Solo dining at Sophia’s Restaurant, Munich
I recently switched jobs, and just like last year, when I used the time to eat my way around London, I made sure to have some time off in between. I spent most of it in the Basque Country (more on that trip here), but before that, I also had two days in Munich with nothing to do but explore, and of course, eat!
So on Day 1, I decided to treat myself and do what I often did in London: dine solo. There can often be a stigma around this, but I do enjoy it every now and then – it is a great way to disconnect, really enjoy a meal, and just have some “me time”. I wanted to stay close to home, so I chose Sophia’s Restaurant & Bar near the Hauptbahnhof (Central Station). Their menu is normally pretty pricy (€75 for the 4-course dinner menu), but their lunch offering is incredibly reasonable: €21 for two courses, including coffee (it said espresso, but I had a latte macchiato with no questions asked)!
Located in the 5* Charles Hotel, Sophia’s was surprisingly quiet when I went (then again, it was midday on a Thursday!). I loved the natural light pouring into the place, and the service was very friendly and cordial, reminding me of London. As I was by myself, the waitress even offered me a newspaper, and when she brought over a huge bottle of free tap water to boot, I was sold (not getting free tap water in Germany is one of my greatest peeves… read more about that here).
I had the fish rillette to start, which was beautifully arranged and surprisingly substantial. The fresh bread alongside, together with some gorgeous Sicilian olive oil, was a promising start to the meal.
I then opted for a chicken main, which was slightly against my nature – as I often cook chicken at home, I find it is a waste to order it in a restaurant. However, Sophia’s definitely made sure it wasn’t! The chicken skin was superbly crispy, and the meat inside soft as butter. The crispy polenta slabs on the side were outstanding, and the rosemary and thyme flavours shone without being too overpowering. I would have liked an additional vegetable on the side rather than just peppers, but I had zero complaints about the peppers themselves.
My lovely waitress remembered that I had asked for a latte macchiato rather than an espresso, and brought it to me shortly after I finished the food. I was surprised and delighted to find out that it was accompanied by three large and slightly rustic chocolate slabs! They were clearly homemade, and ranged from white to dark with different chunks of fruit and nuts. Absolutely delicious (and this is coming from a Swiss person)!
If you are visiting Munich, I highly recommend Sophia’s Restaurant & Bar for a quiet, high-quality lunch – the location is so central that you can easily fit it into your itinerary. And if you live here, all the more reason to eschew the usual Italian and treat yourself 😊
