Years ago, Henry and I enjoyed an unforgettable meal at Dallmayr’s restaurant. The meal: Hausgemacht or“homemade”Tagliatelle with Butter Sauce and freshly grated White Truffles, sold by the gram.  This Munich delicatessen, café and restaurant is also famous for its weisswurst mit honigseng or “white sausage with honey mustard”, a Munich tradition, traditionally only served before noon. The food hall is filled with beautiful products, the most elegant produce, meats, cheeses, teas, coffee, jams and condiments. The store is known for its indoor fountain, stocked with live crayfish. The delicatessen’s reputation is comparable to Fauchon in Paris, Fortnam & Mason in London, or Meiji-ya in tokyo. Dallmayr also has a wine store, and is famous for its catering as well. About 2.5 million people visit the main store every year.  Henry and I made the most of the café at Dallmeyer, stopping for tea, or having lunch or even a late breakfast here. It’s a great place to have a quick bite, with excellent food and service. Dallmayr is located in the Old Town, on Dienerstraße, not far from Marienplatz. This main store dates back to the 17th century, with the current location since the late 17th century, around 1671. The name of the store comes from Alois Dallmayr who bought the store from the founding family in 1870, When he died, the store was sold to Anton Randkofer, whose widow, Therese Randkofer successfully managed the store after his death two years later. Skilled in levering social contacts for her business, she exchanged recipes with the cooks of the Bavarian court. Around 1900 the store was one of the top food stores in Europe and its customers included 15 royal and noble households in Europe including the German Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany. Of these 15, 14 became new customers after Theresa Randkofer took over the store. Dallmayr was awarded the title of Königlich Bayerischer Hoflieferant or Bavarian Purveyor to the Court, making daily deliveries for Luitpold of Bavaria. The store was the first to import bananas from the Canary Islands to Germany, and also offered mangos and plums and lychees  from China. During the devestation of WW II, the store was completely burned to the ground in 1940. The store, rebuilt according to the historic plans including the façade, was reopened in 1950 by Paul Rankofer, grandson of Anton and Theresa Randkofer. Today, Dallmayr has 2,500 employees, with 300 employees working in the main store.

PHOTOS: Left Column: 1. Dallmayr’s tea department. 2. The wine store at Dallmayr. 3. The confectionary department. 4. The coffee department. Center, Top: An employee behind the delicatessen counter, wearing the uniform unique to Dallmayr. Center, Bottom: View of the main hall at Dallmayr.  Right Column: 1. Dallmayr’s famous fountain, filled with live crayfish. 2. The prepared foods counter featuring seafood.