Brauerei zur Malzmühle — Restaurant in Cologne

Malzmühle is a combination hotel, restaurant, and brewery. The brand has been around since 1858, and their flagship ale is Mühlen Kolsch. You'll see its windmill logo decorating the menus and coasters. The restaurant brewpub occupies the lower two levels of a historic 5-story concrete building with their name in large red neon. The hotel is on its left. Ascend a few stone stairs to the entrance, walk through a circular red curtain, and you'll be inside their large dining room. Ahead on both sides and also upstairs are more smaller dining rooms. The floor is white tile, the windows are stained glass, and the walls are white with wood paneling. Overhead are large paintings and faux hop vines for decoration. The tables are spread out, not a long row like other beer halls. The place has a nice architecture that feels both open and cozy, and the real draw of this place is their food. They have a full menu of starters, salads, soup, sandwiches, and meat and fish dishes. The food is good and the place seems quite popular with locals. The servers are curt and quick in typical Köln fashion, but also knowledgeable and helpful. They carry around circular metal trays which are used to take away empty beer glasses. Here in Koln, beer is served in small 200mL glasses, a stark contrast to the 1 L steins in Munich. They are quick to assume you'll want a beer and will keep bringing more until you say stop! Their Kolsch is decent, and they also serve a bottled version of a super-malty-sweet dark low-alcohol beer called Koch'sches Malzbier. It's one of those odd creations that you love or hate (I liked it). I did not see the brewing equipment directly, but I understand it is somewhere here in the building. Overall it is a very nice place for a...

Restaurant Review: Mühlen Kölsch

Tucked away in an unassuming, weathered building, Mühlen Kölsch has been serving authentic German cuisine since 1858. The entrance is a unique experience—guests pass through antique wooden revolving doors covered by thick curtains, briefly plunging them into darkness before stepping directly into the bustling dining area. The atmosphere is rustic and historic, with aged wooden tables and walls adorned with nostalgic photographs of Germany’s past.

Seating is informal, with the nearest server guiding guests to an open spot. The service is efficient and quintessentially German—beers arrive almost immediately, so if you prefer otherwise, be sure to decline upfront. Refills come regularly, maintaining the lively, traditional beer hall feel.

The food is nothing short of excellent. A crisp side salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, dressed in a tangy, French-inspired dressing, was a refreshing start. The potato soup, rich and velvety, paired perfectly with crusty bread, ideal for dipping.

For the main courses, the rump steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, topped with a flavorful herbed butter, and accompanied by crispy potatoes and a small side salad. The roast pork cutlet was a standout—tender and smothered in a thick, savory gravy reminiscent of a comforting Thanksgiving meal.

Mühlen Kölsch delivers on its promise of authentic German cuisine with hearty portions, traditional flavors, and an old-world ambiance. For those seeking an immersive German dining experience with excellent service and history-rich surroundings, this spot is...

This place is a mixture of different experiences; the interior is well kept traditional brauhaus style, the Kölsch beer is delicious, and the waiter is wonderfully rude.

Tips on how to handle the waiter; he will bring you another kölsch before your current one is empty and without you asking. If you do not want another kölsch you need to put your coaster on top of your beer glass before he comes around (he will still try to convince you to get another one).

The menu has a surprisingly large number of vegetarian options, around 10, but be aware -the last dish under vegetarian options has beef, whereas the vegetarian burger is listed under the meat options 🙃😉

We were a large group of 20 people and it was no problem for the waiter to keep track of all the different orders of drinks and food.

The baked camembert on ryebread with jam and parsley was simple and as expected. The goat cheese mixed salad was delicious. The vegetarian burger was a bit to the boring side and so were the fries. The pork knuckle and sauerkraut was unbelievably huge and pink on the inside and crispy on the outside as...