Chocolate and/or Pastries in Munich, Berlin, Budapest, Prague

I'm a sucker for a 'fancy' food shop, so I loved wandering through Alois Dallmayr in Munich. The chocolates that I picked up for my mom did not make it to her. Oops! It's a block or so from Marienplatz, if I remember correctly. It was definitely easy to get to.

Perfect! I love going through the fancy food shops in London so this one in Munich will be a must. And we are staying right across the street from Marienplatz so we are right in the area. Won't even try to choose anything to take home, we are in Munich for three days right at the beginning of a three week trip so it will all go right to my tummy (and hips!).

And I'll tell you a secret, but don't tell my family! I've already scoped out Alpine Village which is a 20 minute drive for us here in Los Angeles, and the souvenir chocolates, wine, fancy condiments are being bought there. Many items have no English at all on the label, so that's what I'll buy. Tired of schlepping souvenirs that are heavy home from our trips! We bought Australian wine from World Market a couple years ago when we went to that part of the world, and everyone was appreciative and none the wiser! When we go to Hawaii I set up an order from Honolulu Cookie Company while I'm still at home and have it shipped while we're gone and everyone believes I'm thinking about them when I'm on vacation, which I'm not!

Look out for the German bakery/coffee shop on the main street in Alpine Village, California.(Since you mentioned it.) They serve great kuchen of all kinds, also strudel, and coffee. There is a terrace out front with little tables. The German lady behind the counter will ask you, when you place your order, "Will you be eating inside or out?" If you hesitate, she will ask again in a stern voice, "Inside? Or out?" Be prepared to answer. She's quite intimidating, but the pastries and cakes are delicious!

My favorite in Berlin is Fassbender & Rausch. They have several huge sculptures made of chocolate that are just amazing. The have a giant counter where you can pick the chocolate that goes in your box and of course they have other stuff scattered around the store. Going in there while 5 months pregnant and only choosing a box that held 8 pieces was very hard. I had to even restrain myself with the stuff I was bringing home for others, that was hard. I can't wait to get back!

As for Munich there are plenty of wonderful shops for pastries, I've never had a bad one. I love to get the apple strudel with vanilla sauce at Hofbrauhaus or the Augustiner we go to. I also love the chocolate crossiants and fruit tarts. There is a nice, fairly large pastry/chocolate shop in Marienplatz that is always busy but good. I love to get the Ritter chocolate bars when we are in Germany.

I had one of the best cups of hot chocolate of my life at Cafe Gerbeaud in Budapest. It was 6 years ago but the memory lingers on! Mom and I stopped there to replenish after a fun but tiring afternoon in the great market hall.

James will likely have other Budapest suggestions. Happy planning and have a great trip!

In Berlin, I found Schokogalerie in Grosse Hamburger Strasse pretty good.

The food hall at KaDeWe in Berlin is epic for a reason:

http://www.kadewe.de/de/gourmet/

Faith,

i will be in some of those places this week and hope to try some or all of them out.

i can see that i will also be sending some chocolates home too.

happy trails.

I am 30 pounds lighter than I was this time last year (unfortunately 25 of those pounds came off before Christmas and just in the last month have I gotten rid of another 5). We arrive back home on 22nd of October after three weeks of travel and my goal is that when I step on the scale November 1st that I am the same weight I was when I left. I can see that that is going to be difficult, but I'll be darned if I'm going to deprive myself treats from places I may never have a chance to return to. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

In addition to the chocolates they sell on their main floor, Fassbender & Rausch, in Berlin, has a cafe upstairs. You can get a full meal, but we just had pastries and coffee. (Twice!) Their desserts are to die for; and the prices are fairly reasonable, compared to those here for similar quality offerings.

Just about any bakery in Germany will do the trick for pastry. Every town has at least one, and they're easy to find in cities.

There is nothing fancy about this common German bakery treat, but it's one of the things I really miss: the Amerikaner. It's like the sliced off top of a yellow cupcake glazed with white icing, and it's the size of a saucer!

@ ruth,

That Amerikaner comment made me laugh.

I saw those all over Hamburg and Koln when i was there last year. I took a side trip to Remagan when i was in Koln and had some time to wonder the small cute town before the train arrived so i had some coffee and dessert in the local cafe/bakery. I finally asked what those black/brown and white things were and the woman baker came out and looked me straight in they eye and said they were "Amerikaners - Soft and Sweet". I had a good laugh at that since im sure she wanted to see my reaction.

I didnt have any but i had some of of the other desserts there.

happy trails.

Faith, I don't have a specific bakery in mind, but when we were in Budapest, I tried Kürtőskalács or a "chimney cake". I LOVED it. I found one at a little place by the Matthias Church. It's been four years, so I can't remember the name of the place I bought it at, but it was so yummy. Here's an article showing you what it is and how it's made. http://visitbudapest.travel/articles/kurtoskalacs-a-sweet-spiral-shaped-hungarian-pastry/ If you do a search online, you'll be able to find a place that sells them. Enjoy!!!

I know I'm late to answer but my faves for cakes/tortes:

Berlin - The Operncafe near the opera house. My favorite place for a small bowl of soup and then a piece of cake. They must have 25 or more varieties. Nice atmosphere too. Whenever we're in Berlin we stop here.

Munich - Rischart cafe on the Marienplatz. Again, wonderful tortes and cakes, ice cream, as well as simple lunch food (wiener wuerstchen and potato salad)

Prague. We enjoyed a street food pastry that was cooked by a rolling barbeque. I think its called "Trdelník".
http://goeasteurope.about.com/od/foodsandsouvenirs/ss/Trdelnik-Rolled-Pastries-In-Prague-And-Slovakia.htm