the best restaurants in Cologne, this restaurant boasts pure French style with exquisite cuisine to match. The food looks and tastes sumptuous. Try the venison medallions with Valrhona cacao splits.
• Landhaus Kuckuck read more ›
  (2 Olympiaweg, Cologne. Tel. 0221 485 360)
  For something a little different, venture just outside of the city centre and enjoy this country house in the Cologne Stadtwald (City Forest). With an exciting menu and five-star service, it makes a great escape from the city.
• Capricorn i Aries read more ›
  (31 Alteburgerstrasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 397 5710)
  A set menu full of surprises, soft lighting, smooth jazz playing in the background and luxurious table settings-plus a Michelin star to boot-it's possibly the perfect romantic dinner. Book ahead as there are only four tables.

After Dark

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• Café Pawlaw read more ›
  (64 Heerstrasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 653 603)
  Bonn's only alternative bar, Pawlaw (or Pavlov) is full of dark corners and unmatched furniture. Leave your pretensions at the door - this place is very down to earth and always full, inside and out.
• Hallmackenreuther read more ›
  (9 Brüsseler Platz, Cologne. )
  A local hotspot for cool, young things, this retro bar/café, next to the leafy Brüsseler Platz, is great place to spend a summer evening, inside or out.
• Cafe Bauturm read more ›
  (24 Aachener Strasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 258 9219)
  A little bit bohemian, very laid back and perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or simply coffee and cakes. When the weather is good, enjoy people-watching from a table on the pavement.
• Cafè Central read more ›
  (1 Jülicherstrasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 992 5437)
  A great place at almost any time of the day, with its excellent lunchtime menu, cakes in the afternoon and casual bar-feel in the evening. It also does a killer Sunday brunch.
• Blow Up read more ›
  (10 Rathausgasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 659 750)
  Its run-down, tatty bordello-style interior is what makes this bar/club so cool. The music is 60s and 70s funk with a bit of German Schlager thrown in. Boogie till dawn at Blow Up.
• Im Stiefel read more ›
  (18 Zülpicher Strasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 211 636)
  It's rough, it's ready, it's as basic as a bar can get-and it's great. The music is punk, rock, electro and everything else besides. If you want a taste of the real Cologne, this is the place to get it.

• Jazzkeller read more ›
  (2 Burbacher Strasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 180 6641)
  Modern, traditional, experimental - you name it, Jazzkeller plays it, as long as it's jazz. Small and intimate, this basement jazz club always hits the right note.
• Subway read more ›
  (82-84 Aachener Strasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 517 969)
  Small, sweaty, packed and the place to be on a Saturday night. Great DJs, live acts a superb atmosphere and just the right size to ensure you rub shoulders with the beautiful crowd.
• Tsunami Club read more ›
  (9 Im Ferkulum, Cologne. Tel. 0221 801 6334)
  A popular club right in the heart of the city. Not at all flashy, but full of atmosphere, Tsunami has great music and superb live bands.
• Brotfabrik read more ›
  (16 Kreuzstrasse, Bonn-Beuel. Tel. 0228 421 310)
  This cultural centre in Beuel has something for everyone, from world music to jazz, pop and classical, as well as theatre, cinema and dance. There's also a café and bar.
• Luxor read more ›
  (40 Luxemburger Strasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 924 460)
  One of the best live music venues in Cologne, the Luxor attracts big-name international bands and artists, as well as local up-and-coming talent.
• Brückenforum read more ›
  (17 Friedrich-Breuer-Strasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 400 090)
  The Brückenforum has something of everything-concerts, theatre, cabaret and comedy. Famous international bands, alternative music and local acts are all on the programme.

• Barracuda read more ›
  (44 Bismarckstrasse, Cologne. Tel. 0221 510 4838)
  In the heart of Cologne's trendy Belgisches Viertel. Great DJs, a young and hip crowd, and some very tasty mojitos. Music varies from mainstream to electronic funk.
• Buddha-Bar Indochine read more ›
  (37 Weberstrasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 241 614)
  It's a bar, it's a restaurant, it's a lounge and it's a little slice of the Orient in Bonn. With DJs at the weekend, you can dance, eat and people-watch.
• Limao read more ›
  (64 Molkestrasse, Bonn/Bad Godesberg. Tel. 0228 368 0555)
  For a taste of Brazil in Bonn, try Limao which serves genuine South American cocktails and cuisine. Owned by German TV personality Daniel Lopes, you might meet some stars as you sip on your cocktail.
• Heimatlos read more ›
  (7 Rheingasse, Bonn. Tel. 0228 336 0490)
  This is the place to be at the weekend: Heimatlos is a club, bar and lounge all in one. Funky music and ambience make it a superb nightspot.
• Zin Zin read more ›
  (79 Friesenwall, Cologne. Tel. 0221 1206 1020)
  It's a bar, it's a club, it's a café-Zin Zin manages to pull off the impossible. Great for coffee and nibbles in the daytime, and a lively hang-out in the evening.
• Die Kunstbar read more ›
  (1 Chargesheimerplatz, Cologne. Tel. 0172 527 9845)
  This concept bar invites artists to redesign the interior each year. Belgian artist Arne Quinze unveiled hid Eye.C.U. project in November 2008. The bar attracts design and cocktail lovers from around the world.

This month...

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Tips

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