Germany · Prinzregententorte and Dallmayr
Munich
Munich is Germany’s sweetest capital: the eight-layered Prinzregententorte, the pralines of Dallmayr, the grand cafés of the Brienner Strasse and hotel salons that remember when the city had a king.
The Prinzregententorte is the emblem: eight thin layers of sponge and chocolate buttercream, one for each Bavarian administrative district, under a dark glaze, invented in the 1880s for Prince Regent Luitpold. Café Luitpold on the Brienner Strasse, founded in 1888 and named for the same man, still slices it under its glass dome, and the Konditorei Rottenhöfer near the Residenz has made it since the days of the court.
Dallmayr on the Dienerstrasse is the other institution: a delicatessen since 1700 with a confiserie counter where the pralines are made in the house and the coffee is roasted in Munich. Around it, the Bayerischer Hof and the Mandarin Oriental have run afternoon teas in their salons for years, and the Rosewood Munich, opened in 2023 in the old Bavarian State Bank, added a tea room that looks like a ballroom.
Munich is expensive for Germany and reasonable for this guide. The pastry is heavier than Paris and lighter than Vienna, the coffee houses are proper, and in December the Christkindlmarkt on the Marienplatz turns the whole centre into a Lebkuchen shop.
Sweet profile
- Afternoon tea
- €50
- One pastry
- €6
- Box of chocolates
- €30
- Sweet Index
- 72
Smart casual; Munich likes to dress a little.
October after the Oktoberfest and December for the Christkindlmarkt.
Guide prices per person or piece, editorial estimates in euros as of 2026.
A sweet day in Munich
From the first croissant to the last truffle
May, October, December
- 08:00Butterbrezn
A Brezn with butter and a coffee: Munich starts savoury.
- 10:00Dallmayr
The confiserie counter for pralines and a coffee from the house roastery.
- 13:00Lunch
Weisswurst before noon, or a proper lunch and a Dampfnudel.
- 15:00Café Luitpold
A slice of Prinzregententorte under the glass dome on the Brienner Strasse.
- 17:00Hotel tea
The Bayerischer Hof or the Rosewood for afternoon tea with a harp or a piano.
- 20:00Dessert
A Kaiserschmarrn in a Wirtshaus or a plated dessert in a hotel restaurant.
Districts
Altstadt
Dallmayr, Rottenhöfer, the Bayerischer Hof and the Rosewood: the sweet centre around the Marienplatz and the Residenz.
Brienner Strasse and Maxvorstadt
Café Luitpold and the grand cafés on the way to the museums.
Lehel
The Mandarin Oriental and the quiet streets behind the Hofbräuhaus.
The addresses
7 addresses in Munich
HotelIconMunich · Promenadeplatz
Hotel Bayerischer Hof
Munich’s grand house
HotelNewMunich · Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse
Rosewood Munich
Tea in the old state bank
Afternoon teaMunich · Hotel Bayerischer Hof
Palaishalle, Bayerischer Hof
A harp under glass
Afternoon teaMunich · Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse
The Lounge, Rosewood Munich
Tea in the old state bank
BoutiqueMunich · Brienner Strasse, Maxvorstadt
Café Luitpold
Under the glass dome
BoutiqueMunich · Dienerstrasse, Altstadt
Dallmayr
Pralines since 1700
BoutiqueMunich · Residenzstrasse, Altstadt
Konditorei Rottenhöfer
The court confectioner
One dessert, one house
Signature Desserts: Munich
Good to know
Tips for Munich
- The Prinzregententorte is at its best on the day it is glazed; Café Luitpold slices fresh in the afternoon.
- Dallmayr pralines are sold by weight; ask for a mixed box of the house classics.
- Hotel afternoon teas in Munich are calmer on weekdays; the Rosewood weekend tea books out.
- Coffee houses close around seven; the hotel bars take over for dessert.
- Oktoberfest changes everything in late September: prices, hours and the mood. Come in October after it ends.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Prinzregententorte?
A Bavarian torte of eight thin sponge layers with chocolate buttercream under a dark chocolate glaze, created in the 1880s for Prince Regent Luitpold.
Where is the best café in Munich for cake?
Café Luitpold for the room and the torte, Dallmayr for pralines and coffee, Rottenhöfer for the tradition.
Is there afternoon tea in Munich?
Yes: the Bayerischer Hof, the Mandarin Oriental and the Rosewood Munich serve full afternoon teas.
