The Best Restaurants In Düsseldorf's Aldstadt, Germany

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Located in the center of Aldstadt on one of Düsseldorf’s oldest streets, Bolkerstraße, Schweine Janes has been a go-to place for traditional German comfort food for over 30 years. While classics like schnitzel making an appearance on the menu, Schweine Janes is best known for its variety of grilled and roasted cuts of pork and beef, especially the schweinehaxe (roasted ham hock). While certainly not the lightest of meals, it’s perfect on a chilly day and great when washed down with a stein of one of the restaurant’s reasonably priced local beers.

The French and the Germans haven’t always been the most culturally compatible. However, the opposite is true at Parlin-Essen und Weinbar, located just off the banks of the Rhine River. There, German and French cuisines peacefully occupy the same menu, giving diners unexpected diversity within the realm of familiarity. For once, it is possible to enjoy fois gras terrine and Weiner schnitzel during the same meal. The same cultural mixing also proliferates on Parlin’s wine list. So, whether you decide to go German, French or somewhere in between, just be sure to save room for the tarte tatin at the end!

Like Schweine Janes, Zum Schiffchen (meaning “small boat”) specializes in traditional German comfort food. However, this restaurant has been doing so for at least 380 years, starting in 1628, when Wilhelm Hütten opened Zum Schiffchen as an inn and brewery outside the city walls. It is officially the oldest restaurant in Düsseldorf and despite clientèle as distinguished as Napoleon, this brauhaus has always made a point to appeal to the average Joe. House specialties, such as schinken-schweinehaxe (grilled pork knuckle) and Weiner schnitzel, as well as the beer, all remain reasonably priced and supremely tasty.

Located on the Rhine Promenade, GOSCH-Der Sylter Fischkutter is the perfect place to enjoy a meal of fresh seafood along with stunning views of the waters. This serve-yourself seafood restaurant was the brainchild of Jürgen Gosch, who, in 1967, opened a small fish shack on Sylt Island in northern Germany. Today, there are several other locations and variations all over the country. If it’s in stock, try the eel along with a glass of wine – Gosch’s own original product.