Heidelberg Germany was simply a revelation! People call it the most romantic city in Germany and is one of top 3 cities to visit in all the country …and all this for a reason! But there is no roaming around and exploring a city on an empty stomach. The travelling experience is best when it includes good food for a fair price. So, I created a list of tips and cheap eats Heidelberg to help you!
For a comprehensive guide on visiting Heidelberg, click on the link!
Must know tips
Supermarkets in Heidelberg
Brunch/snacks/pastry
Best cheap eats Heidelberg 2024
International food in Heidelberg cheap eats
Average prices 2024
Food map of Heidelberg
Must know tips
I had the prejudice that German food would not rank among my favourites. Boy, was I wrong! After pampering my tastebuds a few times, I totally made up my mind.
So, here are some simple and basic tips about German food and Heidelberg restaurants.
- Traditional German food is incredibly hearty, with many dishes having meat paired with some creamy sauce. Not to mention the beer! Don’t worry if you crave something different, it is much more than that!
- In Germany there’s a wide range of restaurants, from fast food and fancy dining to vegan options!
- In the Latin countries, people tend to make the dining experience long and enjoyable. In Germany, dining out is more functional. However, people seem to have lots of fun – especially at the weekend!
- In restaurants, a reasonable tip is between 5-10% of the bill. Tipping is not mandatory; it shows your satisfaction level.
- Make sure you know in advance about the payment method! In Germany there are restaurants that only take cash, while others only accept credit card. In Heidelberg we had the nasty surprise to suddenly discover that the nice restaurant we just dined in does NOT accept all credit cards (without having a sign or informing us).
- Make sure to always have cash on you! For amounts under 5 or 10 euros, it is impossible to pay by card for street food or finger food!
- The German custom of sitting with total strangers is very practical. It can happen in beer gardens, where there are longer tables with empty seats.
- It is mandatory to book in advance, especially in high season and weekend.
Supermarkets in Heidelberg
Like everywhere, the cheapest eating option is to cater for your own needs from a supermarket. In this case, opt for accommodation with the basics in terms of kitchen and head shopping. Tegut, Edeka, Rewe, Aldi or Spar are the chains we encountered in Heidelberg and some are available even in touristy areas.
Pay attention!: Tegut can be found on the main street named Hauptstrasse and is quite expensive! It has also a large range of bio products. You may want to check for others as well if your aim is to find the best price! Opening hours are usually until 6 p.m and shops are closed during the weekend with a few exceptions.
Brunch/snacks/pastry
However, if you think vacation is not for cooking, there are many cheap eats Heidelberg options. In contrast with Venice cheap eats, the offer is more limited here, but nonetheless interesting.
- Urban Kitchen offers a delicious and plentiful breakfast/brunch between 9 and noon. The tariff per person is 11.95 euros but it is a sort of all you can eat and will keep you full for many hours.
- Zeit für Brot is a bakery in downtown Heidelberg with a clean minimalist look. Besides bread, they serve rolls, sweet treats and snacks. Each piece of roll is 3.80 euros and is nourishing. Watch out! There are just a few tables inside, so you may need to take your delicacy for a walk!
- Meiks Brunch and Bar comes with a selection of snacks, sweet bites or eggtastic ideas. Their dishes/bowls gravitate around 14-16 euros each, but are truly palatable. Don’t forget to book in advance!
- Nokta has a great location and delicious morning dishes. We tested pancakes or yoghurt with granola and fruits and they were great! They only accept card payment!
- La Fee Bar Cafe is a cute place with good atmosphere and delicious cakes! Book in advance!
Best cheap eats Heidelberg 2024
Needless to say, that there are lots of restaurants, brasseries, beer gardens and other eating possibilities in Heidelberg. Here, I selected some of the most appreciated Heidelberg restaurants both among tourists and locals.
- We found out about Essighaus from a local. The only flaw is that you can only pay cash, but the service was great! The waitress had the best intentions with finding a table. Among others we had an insanely good bratwurst with sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) and schnitzel.
- Personally I believe Weinstube Schnitzelbank is the most wanted eating spot in Heidelberg. You have to call some days in advance to book a table. But in exchange you get good atmosphere, amazing food and decent prices. All of it downtown.
- Palmbräu Gasse is another downtown brasserie which combines the rustic German interior with hearty and traditional meals: lots of pork and beer.
- Wirtshaus zum Nepomuk only accepts guests upon prior booking. The tavern has a lot of pork specials, but also vegetarian dishes. Despite being situated really close to the Monkey Statue and the Old Bridge, the restaurant is intimate. Can also use the private courtyard in good weather.
- Kulturbrauerei is another simple, yet good place to offer traditional German cuisine. It is beautifully decorated, boasts dishes of the region to be washed down with local beer. But you can also find something different here in case you want to take a break from the traditional German food.
- Schuetzenhaus Handschuhsheim takes a bit of walk from the historical downtown but offers good rapport price-quality. Moreover, here you can have wildboar or a whole 4-course vegan menu for 26 euros.
- I saw that Heidelberg is home to more than one Zum goldenen Hirsch. We tested the one in Wieblingen, close to our accommodation and proved great! But we encountered an embarrassing situation at the end. The waiter announced that the tavern doesn’t accept all cards, and we didn’t have cash on us! For the curious reader, I would say that we paid through Internet banking straight into their account.
International food in Heidelberg cheap eats
- Hans im Glück is a very-well positioned burger place, next to the Church of the Holy Spirit. They specialize in classic and vegan burgers, but also have some nice sweets.
- Moe’s Roadhouse is an American bar and grill specialized in burgers in a friendly atmosphere.
- The Dubliner only takes onsite reservation. The place is a sort of Irish Pub with Irish meals, but also finger food, sandwiches and Flammküchen, a type of pizza.
- Akademie is an Italian restaurant that served as shelter after a long day’s exploration around the city in horrible weather conditions. The pasta was good and the place cozy.
- In case you want to swap the traditional delicacies of Baden Württemberg to pasta and wine, Vinci Due is another good Italian restaurant. Rapid service, great food and a quiet terrace at the back!
- Sahara serves Middle East dishes. Their chicken shawarma and wraps are fantastic, the positioning as well. Totally worth a try! Very good price-quality rapport.
- Fancy some sushi? Then head to Schilling Roofbar for some! Or indulge yourself in Thai food at Bay Jok! Or head straight to Same Same to add Japanese flavor to your life!
Average prices Heidelberg 2024
| Cinnamon/chocolate roll | 3.50 – 4 |
| Sandwich (supermarket) | 1.99 – 2.49 |
| A bowl of muesli/oat/pancakes | 8 – 13 |
| Breakfast (brunch place) | 14 – 17 |
| Schnitzel + side dish | 16.50 – 22 |
| Bratwurst + sauerkraut | 16 – 19 |
| Pasta/pizza | 16 – 19/10 – 16 |
| icecream | 1.80 – 2.10/scoop |
| Still water: large bottle at restaurant | 5 – 6 |
| Glass of wine | 5 |
| Beer (0.5 l) | 5 |
Food map of Heidelberg
This is an interactive food map of some of the best cheap eats in Heidelberg. With purple you’ll find the brunch/snack places, you can identify the German restaurants with yellow, while the international cuisine is green. Happy wandering and bon appetit!
Have you been to Heidelberg before? How did you like it? Do you have any further tips for restaurants? I look forward to reading your experiences!
