Düsseldorf and Cologne lie very close to each other in Western Germany, in the Rhine region. We happen to have friends in both cities, Doris and Malte from the Bionics Systems in Düsseldorf, Martina and Tilman from the Büro für Brauchbarkeit in Cologne, all involved in Design and new media. Check out their work.
Cologne is a great city although it is known in Germany for not being the prettiest, for it was badly bombed during WWII. Still, there are very nice areas and this mix of styles makes the charm of the place. The aesthetics of Cologne is somewhat balanced by its locals. The Rhinelanders’ friendliness and humor are legendary (I know a few of them and I can only agree), a characteristic which makes the stay there even more enjoyable.
I’ve discovered Düsseldorf a bit more this time and found its architectural development very interesting – some parts of the city are like in Cologne, some others like in Hamburg. The Medienhafen (media shore) was designed by Frank Gehry (of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum fame) is worth seeing for the buildings and to enjoy a nice walk by the river.
For the food, our friends in Düsseldorf took us to their local cafe, “Bar Apartment“, in Fürstenplatz. If you like to have breakfast or lunch enjoying a local flair, this is the right spot. The place opened in August 2008 and is owned by Evelyn Wodniok (see picture below) and Mirko Gathge. The vintage designers’ furniture provides the cafe with a lounge-homy feeling. The food is simple, freshly-made and is perfect for a light lunch. We had Portuguese sandwiches with salami and salmon, the Greek, fennel-walnuts and potatoe salads. Artworks are hanging on the wall, they organize exhibitions approximately every 2-3 months.
Portuguese salami sandwich and the very popular rhubarb juice and sparkling water, a rhubarb-Schorle
They only accept cash
Fürstenplatz 5
40215 Düsseldorf, Germany
tel: 0211 38735366
Open
Weekdays 9am-2pm; Weekends 10am-2pm
Back in Cologne we met our friends for dinner at this “new” burger place “Freddy Schilling – Hamburger Manufaktur“. Burger places have bloomed during the last few years in Berlin. I’ve tried a few of them and I gotta say, this one here is really good. I’m no beef fan so I had a veggie burger, although the meaty burgers looked and tasted, so I hear, delicious. One of the specialty of the house are the “Rosi’s”, baby potatoes cooked in butter and rosemary.
They do not sell any alcohol so in case you need to use the loo, try somewhere else. No loo, no alcohol license.
Bruno’s Brenner, BBQ/hot burger and the Freddy’s Favorit, classic burger
Tante Tatjana’s Burger here with the famous and unforgettable rosemary potatoes
Anna’s Alternative, veggie burger also with the rosemary potatoes. There isn’t actually a burger like you
would expect. It’s only vegetables.
Kyffhäuserstrasse 34
D-50674 Cologne
Tel: +49 (0)221 / 16 95 55 15
Fax:+49 (0)221 / 16 95 55 16
kontakt@freddyschilling.de
Open:
Monday to Thursday 12:00 – 22:00
Friday and Saturday 12:00 – 23:00
Sunday closed
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