This is a large place when all the floors are factored in. It was very crowded both times we went in. It seemed as though staying around longer than expected for eating or drinking was frowned upon. The food was excellent and service was fast. The reason for the higher prices was the poor exchange rate at the time. It is a short walk from the Dom. See www.frueh.de.

The local beer in Cologne is called Kölsch. It is a light beer – light in color, calories, and alcohol content and very drinkable. Kölsch is usually served in narrow straight up glasses in sizes of 200 or 300 cc. Naturally many breweries compete to produce the golden drink, and most have restaurants and beer gardens in their breweries.

Brauhaus Früh is one of the famous Kölsch breweries and its location, almost in the shadow of the Cathedral, is hard to beat. It consists of a series of restaurants serving from various menus. Outside facing the street is the beer garden, a pleasant place to sit and have a Kölsch while watching the passing show. Only light snacks are served here, and then also slightly grudgingly. The Kölsch flows freely however and reasonably priced at Euro 1.30 per 200 ml.

Inside on three different levels are three different restaurants serving from slightly different menus. The cellar has seating for up to 100 people and some of the rooms on the ground floor can seat up to 280. On the second floor is a more traditional restaurant, which in addition to Kölsch also has a wine list!

The menu range from what you would expect in a German brewery – such as sauerkraut, potato variations, and different kind of sausages – to fairly sophisticated dishes. Local specialties and season dishes also features prominently. We had Bockwurst with Sauerkraut, Bratkartoffeln, chicken breast in a white wine sauce – which was divine – and a lot of Kölsch for around Euro 30. Service was surprisingly fast.

The Brauhaus is big and busy but have many waiters, and the drinks and food came fast. It gets busy, smoky, and noisy but the atmosphere is generally congenial. I would, however, advise ignoring rooms where large groups of male football or other club supporters are dominating.

The second floor is apparently much more upscale with views of the Cathedral. I was planning to take a peek but the stairs seemed somewhat steeper and higher upon leaving the establishment than it was earlier in the evening, so I never went up.

Früh is not a hidden secret and is very popular with locals and tourists alike. Reservations are recommended for larger groups or you may be in for a long wait. Smaller groups can have a Kölsch in the bar or passages while waiting to be seated.

Früh Kölsch is served in many establishments in Cologne. Although beer generally travels well, why take the risk if you can drink it close to home and at very reasonable prices?

This is the home of the Früh brewery, one of the city´s many producers of Kölsch, a light beer distinctive to this city. You can order beer in a tall, thin glass called a stange, which holds 0.2 liters. The brewery also offers a wide selection of typical German food, ranging from sausage and sauerkraut to beef, chicken, and pork. This is a great place to soak up the traditional German beerhall atmosphere.