Hirschgarten

Hirschgartenallee 1
80639 Munich
(089) 17999119; FAX (089) 17999117

One of the very best of all Munich's beer gardens, the Hirschgarten should not be missed on any visit to the Bavarian capital. It's the largest beer garden in the world at 8,000-plus seats, but big is more than just better. The best fast-food and snack outlet in the city is another reason for making this trip. It's actually on the spacious grounds of Nymphenburg Palace, but its real claim to fame is the enclosure of deer (OK, and some goats too) that is like a small petting zoo for the kids (they can feed them through the fence). Hirschgarten remains one of the very few beer gardens still adhering to the age-old tradition of selecting your own liter mug from a rack, rinsing it out yourself at a nearby fountain, and then taking it straight to the ausschank for a fast fill-up with Munich's (make that the world's) best-tasting beer: Augustiner Edelstoff. What could be better than that? Hirschgarten gets 5 beers, easy.

Beer: Augustinerbräu

Seating: 8000 Beer Garden; 320 Restaurant

Hours: 9 a.m. to 12 midnight

Web Presence: www.hirschgarten.de

Rating: 5 Beers