Bavarian and Japanese cuisine: live music on the side

Nomiya offers an elegant blend of Japanese food and Bavarian gemütlichkeit (a feeling of warmth, friendliness and good cheer – the German version of hygge). The rustic Japanese tavern and restaurant has been run by Ferdinand “Ferdi” Schuster for over 20 years, and has become an institution in the Haidhausen district, on the eastern bank of the Isar. Occasionally, guests are regaled with impromptu performances by local musicians. Yakitori and sushi go well with cold beer in traditional half-litre steins. And be sure to ask for a Tilmans, a fine local lager made by young independent brewer Tilman Ludwig.
• Small plates from €2, mixed sushi plate €17.50, Wörthstrasse 7, nomiya.de

Spuds you’ll like

The 19th-century Viktualienmarkt (closed Sundays) is a stop on every city tour. But once you’re done looking at piles of horse-meat sausages and sampling exotic fruits and expensive cheese, walk to the market’s southern end, where Domi and Theo of Caspar Plautz serve all things potato. In 2017, they grabbed the rare opportunity to acquire a stall, and took it on themselves to reshape the image of the tuber. Next to crates of colourful varieties sourced from the region is a small kitchen from where the boys serve delicious seasonal dishes, from hash browns to stew and baked potatoes. But these are not just any baked potatoes – they come with accompaniments such as smoked trout, sour cream, cucumber, apple, wasabi and mustard caviar (from €5-€8).
• Viktualienmarkt Abt III, stand 38, casparplautz.de

Swim in the river

A swim in the River Isar on a hot day followed by a bike ride around the city in the evening sunshine is the ultimate summer experience in Munich. The best spot to take a dip is between the Reichenbach and Wittelsbacher bridges, in the parkland known as Frühlingsanlagen, where you feel a million miles from one of Germany’s biggest cities. A set of big stone steps lead to a stretch where the water is deep enough to do proper swimming strokes.

An inclusive club

For a wild night out, head to the Deutsches Museum, where the Blitz Club (entry usually €15) opened in an annexe two years ago. The custom-built sound system is phenomenal and the programming specialises in contemporary electronic dance music with an emphasis on techno. The quality roster includes local residents and international artists like Skee Mask and Zenker Brothers. At the monthly Cruise night you’re guaranteed to meet an open-minded crowd, and the fact that there’s a queer fetish party in the heart of the city is in itself great.
• Museumsinsel 1, access via Ludwigsbrücke, blitz.club

Hear it on the radio

On the second floor of the Container Collective – an assembly of repurposed cargo containers near the Ostbahnhof train station and hosting everything from an art space to a motorbike shop – is the studio of the community online station Radio 80000. The non-commercial station was founded in April 2015 and has played a vital role in the city’s music scene, acting as both a hub and incubator – and it played a major role in the forming of our band, too. In the evening, the station puts on live shows, and music lovers are always welcome at the bar downstairs and on the terrace, to listen to the eclectic and always high quality sounds coming from the studio inside.
• Atelierstrasse 4, radio80k.de

A taste of Sicily

There are many great Italian restaurants in Munich but Der Sizilianer is my favourite. Run by Palermo native Roberto Careri and his family, it is all about simplicity and authenticity. The first things that greet you in this tiny space are the smell of espresso and the soundtrack of Italian radio. Strings of garlic and cooking pans hang from the ceiling, a few mismatched tables and stools are pushed up to the window, and behind the counter, Roberto cooks lunch (it doesn’t open in the evenings) on two hotplates – usually a choice of pasta dishes, perhaps farfalle with salmon and radicchio, and a vegetarian one, such as tortelli al pomodoro (€8-10). There’s also a variety of snacks such as arancini (€4.50), Sicilian-style thick crust pizza, panini, and a selection of Italian pastries. The food is sublime, the atmosphere homely.
• Balanstrasse 25, on Facebook

Low lighting, high times

Underneath a neon sign that fittingly just reads “Bar” is a glass door and, down a few stairs, the low-lit premises of Cucurucu (free entry). Tobi and Peter, who run the place, know how to set a mood: at weekends (starting Thursdays) DJs play everything from dub to sega, mostly with a vinyl-only policy. The course of the night can vary greatly, from intimate talks at the bar to a dancing frenzy till 5am. However, like most places in Munich, Cucurucu develops its full potential in the summer when the terrace is open. A BBQ, DJs and concerts make for a stunning atmosphere less than two minutes from the main station.
• Elisenstrasse 5, on Facebook

Go digging for records

Public Possession is both a label and a record store, run by Marvin and Valentino since 2013. Their finely curated stock includes a lot of records by Munich labels and artists, such as SVS Records, Ilian Tape – or my band Fazer, for that matter. There are always interesting people around and sometimes I just linger, getting on the nerves of whoever is at the counter. Next door, and accessible through the store, is Shrn, a skateshop run by my friend Simon that’s also worth a visit once you’re done digging.
• Klenzestrasse 16, publicpossession.com

Art for all

In the arcades of the historic Hofgarten, designed in the early 17th century by Maximilian I as an Italian-style Renaissance garden, the Kunstverein has been a platform for contemporary art and discourse for almost 200 years, and is one of the oldest German art associations. Despite its proud history, the gallery still fosters a progressive agenda, working closely with students from the Academy of Fine Arts, and other cultural cells like Radio 80000. There are film and video screenings, artist talks and performances, and what’s great about this place is that it makes you feel like a participant rather than a visitor. This sense of being met at eye level, no matter what your background, is still too unusual in the arts world. Plus, the Kunstverein is never too stuffy to close an exhibition with a blasting Eurorave party.
• Galeriestrasse, kunstverein-muenchen.de

Women’s work

One of the city’s lesser known museums, but arguably one of the best is the Sammlung Goetz in Oberföhring. Built by renowned Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron in a park-like setting, it is home to a collection of contemporary conceptual works by predominantly female artists through drawings, graphics, paintings, photographs and room-based installations. A visit is only possible with prior booking via the website, but admission is free of charge. If you need time to contemplate afterwards, take a walk through the English Garden on the other side of the Isar back to the city (about an hour).
• Oberföhringer Straße 103, sammlung-goetz.de

Getting there
Several airlines, including British Airways, Lufthansa, easyJet, Airberlin and Eurowings, fly to Munich from various UK airports from £23.16 one way.

When to go there
Frühlingsfest (Springfest) is Munich’s other beer festival – the same festivities and same location, just in spring (26 April-12 May) rather than October, and with smaller crowds.

Where to stay

The Bavaria Boutique Hotel, in the west end of the city, has doubles from €127 room-only (Gollierstrasse 9)

Prices
£1 = €1.16. A stein (½ litre) of beer is €3.75.

Martin Brugger is bassist for and producer of the band Fazer. Their second album, Nadi, is out on 12 April