By Lauren Jade Hill
With the 2017 edition of this internationally celebrated beer festival coming up soon, we take a look at what to expect from the main event in Munich and where to eat and stay while you’re there, as well as which alternative Oktoberfest events are most worth heading to around the world.
The Main Event
Now in its 184th year, Munich Oktoberfest showcases Bavarian traditions and the beer this region is so famous for with the addition of activities and rides. To honor Munich’s traditional culture, only beer from Munich’s well established breweries is served at the official Oktoberfest celebration here. These are featured in the festival’s specialty beer tents, which are also the setting for a variety of music, from brass music and traditional Bavarian dancing to folk music, and food that spans the gamut of Bavarian cuisine. A museum is also on site to give visitors an insight into this annual tradition. Munich Oktoberfest runs from September 16th to October 3rd, 2017.
Three Beers to Try
The Brewery Augustiner-Bräu is the oldest independent brewery in Munich having been established in 1328.
The Beer Try Oktoberfestbier, a specialty that’s only dispensed here.
Where Head to the Augustiner-Festhalle and Fischer-Vroni beer tents.
The Brewery Paulaner Bräuhaus was established in Munich in 1634 by the Minim friars of the Neudeck ob der Au cloister.
The Beer Go for Paulaner Bräuhaus Festbier, the Oktoberfest brew.
Where Find a seat in Armbrustschützenzelt, Winzerer Fähndl or Käfer’s Wies’n Schänke areas.
The Brewery Dating back to 1383, Löwenbräu, which translates to ‘lion’s brew’, is celebrated for brewing beer according to the Bavarian beer purity regulation that was established in 1516.
The Beer Try Löwenbräu Oktoberfest Beer, which is exclusive to the event.
Where Try this beer in Oktoberfest’s Schützen-Festzelt and Löwenbräu-Festhalle.
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Where to Eat in Munich
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Atelier
The two Michelin starred restaurant Atelier combines elegant modern interiors in earthy tones with creative seasonal cuisine and a comprehensive list of fine wine. In this setting the award-winning chef Jan Hartwig curates five and seven-course menus of dishes using both local and internationally sourced ingredients. Try salmon from the Faroe Islands accompanied by saffron dashi with smoked eel, mango, jalapeno and Hollandaise sauce with miso, or the sweet plate of strawberries with sourdough, olive oil and wheatgrass.
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Tantris
Forty years ago, the property developer and gastronome Fritz Eichbauer commissioned a building inspired by his travels through France and Switzerland; this is now home to the two Michelin starred restaurant Tantris. Taking its name from the Buddhist term for perfection, this is what the restaurant strives for through its cuisine, wines and service. Hans Haas is the chef behind the creative cuisine here, placing the focus on natural ingredients and simplicity, with a seasonally changing menu.
Geisels Werneckhof
This two Michelin starred restaurant’s chef de cuisine Tohru Nakamura is half German and half Japanese. And it’s this identity that defined the distinct cuisine he specialises in, which has continually won international acclaim. In the restaurant’s Art Nouveau interiors, diners can tuck into dishes such as Holstein beef fillet with potato, ceps and sansho kimizu, or langoustine with eggplant, apricot and kaffir lime turmeric sauce. Multi-course tasting menus are offered with wine pairing.
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Restaurant Dallmayr
The two Michelin starred Restaurant Dallmayr is located on the first floor of the Dallmayr delicatessen store, which is famous in its own right with a history going back to 1870. The two tastings menus on offer here showcase the Dallmayr philosophy for using artisanal ingredients and follow the natural progression of the seasons, with plentiful creativity and a diversity of culinary inspiration.
EssZimmer
Also laying claim to two Michelin stars, this gourmet restaurant places the focus on modern European cuisine. Chef Bobby Brauer cooks up fusion plates such as Brook trout with eel, beetroot and yuzu, a fillet and shoulder of veal with beans cassoulet, pear and Café de Paris and raspberry with basil, fresh cheese and macadamia. The interior décor is bright and modern with warmth created by the use of natural materials.
Where to Stay in Munich
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Mandarin Oriental Munich
Located within an 1880s opera house in Munich’s Old Town, the Mandarin Oriental Munich immediately impresses guests with its grand façade. Inside, the décor fuses this heritage with contemporary design, encompassing a series of palatial rooms and suites—the Presidential Suite has a wraparound balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows—along with celebrated dining venues such as Matsuhisa Munich and luxurious wellness facilities, including a rooftop pool.
Hotel Königshof
Conveniently located on Karlsplatz, this five-star hotel is another of the city’s grand dames. Opulent interiors combine classic elegance with modern amenities and luxurious features such as the lobby’s piano and decadent style of the restaurant and bar. The restaurant is of particular acclaim having been awarded a Michelin star. Here guests can dine on the French-inspired culinary offering by chef de cuisine Martin Fauster.
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Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski
This centrally located luxury hotel by Kempinsky wins praise for its sumptuous accommodation, restaurant and bar offering, and luxurious spa. Dine on modern Bavarian cuisine at Schwarzreiter Tagesbar and Restaurant, sip cocktails in the sophisticated Jahrenzeiten Bar and retreat to the hotel’s pool and spa. The Oktoberfest Package includes a seat at the festival and treatment at the spa as well as accommodation.
Oktoberfest Events around the World
Brazil
Each year the city of Blumenau in Santa Catarina, Brazil, hosts one of the world’s biggest Oktoberfest celebrations. International and local craft breweries feature side by side, with German cuisine and, in true Brazilian style, a series of costumed parades.
Canada
Having been taking place since 1969, this nine-day festival in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, is among the world’s best known Oktoberfest celebrations. In addition to showcasing German beer, food and music, the event encompasses a schedule of family and cultural events, as well as the annual Oktoberfest Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Hong Kong
Said to be Asia’s largest Oktoberfest celebration, the Marco Polo German Bierfest, which marked its 25th year in 2016, attracts visitors from far and wide to enjoy traditional German beer, food and live music with a backdrop of Victoria Harbour.
USA
Held in Cincinnati, Ohio, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is America’s largest version of this Bavarian celebration with around 500,000 people attending, reflecting the German heritage of Southwest Ohio. Since 1976, this festival has brought together German beer, food and music with quirky events such as the world’s largest chicken dance.
