Cultural GDR restaurants in Dresden: memories and new trends!

Cultural GDR restaurants in Dresden: memories and new trends!

What do you think when you think of the gastronomy in GDR times? In Dresden there are many memories of the culinary highlights of that time. The article by

popular localities of the GDR

Another classic is the Café Prague on the Altmarkt. This “first socialist concert and dance café” was opened on December 20, 1956 and was a center of cultural life in the city for a long time. First of all, devoted to a fashion show, the café transformed into a variety theater with dance evenings and gastronomic offer from 1958. A place where artists from both German states appeared, it became an institution that was on everyone's lips until the closure in 1988. After several changes and closures, the house is used today as an Italian restaurant Aposto and Spielothek. de-academic.com impressively summarized the architecture and the cultural importance of the building.

food from the GDR period can also be found in the Luisenhof in Loschwitz, one of the few still operating restaurants from this era. This place known as the "Balcony Dresden" received guests since 1895, and even after the turn, the ambience was largely preserved. The current operators, Carsten and Carolin Rühle-Marten continue to rely on the tried and tested with traditional Saxon dishes. In the spirit of the nostalgic heritage, the rustic dishes are also located in the “Planism” restaurant, which has been popular with locals and tourists for over 30 years and is characterized by its “Ostalgie” charm.

traditional ambience and culinary experiences

In the "Planism" restaurant, which was opened in 1990 at the time of reunification, you can enjoy classic GDR dishes such as Soljanka or beef roulades. The cozy atmosphere with wooden furniture and rustic decoration attracts numerous guests. The beer garden is particularly recommended, where you can relax on warm summer evenings with friends and family. The menu also offers seasonal dishes and regional specialties and online reservations, especially on weekends ( so lives Dresden ).

An interesting chapter of local gastronomy is the story of the "dirty spoon" on Strasburger Platz. Opened in 1961, he was the most modern fast food restaurant in the city. But due to cleanliness problems, it had to change its name. After it served as an event location for a while after the fall of the wall, it was demolished in 2022 and today makes room for a residential and commercial building.

The tower café in the television tower, which is considered a popular destination, attracts around 200,000 visitors every year and is considered the most expensive restaurant in the region. Here, guests can enjoy with a view of the city, although since 1991 it has only been used as a company premises. Interested parties can look forward to plans for reopening until 2027.

In the retrospective consideration of Dresden's gastronomic past, it becomes clear that the memories of the GDR kitchen and its bars are still alive decades later and shape the culinary face of the city.