A banner with the word “recommendations” in bold letters, featuring images of historic buildings, a cathedral, and a stylized hand icon pointing downward—perfect for highlighting top sites on your Freewalk Cologne tour.

Our Recommendations in Cologne!

The best restaurants? The best cafés, clubs, bars, pubs in Cologne? Where do the locals hang out? Everybody has the same questions about recommendations when new in a city. However, it’s not always easy to find the right answer whereas for us Cologne locals, the answers are so simple.

We love Cologne and we want everybody else to love the city as well. So these are the places you should check out when in town and the recommendations below will help you get there!

A banner with the text sites & attractions in bold letters, framed in yellow, over a collage of city landmarks—including scenes from a freewalk Cologne tour—featuring buildings, a church, and boats on the river under a blue sky.

Museums

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Cologne Chocolate Museum

Duftmuseum im Farina Haus

EL-DE Haus

Kölnisches Stadtmuseum

Museum Ludwig

Mustard Museum

Roman-Germanic Museum

TIMERIDE Cologne

Churches

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Basilica of St. Ursula

Cologne Cathedral

St. Agnes

St. Gereon

Sites

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Brüsseler Platz

Cologne Triangle

Cologne Zoological Garden

Eigelstein-Torburg

Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln

Hahnen Gate

Hiroshima-Nagasaki Park

Melatenfriedhof

Rheinboulevard

Rhein-Seilbahn

Severinstorburg

Stadtwald

Shelves of T-shirts, bottles, and postcards surround a sign reading “shopping & souvenirs” in teal letters, highlighting various gifts and memorabilia—including exclusive Freewalk Cologne—available in the store.

Clothing

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Dressgoat

Ehrenfeld Apparel

Fairfitters

Green Guerillas

kiss the inuit

Magasin Populaire

Souvenirs & Design

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Agnes & Astaire

blickWERKE Vintage & Interieur

Früh Shop

Hurra

Mrs. Goodwill

Schee

Siebte Himmel

Things We Like

Food & Drink

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Belle Booze Cocktail Boutique

Gott erhalt’s! Bierladen

Köln Rum Kontor

A banner with the text “local cologne cuisine” over images of street signs, a restaurant interior, and a traditional building in Cologne, Germany—perfect for highlighting Freewalk Cologne food tours.

Check out the different brewery & restaurant recommendations that feature some of Cologne’s local delicacies!

  • Bei Oma Kleinmann
  • Brewery Päffgen
  • Früh am Dom
  • Gaffel am Dom
  • Gaststätte Lommerzheim
  • Max Stark
  • Oma’s Küche
  • Peters Brauhaus
  • Rievkoochebud Reibekuchen
A banner featuring the text bars, breweries & beer gardens over a collage of pub and brewery entrances with vintage signs and decorative exteriors, capturing the vibrant spirit of a freewalk cologne adventure.

Breweries

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Brauerei zur Malzmühle

Braustelle

Brewery Päffgen

Das Zappes

Gaffel am Dom

Früh am Dom

HELLERS Brauhaus

Peters Brauhaus

Reissdorf am Hahnentor

Schreckenskammer

Bars

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Bumann & Sohn

Im Leuchtturm

Joode Lade

Kajtek

La Ola Büdchen

KRAUTIs

Metronom

Seiberts

Suderman

Rosebud Bar Cologne

Toddy Tapper

Beer Gardens

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HELLERS Volksgarten

Biergarten Rathenauplatz Veedelstreff

Biergarten “Schwimmbad”

A banner with the words international cuisine in bold teal text, overlaid on a collage of diverse restaurant and food images from different cultures, inspired by the vibrant streets of freewalk Cologne.

Italian

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Antica Pizzeria Nennillo

CARUSO Pastabar

Pasta Werkstatt

Pizzeria Da Franco

Pizzeria Made In Napoli

Pizzeria Totò e Peppino

Restaurant Il Bagutta

Ristorante Toscanini

485Grad Filiale Kwartier Latäng

485Grad Filiale Südstadt

Chinese, Korean & Japanese

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Bai Lu Noodles

Daikan Izakaya Bar

Downtowner Korean Urban Restaurant

Sweet Sushi

Turkish

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Doy Doy Palast

Kepabland

Oruç Kebap

Öz Harran Doy Doy

Indian, Thai & Vietnamese

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Chok Dee

Chum Chay

Ginti Indian Restaurant

Krua Thai 

LU Vietnamese

Nam 

1980 – Cafe und Bành Mì

Banner with “cheap eats” in bold letters over a collage of various food stalls and restaurants, suggesting affordable dining options you can discover on your next freewalk cologne tour.

Looking to not break the bank while eating in Cologne? Here are some recommendations to try:

  • Beirut
  • Falafel König
  • Habibi Köln
  • Kebapland
  • Pinocchio
  • Rievkoochebud
A banner reads vegan & vegetarian in bold letters, overlaying a collage of freewalk Cologne restaurant scenes with tables, chairs, and a food counter in a casual, cozy setting.

Following a plant-based diet or just avoiding meat? Here are some of our favorites:

  • Bunte Burger
  • Chum Chay
  • Edelgrün
  • Mashery
  • Mei Wok
  • Ngon Veggie
  • Udum Vegan Restaurant
  • Veganland Çiğköfte Ehrenfeld
  • Veganland Çiğköfte Weidengasse
  • Well Being Restaurant
Text burgers & lunch over a collage of restaurant and café scenes in freewalk cologne, featuring outdoor seating, shop signs, and a warm, cozy interior with hanging lights and wooden accents.

Burgers

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Beef Brothers

Beef Brothers 2.0

Bunte Burger (Vegan)

Die Fette Kuh

Freddy Schilling

Freddy Schilling

Lunch

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Habibi Köln

Pescado – Fish & More

Puszta-Hütte

Raph’s BBQ Deli

Rich`N Greens

Rievkoochebud Reibekuchen

1980 – Cafe und Bành Mì

A banner with photos of café interiors and exteriors, featuring the word “cafés” in bold, green letters in the center on a white background with a yellow border, perfect for showcasing Freewalk Cologne’s coffee tour highlights.

Breakfast or coffee on your mind? We’ve got you covered! Check out these for both:

  • Bastian’s
  • blooming coffee roastery & coffee-bar
  • Café Elefant
  • Café Walter
  • The Coffee Gang
  • easylivin’
  • hommage café
  • Jlöcklich Barista Café
  • Kaffeehaus Treibgut Köln
  • Kaffeesaurus
  • Südgold
  • Parmigiano

We want to give credit for many of our recommendations to our guides and especially to Christian Zabawa! He helped put together a comprehensive list of some of our favorite places.  Follow him on Instagram to see some of his truly beautiful photos of our city and beyond!

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