Eating and drinking in Mainz

Mainz has a variety of reasonable places to eat. Here are some of my favorites. These are mostly in the extensive pedestrian zone that runs from Neubrunnenstrasse, a few blocks from the train station, past the Cathedral and on to Augistinerstrasse in the picturesque old town. If you take the bus to town, Hoefchen is the most central stop.

Wine bars (weinstube, weinhaus)

There are many of these friendly establishments in Mainz. Definitely try them during your stay. They are very popular and often crowded. This can be intimidating; but if you spot a partially occupied table, it is expected that you take the empty places. The wine lists are extensive. The inexpensive dry (trocken) whites are quite good and hard to find in, say, the US. For a unique dish, try the saumagen if they have it. This was a favorite of Helmut Kohl, the German chancellor from 1982 to 1998. Some arbitrary suggestions:

Weinstube Rote Kopf, Rotekopfgasse. Near the Guttenberg museum on a quiet alley. If too crowded, try the adjacent places.
Weinstube Hottum, Grebenstrasse.
Weinhaus Zum Spiegel, Leichhofstrasse. At the beginning of Augustinerstrasse.
Weinhaus Michel, Jakobsbergstrasse. Near several similar places. Just past the far end of Augustinerstrasse.

Biergartens

Mainz is in a wine region; so beer gardens are less traditional here. But there is a cluster of them on the Rhine near Fort Malakoff. My favorite is L'Arcade-Mole, just across the footbridge over the entrance to the small boat harbor. Other possibilities are above the Roman Theater next to the Park Hotel and in Mainz Kastel just across the bridge over the Rhine.

A little further out, there is a nice Biergarten with views at the top of the Nerobergbahn in Wiesbaden. Take the S8 from Mainz to Wiesbaden and then catch bus number 1 to the end stop at Nerotal. A Mainz bus ticket includes this trip. From there take the Nerobergbahn, a fascinating water-powered funicular.

Bar-restaurants

Zeitungsente, Neubrunnenstrasse, no food itself but neighboring restaurants put menus on the tables, will take your order, and bring it to you.
Eisgrub-Brau, Weissliliengasse, the local microbrewery.
L'Arcade, Leichhofstrasse, near the beginning of Augustinerstrasse. Their currywurst has a good homemade sauce.
Zur Andau, Gaustrasse, Schillerplatz.
Brauhaus zur Sonne, Betzelsstr. 23. Very popular with airline crews. Service occasionally a bit brusque.

Bavarian places

Augustinerkeller, Augustinerstrasse.
Bratwurst Gloeckle, Schusterstrasse, behind Pizza Hut. I like their feuerzangenwurst.
Paulaner Braustuberl, Rheinstrasse.

If you are very hungry try the schweinshaxe at one of these places.

Other restaurants

There are numerous kebab places throughout Mainz. While generally quite informal, they have high quality food at remarkably low prices.
Besitos, across the plaza at the train station. Excellent tapas to accompany Spanish wines.
Fisch Jacob, Fischtorstrasse 7, an excellent fish restaurant but only open for dinner Friday and Saturday.
Lomo, Ballplatz, popular with students and has some interesting eclectic dishes. Good vegetarian choices available.
Heiliggeist, Mailandsgasse, near the Rathaus, is a bit fancier and located in a spectacular building.
Doctor Flotte, Kirschgarten, has typical Mainz dishes.
Cafe Extrablat on Marketplatz and also on Schillerplatz are large places that have very extensive and reasonable menus. The clientele tends to be rather young so I feel a bit old there. A similar large place is Alex Cafe.
Maredo, on Gutenbergplatz. An Argentinian steak house.

Mike Creutz