Rooftop Dachterrasse Deutsche Eiche in Munich

Dachterrasse Deutsche Eiche: Munich's church towers above Gärtnerplatz

A neighbourhood institution

On Reichenbachstraße, 200 metres from the Viktualienmarkt, the Deutsche Eiche houses, behind its neoclassical façade dating from 1864, a 36-room hotel, a restaurant serving Bavarian cuisine and a bathhouse. Since the 1970s, the house has been one of the historic meeting places of Munich's gay and lesbian community; Freddie Mercury was a regular there in the 1980s.

A rooftop terrace for all seasons

The lift goes straight up to the roof, on the 6th floor. The terrace lines up high tables and woven resin armchairs along a glass-fronted bar, with flower boxes around the edge. The view runs across the old town: the twin towers of the Frauenkirche, the bell tower of Alter Peter, the rooftops of the neighbourhood and, on clear days, the line of the Alps. A retractable roof and heaters mean you can come up even when the air turns cool, and at night the illuminated structure can be spotted from afar.

Spritzes, beers and cocktails at gentle prices

The terrace menu is short and affordable: prosecco cocktails at €9.50, the house Eiche Sprizz (prosecco, gin, basil flower liqueur) at €10.90, long drinks from €10.50 to €12.90, a negroni or an espresso martini at €12.90, and Augustiner Helles at €5.10 for half a litre. For a meal, the house restaurant serves Bavarian cuisine from breakfast through to the evening.

Practical information

The terrace is open daily from 7am to 10pm; the bar serves drinks there when the weather allows. No reservations: seats go to whoever arrives first. S-Bahn Marienplatz or Isartor five minutes' walk away, U-Bahn Fraunhoferstraße (U1, U2) three minutes away, or tram 16 and 17 to Reichenbachplatz, 70 metres away. No dress code is announced.