My favorite German restaurant outside Germany – Brotzeit, Singapore

German restaurants abroad are usually a caricature involving lots of beer, humpa music, dirndl dresses and bad Bavarian food – I’m not a big fan of any of it and usually avoid them. Not so with Brotzeit in Singapore: It became one of my favorite restaurants while I was living in Singapore with multiple convenient locations, good beer and one of the most authentic representations of German food I’ve found outside Germany!

Brotzeit has multiple locations in Singapore and they are equally good. The Brotzeit at Vivo City, near our home, has outdoor seating overlooking Keppel Bay and indoor seating as well. The Brotzeit at Sommerset has outdoor seating facing the walking street from Sommerset mall to Orchard Road (walking distance to Marriott Orchard hotel) as well as indoor seating upstairs. The seating is beer garden style with wooden tables and benches with leather upholstery – a lot more comfortable than a regular beer garden! The service is attentive, menus are brought quickly and orders are taking as soon as you are ready. The service is friendly, by both Singaporean and German standards.

The menu, of course, starts with a selection of beer, from a light lager to a dark beer, as well as a selection of seasonal beer. It comes in different sizes to fit your appetite. Prices are a little lower during happy hour, but – like anywhere in Singapore – always high compared to Germany! The menu is a broad selection of food from different regions in Germany. Among the appetizers you’ll find one of the best Goulash soups in Asia, thick and stew-like with lots of beef in it! It’s a generous portion and tastes great. There are also big Pretzle or German cold cuts and cheese on offer, so you can select a few to go with your happy hour beer. If you are planning on a full dinner, you can proceed to the main courses: My favorite is the Veal Goulash with Spaetzle and, again, it’s hard to find a better one in Asia! The veal comes in large chunks of tender meat, you can cut it with your fork. The sauce is mild and tasty and the Spaetzle are firm on the outside and a little soft at the core, just the way they are supposed to be. Another great option is the Wienerschnitzel, which deserves its name! It fills the large plate is very thinly cut and with a nice, light and crispy batter. All the main course portions are huge, so you want to bring a good appetite or plan on sharing as a group! Of course it wouldn’t be a German restaurant without a selection of sausages. They are available in individual (large) portions or as a share platter to give everybody a try of different tastes.

SIN Brotzeit - 2Probably the only thing not authentic German about the restaurant is that the beer most of the time is not filled to the mark – OUTRAGE! That would most certainly cause riots in Germany, but can be forgiven considering the good food. If you have never tried German food or never liked it in the past, it’s time to give it a try at Brotzeit in Singapore. You’ll get generous portions of very good food in a nice setting with friendly service – what more could you ask for? We have introduced a number of friends to the restaurant, recommend it wholeheartedly and will certainly be back. Fortunately for us and for Manila, there are now two (and soon three) outlets in Manila and I will report back on how they compare to the “original” in Singapore!


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