Ludwig im Museum

There are places that surprise – for example, because they combine opposites or meet many requirements at the same time. Like a café with a view of one of Cologne's highlights, centrally located in the city, yet so tucked away that even during peak visitor times, you often still find a seat.

You will find such a place with high airy rooms in the Ludwig in the Museum. Here you look through a huge window front out onto the Hohenzollern Bridge, unless you enjoy the direct view from the terrace – with cakes, small or large dishes that carry the label “Organic,” “Regional,” or “Homemade” as often as possible. All this directly above the Cologne Philharmonic and connected to the Museum Ludwig.

Sustainable, selected, self-harvested: as often as possible

What comes to the table at the Ludwig in the Museum is as often as possible organic, regional, fresh, homemade, and of selected quality. Animal welfare, sustainability, and transparency of origin are the focus of the offered dishes. A large part of the vegetables used and the fresh herbs come from the Alexianer monastery garden in Porz, the asparagus during asparagus season comes from Nievenheim near Dormagen, and the fruit is harvested from our own orchard to make homemade lemonades, apple jams, and compotes.

The list goes on: The meat comes from local farmers, for example, from the Bergisches Land, the fish comes from a fish farm just outside Cologne. The olive oil has been self-harvested in the southern Peloponnes since 2016. Even pasta and cakes are made by Ludwig itself, so that depending on the time of day, a tempting chocolate scent wafts through the Ludwig.

Selected wines, specially composed with winemakers, juices from the Bergisches, and the multiple gold-awarded coffee from its own roastery in Cologne on Aachener Straße complete the food and drink menu.

Menu of Ludwig in the Museum

The menu is always tailored to your visit – with breakfast, snacks in between, cakes, main courses, and desserts. Here, classics like Coq au Vin or pasta dishes mix with interesting twists – whether vegetarian, vegan, or freegan. Monthly specials, Sunday specials, and seasonal specialties provide variety if you visit more than once.

Location: in the city, in the museum, by the Rhine

Between Cologne Cathedral, Hohe Straße, and the Rhine, and thus directly at Cologne Central Station, the Ludwig in the Museum is located right in the cosmopolitan scene – and also in the Museum Ludwig, Cologne's famous museum for 20th-century art and contemporary art, and above the Kölner Philharmonie (Cologne Philharmonic). Thanks to the large floor-to-ceiling windows and the terrace, you have a view of the Hohenzollern Bridge from the café/restaurant depending on your seat.

Thanks to its somewhat hidden location, even on busy days like weekends or other peak times, you have a good chance of finding a free seat here.

A little insider tip: If you visit the Cologne Philharmonic below, you can use the spiral staircase to the Ludwig in the Museum before and after the concerts – for a glass of wine and small dishes with your companions or as a culinary prelude to a cultural evening.

Events at Ludwig Restaurant & Café

You might also find your way to the Ludwig in the Museum during events you participate in during your Cologne visit, like Crime Cologne, the Dance into May, or a reading.