Swimming makes you hungry

RIEDEL Magazine, Issue 03 Autumn 2025 | Text: Stephanie Geiger | Reading time: 5 minutes

The best restaurants on Lake Starnberg Lake Starnberg is not only a destination for those seeking relaxation and nature lovers, but also a culinary paradise. Whether in one of the fine gourmet restaurants with lake views or in the traditional pubs in the charming villages – food lovers will find a wide variety of restaurants around the lake that impress with their quality, atmosphere and connection to the region. At Lake Starnberg, dining becomes an experience. Text: Stephanie Geiger

Note on the edition

This article is taken from the Autumn/Winter 2025/26 issue of RIEDEL Magazine. The establishments, menus, awards and offers mentioned are correct as at the time of publication. It is worth checking the current opening hours before visiting.

White-rendered country house with a half-hipped roof on a grassy hilltop, with the Alps visible behind it. — The Ilkahöhe Forest House captivates visitors with its unique location and authentic Bavarian charm, combined with modern touches.

Ilkahöhe Forest Lodge

The Ilkahöhe Forest House captivates guests with its unique location and authentic Bavarian charm, combined with modern influences.

The Ilkahöhe Forest House near Tutzing is widely renowned for its menu featuring traditional Bavarian dishes as well as light and modern fare, all prepared using seasonal and always fresh ingredients. In the beer garden, the Ilkahöhe delights guests with a varied selection of snacks, freshly tapped Augustiner beer and a panoramic view stretching from Lake Starnberg to the Alps. It also offers space for parties of up to 80 people.

Straight from the lake

Long, festively laid table in a bright hall whose wall of windows opens up a view across the lake. — Hall with panoramic windows

Aerial view of a white inn with turrets right on the wooded shore, with parasols and a jetty in the turquoise water in front. — The Midgardhaus, situated right on the lakeshore in Tutzing, serves the finest, fresh fish dishes and is a popular place to be, not least because of its enchantingly beautiful view of the lake.

Also in Tutzing, the Midgardhaus is a popular meeting place with its lakeside terrace, bistro area and lounge with conservatory. Our tip for smaller gatherings: the Seelounge on the first floor of the building, with its own lakeside balcony, cigar humidor and open-plan kitchen. The Bavarian-Mediterranean menu, which includes, amongst other things, a bouillabaisse from Lake Starnberg and local delicacies such as whitefish and char, invites you to linger a little longer. The five-course gourmet menu is also highly recommended.

Another tip in Tutzing: at Taverna Santorini, where the diverse Greek cuisine is celebrated, guests can let their imaginations wander to the Mediterranean.

The Bavarian-Mediterranean cuisine invites you to linger a little longer.

Essbar Vine & Gin

Laid tables with dark wicker chairs on a terrace by the water, with a sailing boat on the lake in the background. — Lakeside terrace of the Midgardhaus

Festively laid table with pink glasses and floral decorations in front of a wall of wine racks. — Savoir-vivre and ‘savoir-goûter’ whilst enjoying French delicacies in a unique atmosphere … that’s what Essbar Vine & Gin in Starnberg is all about.

Essbar Vine & Gin, right in the heart of Starnberg, brings a touch of French flair to the lake. That’s ‘savoir-vivre à la bavaroise’. This small but exquisite restaurant offers not only a wide selection of wines, cocktails and gins on its sunny terrace, but also superb cuisine. The menu features French escargots and calamari fritti with rouille, as well as salads, pasta and, of course, bouillabaisse. Their motto: “We bake everything ourselves. We cook fresh every day. We use only the highest-quality ingredients. We put a great deal of time and love into everything we do.”

Dark-toned restaurant room with tables laid in white and spherical lights below the ceiling. — The region’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, the gourmet restaurant Aubergine, offers fine dining in a sophisticated, elegant atmosphere.

Moments of pleasure by the water

The Strandhouse in the lakeside resort of Starnberg offers a stunning view across the lake and towards the Alps. Incidentally, the second floor can be rented separately for corporate events, weddings and other celebrations. If you prefer Bavarian and Croatian specialities, the Casino at the Munich Yacht Club is the place for you. The Casino at the Bavarian Yacht Club is also highly recommended. For a quick, healthy snack between meals, Lil. Green Kitchen in Starnberg serves delicious vegan bowls.

And then, of course, there’s the gourmet restaurant Aubergine at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Starnberg, which was awarded a Michelin star in November 2014 and has successfully retained it ever since. Aubergine is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in the region. In an elegant setting, head chef Maximilian Moser serves up exceptionally flavoursome menus that combine French sophistication with Asian accents and regional ingredients.

In Pöcking, La Villa is renowned for its exquisite cuisine. Incidentally, the restaurant is a perfect venue for dream weddings. Also highly recommended is the Gasthaus zum Fischmeister, with its wonderfully cosy dining rooms and culinary craftsmanship of the highest standard. The venison medallions and pike dumplings on the menu at the Fischmeister promise the utmost in culinary delight. The cuisine at the Forsthaus am See in Possenhofen is Bavarian-Italian, with Wolfgang Bartelmann – formerly of the Bücherjolle in Starnberg – as the host. Bartelmann doesn’t just love books; according to reports, he also loves cooking more than anything and is a connoisseur of fine red wine. A visit to the BeachBar Kleines Seehaus in Münsing is wonderfully relaxed and has the potential to become your favourite spot for watching sunsets.

Bavarian, down-to-earth, special

The cuisine at the Strandhotel in Berg is down-to-earth Bavarian, but of an excellent standard. Whether in the beer garden or on the lakeside terrace, the menu has something for everyone: roast pork with crispy crackling fresh from the oven, pan-fried char fillet or homemade cheese spaetzle. The Post in Aufkirchen is a country inn that prioritises regional ingredients to keep transport distances as short as possible. Whether it’s duck, lamb or game – the landlord knows exactly where the produce comes from. The ‘From Farm to Table’ concept is also put into practice at the Marina Seerestaurant in Bernried. The fresh produce is supplied by local farms and the family-owned Hofgut Bernried, whose hunting grounds also provide the roe deer.

A RIEDEL insider’s tip from the water’s edge

If surfing or whizzing across the water in a boat has left you feeling peckish or in the mood for a quick bite to eat, it’s best to pop into the Nordbad Tutzing. There, you can moor right by the jetty and enjoy, for example, the delicious ‘Seeluxe’ currywurst from the Tutzing butcher’s, served with homemade sauce, at the ‘Seerestaurant’.

RIEDEL’s perspective

The concentration of prime properties is one of the reasons why demand around Lake Starnberg remains so consistently high. Anyone looking for a property here is rarely just after square metres, but rather a setting where an evening by the lake happens naturally. What is striking is how varied the shores are: in Tutzing and Starnberg, the options range from country inns to Michelin-starred restaurants, whilst the eastern shore remains quieter and more typically Bavarian.

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