Bar Centrale - Munich

Best hot chocolate in Munich! It really is melted chocolate, if you wait too long it thickens up. Hmmmmm. Bar Centrale truly is a tiny café. In the front there is a tiny Italian style-like standing area. People drop in for an espresso or quick cappuccino, just after work or a shopping trip. Coffees are delicious!!! Not a place you'd go to catch up with an old friend you haven't seen in ages, as it is more a quick in, quick out thing, but still kind of cozy. I don't know about the seating area. As far as I could see the kitchen is tiny but the food looked and smelled nice. Also very handy as it is very central: a few steps off Hofbräuhaus.

For those who actually like being reminded that they are in fact in the middle of Europe, this great little place does well. Although it may seem snobby to some, for me it has the essence of Munich from the young and cool to the middle age guy standing at the corner of the bar drinking his macchiatto. The front room captures the more traditional Italian Cafe style and does have that 'rapido' feel which is part of its energy however the back room is more 'moderno minimale' and in fact, ideal for a catch up over a few drinks. Food is as Italian as the waiters. Mains are reasonable in price and quality, although probably not about to win a Michellin star. The snacks however, which include standard variations of the panini/focaccia theme (i.e Italian toasted sandwiches) are text-book examples of their kind and go exceptionally well with a coffee. Drinks are also fine, though, for those wanting to pay €4.50 for a decent cocktail, I would suggest, well, perhaps Prague...

BubblyLady you find that too? That is the most amazing hot choclate - almost as thick as pudding, and you can watch how they use this 50`ish choc maker. Pretentious - yeah in Munich often places with great interior design attract that sort of crowd. Why is it that? Is it a Munich problem?

I work right around the corner from the place and we have lunch here every now and then. The spinach ravioli with the creamy cheese sauce is absolutely delicious! Unfortunately quite heavy though, so you end up preferring a siesta over getting back to work...but oh well.

I used to love this place, but their refusal to implement the smoking ban while turning it into a "private club" means that I will never, ever step into Bar Centrale again. What a pack of losers.

Not true. It's the Centrale in Schwabing that introduced this stupid system of a "private club".