A 5 minute guide to Saxon food in Dresden. Now isn’t that just cute!

Food!

Ha!

‘Got your attention didn’t I?!

But seriously, isn’t food a wonderful thing.

Especially German food!

Umm!

Alright then.

Some German food.

Ah.

That’s better!

So I’ve been writing about Dresden the last few weeks ‘cos of the new job n’ all that. And because I want to provide a resource for those of you thinking of visiting Dresden!

And why not. Oy!

If you’re just coming to The British Berliner for the very first, or forgot about all the previous stuff I wrote on German food, here’s a reminder:

• Food in Germany: 5 of the Best Ever!
• A 5 minute guide to German food. On the Baltic Sea beach!
• Food in Germany: 10 delicious best German meals to try out in Berlin – Because German food isn’t as rustic as you think!
• 10 surprising reasons why food in Germany isn’t just grit and stodge but is pretty awesome, in my opinion!
• An introduction to the international kitchen of Berlin. Go on. You know you want to. Go on. Go eat the world!

Yum!

WHAT IS SAXON or SÄCHSISCHE FOOD?

Saxon food is traditional food that stems from Germany!

And yes, it’s stodge by any other name!

Now mind you, when I say Saxon, I’m not referring to the original Anglo-Saxon homeland otherwise known as Old Saxony, but nowadays known as Lower Saxony, or even that of Upper Saxony otherwise known as Obersachsen!

But I’m referring to the Free State of Saxony, otherwise known as Freistaat Sachsen, or simply, Saxony!

All rather confusing!!

Having said that most of their food is pretty similar!

Saxon cuisine is quite hearty and tends to lean towards a lot of beef, potatoes, dumplings, seafood, heavy sauces, bread, a sort of soft-cheese cake, and beer!

I don’t claim to be an expert by any means, so I’ll just show you what we ate and drank, and where to get them!

AUGUSTINER AN DER FRAUENKIRCHE DRESDEN

An der Frauenkirche 16/17
01067 Dresden

The first place we went to  was a restaurant called Augustiner An der Frauenkirche.

It’s enormously famous and isn’t even Saxon but Bavarian! Having said that, the food and drink was most delicious, so I’m putting it in anyway!

You can actually order traditional Saxon food too, and the location is excellent, the service was top, everyone’s dressed in traditional Bavarian costume, and it’s mere steps away from the Frauenkirche

It’s really nice, but very, very popular so either go really early, quite late, or reserve a seat!

The Tall Young Gentleman really enjoyed his Bavarian Leberkäse (a sort of liver-cheese-meatloaf) Burger, served with a pretzel roll, sweet mustard, chips / french fries, and a tiny side salad!

Cost – €11.90

I had the Pork Roast in Augustiner beer sauce with herby bread dumpling, and Bavarian coleslaw with bacon bits!

Cost – €11.90

We all had the locally brewed Saxon / Bavarian beer at the Augustiner An der Frauenkirche Dresden. It was very nice too!

Cost – €4.20

OMG!

We had more stuff, but it was quite late (?!!), and the photograph was blurry, so I haven’t included them!

Believe me when I say that sometimes, you just have to put aside your values about being a vegetarian or vegan, and just go ahead, and eat meat!

CAFÉ MILCHMÄDCHEN

Grunaer Str.27
01069 Dresden

We went to the Café Milchmädchen for brunch on Saturday morning. And what a brunch it was!

The Fisherman’s Kutterfrühstück consisting of 2 buns, butter, salmon, shrimp-cocktail, is a really nice hangout in the AltStadt / Old Town and right opposite the German Hygiene Museum, otherwise known as the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum!

I mentioned this a few weeks ago, as one of the museums that you ought to visit, and I still stand by it!

We really had a most enjoyable brunch and went all out to order scrambled eggs as well as a breakfast platter!

Cost – €2.40 – €2.90

The Tall Young Gentleman and I had the Fisherman’s Kutterfrühstück consisting of 2 buns, butter, salmon, shrimp-cocktail, mustard and dill sauce, and a garnish of “light” vegetables, fresh herbs and exotic fruit.

Cost – €10.90

Meanwhile, The Music Producer had the three-tier Gourmet Käsefrühstück affair – consisting of 2 buns , butter, clotted cream,  and assortment of cheese, cocktail tomato, mozzarella balls, raspberries, lingonberries, kiwis, orange slices, and a garnish of vegetables, fresh herbs and exotic fruit!

Cost – €9.70

And while we’re at it, let’s have some organic beer from Hamburg, sourced at the Café Milchmädchen in Dresden!

Cost – €2.90

RADEBERGER SPEZIALAUSSHANK

Terrassenufer 1
01067 Dresden

By the time we found the Radeberger Spezialausshank, we were parched!

Dresden has been boiling in the last few weeks, and that weekend was no exception. Funny how in April, we’re all burning to a crisp and by “summer,” we’ll probably all be freezing!

This historic building is famous for Dresden’s very own beer produced in 1872 – the Radeberger Pils (pale lager) and the Radeberger Zwickelbier (unfiltered beer straight from the barrel)!

In 1905, Radeberger was the favourite drink of King Friedrich August III of Saxony, as well as the first Chancellor of Germany – Otto von Bismarck in 1887 – who both gave the beer a special license and acceptance. Is it any wonder that Radeberger is still exported today and is Germany’s 9th most popular beer!

To get there, you just need to go to the Brühlsche Terrace and go down the steps of a garden & beach parasol unit. It looks a little dodgy from the distance, but once you go down the stairs, it’s a pleasant surprise to see a lovely terrace with a fantastic view of the city and directly facing the River Elbe!

You can go up the stairs from street level too!

We were thirsty, so only had beers!

Cost – I can’t remember exactly, but it couldn’t have been more than €3.00!

Prost!

BIERGARTEN ELBSEGLER – THE PLACE TO BE

Große Meißner Str.15
01097 Dresden

What a lovely place this biergarten is!

The Biergarten Elbsegler actually belongs to the Westin Bellevue Dresden Hotel, and is unique in that on one side, you have the River Elbe right in front of you, and on the other side of the biergarten, you have the views of the AltStadt / Old Town.

In fact, quite a few people were playing frisbee nearby, as well as listening to music, picnicking, frolicking, or just lounging in the early evening sunshine.

It was very nice.

We were a bit peckish by this time, but not hungry enough to have a “proper” meal, so opted for a famous East German snack – the Thüringer Rostbratwurst or Thüringer grilled sausage, complete with mayonnaise, mustard, and tomato ketchup!

Cost – €3.90 – €5.90

Of course, being the Berliners that we are, nothing stopped us from having their version of a currywurst. It will never be the same as the original one, but it would do!

Cost – €3.50

Oh, and some more Dresden Radeberger beer too.

Why not!

Cost – €3.90

WATZKE AM GOLDENEN REITER

Hauptstraße 1
01097 Dresden

We had dinner at the rather rustic Watzke am Goldenen Reiter or the Watzke on the Golden Rider!

It’s a branch of another famous historical restaurant and brewery – the Ball & Brauhaus Watze – which is an 1838 establishment with 3 restaurants!

We weren’t all that impressed with the food, but the location is, excuse my pun, gold, as right outside the restaurant is a very golden statue of Frederick Augustus II of Saxony or Augustus II the Strong – the Golden Rider, dressed as a Roman Caesar, riding a horse, covered in gold leaf!

The restaurant also has a huge St. John’s (as in John the Baptist!) bell which is rung on the hour, in synergy with the bells across the road, in the tower of the Frauenkirche!

The Music Producer had crispy knuckle of pork served with sauerkraut, plums, red onions, cabbage, potato dumplings, and gravy.

Cost – €12.90

The Tall Young Gentleman had half of a roast chicken served with potato wedges, with herby sour cream & mango-chili-dip!

Cost – €8.50

I had the mixed platter of chicken (I think!) with potato wedges, vegetables, gravy, & a fried egg on top, but sadly, I didn’t like it as it was lukewarm, and tasted like nothing at all!

Cost – €12.00 – €15.00

At least the beer was alright, so we washed it all down with Watzke Pils (lager) and Watzke Altpieschner unfiltered beer, brewed on the premises!

Cost – €3.80

AUSONIA2

Am Neumarkt 1
01097 Dresden

AusoniA2 is an Italian pizzeria that also serves interesting seafood. It’s on the other side of the Frauenkirche.

So let me tell you, this was a Sunday afternoon, and we found it hard to find the “best seat” with views of the Frauenkirche, the film festival that was going on at the time, and just basically, a place to do great people-watching! It took a while to find a “non-sharing” table for three (3), ‘cos this is Germany, so nobody shares tables!

We got it in the end, complete with great views – locals dressed in baroque attire. Mind you, as in New York and LA, they do expect a tip, if you want to take photographs!

The pizza prices are a little hefty, but the view makes it worth your while!

We had the Pizza Ausonia which consisted of tomato, mozzarella, goats cheese, pepperoni, spicy salami, and olives, which I asked them to remove…

Cost – I can’t remember exactly, but it was somewhere along the lines of €10.00 – €15.00

The beers were alright, and a different brand this time – Wernesgrüner beer from Saxony!

The Wernesgrüner Pils was founded in 1436 and is even older than the Radeberger Pils! It’s known as the”Pils Legend,” because it was a bitter specialty during the communist period in East Germany.

Wernesgrüner Pils was originally a family-owned company until 2002, when it was bought by the Bitburger Brewery Group.

It’s not my favourite beer as it tends towards the side of bitterness, but if you’re into “bitters,” this is the brand I’d recommend.

Cost – €3.50

KURFÜRSTENSCHÄNKE – HISTORICAL RESTAURANT AND GUESTHOUSE

An der Frauenkirche 13
01067 Dresden

The Kurfürstenschänke is a marvellous historical restaurant and guest house, so we decided to end our Dresden family weekend right there! 

The restaurant is a beautiful 1708 property with charming baroque architecture, high ceilings, and elegant seating, and just seconds away from the Frauenkirche!

It also serves  Saxon / Bohemian dishes, exquisite gourmet meals, as well as hearty rustic traditional food!

It’s a three level restaurant and surprisingly larger than you would expect, so plenty of seats. We preferred to sit on the outdoor terrace as it was such a hot, sweltering day.

The Tall Young Gentleman had marinated bone roasted pork steak in beer mustard sauce, roasted onions, roasted bacon strips,with potato and cucumber-dilled salad!

Cost – €12.50

The Music Producer had Ox cheek in gravy, herb curd dumplings, and grilled vegetables with ramson oil!

Cost – €13.90

I was already pretty stuffed so opted not to have a “real meal” but a platter of Ratsherrenplatte which consisted of Leberkäse – a type of “liver-cheese” bread loaf, Thuringian red sausage, Pfefferbeißer – a dried, smoked, peppery German sausage made in sheep casings, slices of roast pork, Saxon cheese, pickled cucumber, tomatoes, butter, a side salad, and Fürstenbrot or Prince (aristocratic) bread!

Cost – €10.90

Needless to say, the best way to end a splendid weekend is with a sparkling glass of champagne.

What say you?

Cost – €4.20

Other Saxon dishes are:

• The Dresdner Eierschecke – A type of layered cake made from yeast dough topped with apple, quark (curds), poppy seeds and covered with a glaze of egg, sugar, flour and cream!
• Quarkkeulchen –  A type of cream-cheese ball made from cream cheese, eggs flour, mashed potatoes, and spiced with cinnamon or raisins!
• Kalter Hund or Cold Dog – A type of square-shape chocolate cake made into hedgehog slices of chocolate, crushed biscuit, rice crispies, and with a topping of chocolate icing sprinkled with items such as coconuts, hundreds and thousands, and other toppings
• Wickelkloß – A type of potato dumpling spread with butter, and sprinkled with breadcrumbs!

• Pulsnitzer Pfefferkuchen – A type of traditional gingerbread made from chocolate and honey
• Sächsischer Sauerbraten – A German pot roast marinated in vinegar, water, herbs, spices, and seasonings, served with red cabbage, dumplings, potatoes or Spätzle (Schwabian pasta), and made from  beef, venison, lamb, mutton, pork, or horse meat!
• Radeberger Biergulasch – A type of goulash cooked in Radeberger Pils beer!

• And of course, Dresden’s most important Saxon item – The Dresdner Stollen – A type of rectangular-shaped fruit cake made from nuts, spices, dried or candied fruit, raisins, almonds, nuts, marzipan, and coated with icing sugar.

The Dresdner Stollen in particular is most beloved, as Dresden is considered to be the home of the original Stollen, as far back as 1474!

Dresden Stollen is produced in the city of Dresden and distinguished by a special seal depicting King Augustus II the Strong. This “official” Stollen is produced by only 150 recognised Dresden bakers!

It’s one of Germany’s most traditional items, is eaten during the Christmas Season, and can usually be found at most Christmas Markets, especially the Dresden one, otherwise known as the Striezelmarkt – one of Germany’s oldest documented Christmas markets ever, founded in 1434!

Yay!

A 5 MINUTE GUIDE TO SAXON FOOD IN DRESDEN. NOW ISN’T THAT JUST CUTE!

This article is not sponsored, and all opinions and all the Saxon food that I noshed and slobbered over, are my very own!

In a few weeks, I’ll be revealing my next summer trip!

Stay tuned.

Yay!

That’s it for now.

See you next week!