Some call Munich a village, others still see it as a big city with more than 1.5 million inhabitants. It’s no surprise that it’s often anonymous. The Café Togather in the Westend wants to counteract this stranger in the city, among other things, with events where strangers eat together at a table. But those who meet up with friends in the restaurant for a “normal” breakfast should also feel at home here.
The waitress behind the counter greets guests with a smile as soon as the door opens. There are black plaques on the tables, which not only show the surname and the time of the reservation, but also say something like: “Welcome Ann-Kathrin” or “Happy Breakfast Melanie”. The wooden furniture in the interior of the Togather café and colorful flowers on the tables also make guests feel at home here.
What catches the eye is a large triangular table in the middle of the place. This is used, among other things, for co-dining evenings or the “to gather” brunch, where strangers dine together. The idea for this came from the managing director Sarah Hillebrand. As a cultural scientist, she was looking for opportunities in her former job in Munich to get to know new people while eating, she says: “There were co-working spaces in Munich, but there were no places where people came together to eat.”
Sarah Hillebrand opened the café in the Westend about three years ago.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
At a triangular table in the middle, she brings people together who get to know each other while eating.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
With the support of a crowdfunding campaign, she made this wish come true about three years ago. Her mother Marion has been at Hillebrand’s side since the beginning. As head chef at Togather, she mainly takes care of cooking and baking.
What is there and how much does it cost?
Sweet or savory – all guests will find something to their taste on the breakfast menu of the Togather-Café. An avocado bread with salad and fried eggs, for example, costs 10.40 euros. Shakshuka – an Israeli classic of poached eggs served in a spicy tomato and paprika sauce – is available for the same price. The slightly spicy shakshuka is topped with feta and parsley.
If you prefer a breakfast rich in vitamins, you can use the green smoothie bowl (10.40 euros): kiwi, spinach, apple, banana, mango and orange are mixed for this. The bowl also contains overnight soaked oatmeal, granola, and fresh fruit.
For example, you have to pay less money for a pastrami sandwich with cheese and cole slaw (5.90 euros) or for a sandwich with homemade hummus and grilled vegetables (5.50 euros). The banana bread (4 euros) or a vegan apple and cinnamon roll (2.30) are also something for the small purse.
Instead of a classic orange juice, you can also order an orange and ginger smoothie (7 euros). If you want to experiment, choose the cinnamon roll milkshake (7.90 euros). There are cinnamon rolls in a glass, topped with cream and an extra cinnamon roll.
Who do you meet here?
According to Hillebrand, customers between the early 20s and 80s come to Togather. “Funnily enough, it can sometimes be 80 percent women for breakfast and 80 percent men for dinner,” she says, laughing.
Together Restaurant, Schwanthalerstraße 160, 80339 Munich, phone: 089 54030651; Opening times: Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to midnight, Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.