15 tips for exceptional restaurantsExciting food

Rheinturm, Düsseldorf
On the Rheinturm, at a height of around 170 metres, you can not only enjoy the finest sushi at Qomo, but also a fantastic view over the old town, the Rhine and the trendy Medienhafen. On a clear day, you can even see the spires of Cologne Cathedral. As the restaurant rotates, the view can sweep in all directions. You can also enjoy a sunset cocktail at lofty heights.
www.rheinturm.de

Ettelsberg cable car, Willingen
The mountain railway cabins of the Ettelsberg cable car in Willingen in the Sauerland region are transformed into a floating restaurant at various times throughout the year: caterers set the table in the panoramic cabins and serve selected dishes as you glide slowly up to the high heath. The gondola menu is part of the Willingen Stroll Days twice a year. Groups can also book it outside the opening hours of the gondola lift.
www.ettelsberg-seilbahn.de

Zollverein, Essen
The casino at the Zollverein Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site in Essen exudes a charm all of its own as it combines industrial culture with sophisticated chic: candlelit chandeliers hang from the high ceilings of the former compressor hall, which are supported by massive exposed concrete pillars. Wooden floorboards meet machine parts and the exposed ventilation system adds to the industrial flair of the place. The cuisine is young and creative with traditional regional influences. Crime dinners are also organised regularly.
www.casino-zollverein.de

Landscape Park, Duisburg
The disused Thyssen steelworks in Duisburg-Meiderich is the spectacular centrepiece of the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park. The blast furnace plant is free to visit and if you want to take a break, the former main shed is the place to be. Here, under steel beams and old machine parts, bistro-style crossover cuisine with regional influences such as currywurst is served. A visit is particularly recommended in the evening when the disused blast furnace is colourfully illuminated.
www.landschaftspark.de

Mine, Bestwig
The Ramsbeck visitor mine in Bestwig, Sauerland, takes you 300 metres underground for a pit-light dinner. A three-course meal is served in the light of candles and "frogs", the old miners' lamps, accompanied by miners' songs and classical music. The dinner is combined with a guided tour of the visitor mine, led by former miners.
www.hotel-nieder.de

Red Wagon, Kleve
In Kleve, right next to the trolley station, there is a former train carriage that has been converted into a small snack bar with a beer garden. The food in the "Red Wagon" is predominantly vegan, much of it gluten-free. There are also regular events.
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Glückundseligkeit, Bielefeld
Hardly any other restaurant in Germany has such high ceilings: "Glückundseligkeit" in Bielefeld is housed in a former church. When it opened in 2005, the Martini Church was the first church in Germany to be used entirely for catering purposes. The menu is wide-ranging - from tandoori salmon to pizza with bratwurst and chips to duck with napkin dumplings.
www.glueckundseligkeit.de

Türnich Castle, Kerpen
Many castles in NRW also offer catering in an impressive setting. One very special place is Türnich Castle in Kerpen near Cologne, the only fully preserved baroque castle in the Rhineland. Its landlord, Count Severin von Hoensbroech, has made it his mission to restore this badly damaged jewel. The café serves organic ingredients from the castle's own farm, including juices from the owner's farm. If you like, you can stroll through the award-winning castle park after a delicious meal.
www.schloss-tuernich.de

Severinstorburg, Cologne
The Severinstorburg on Cologne's Chlodwigplatz used to be part of the city wall, but today it is a well-known event location for weddings, for example. What is relatively new is that it also has a vineyard in front of its old walls. In good weather and temperatures above 20 degrees, you can enjoy delicious wine and Kölsch beer here.
www.facebook.com/severinstorburg

Liebhart's half-timbered village, Detmold
In a cosy half-timbered village in Detmold, friends of very different pleasures will be happy: baked goods, regional delicacies and organic beers from the house brewery are offered in the various half-timbered houses that the Liebhart family has faithfully rebuilt here. A brewhouse that once stood in the Nienhagen district forms the centrepiece of the half-timbered village. Coffee, tea and sweets are served on two levels in the historic "village shop".

In a cosy half-timbered village in Detmold, friends of very different pleasures will be happy: baked goods, regional delicacies and organic beers from the house brewery are offered in the various half-timbered houses that the Liebhart family has faithfully rebuilt here. A brewhouse that once stood in the Nienhagen district forms the centrepiece of the half-timbered village. Coffee, tea and sweets are served on two levels in the historic "village shop".
www.fachwerkdorf.de

Dishes of the ancient Romans, Xanten
In the LVR Archaeological Park Xanten the Roman inn serves up ancient Roman delicacies such as roast piglet or barley soup with flatbread. The food is cooked according to recipes from the famous Roman gourmet Apicius, who lived around the time of Christ's birth in what is now Cologne.
www.roemische-herberge.de