A nice breakfast might not be the first thing people associate with Oktoberfest. For some people, “breakfast” might be the melted muesli bar from your trouser or dirndl pocket, which you use to bridge the waiting time for the serving on the first Saturday.
But there is another way. The Oktoberfest has its own café tents, Rischart’s for example, which looks like a huge gingerbread bouncy castle. Or the Café Kaiserschmarrn, whose specialty is of course also tasty in the morning. Or Bodo’s Cafézelt – there you don’t celebrate with a glass in your hand in the evening, but with Spritz, Prosecco or a gin and tonic.
Café Theres is new and not new either. As “Café Mohrenkopf”, it was the first café tent at the Oktoberfest and has a long family tradition. Last year, however, the boss decided to give the tent a more contemporary name. “Theres” after Queen Therese, after whom the festival meadow is named. The house specialty has remained: the well-known cream on choux pastry with chocolate topping, it is now called “Theresienbussal”. Café Theres has the only in-house pastry shop at Oktoberfest.
And this year also a new design: tavern chairs, mint-colored walls and the English Garden, painted by the artist Silvie Penelope Schmidt. Chandeliers on the ceiling, framed pictures of Queen Therese, checkered curtains on the windows and plastic flowers on the windowsill complete the picture. When you enter the small tent, with a sideways glance to the right you can immediately catch a glimpse of the range of cakes and cakes that are set up in the window to the open kitchen. “Hello, it’s nice that you’re here,” it says.
What is there and how much does it cost?
The Café Theres has a small breakfast menu, which can be ordered until 12 p.m. (although certain specialties, such as the “Stramme Max” or the “Schneidige Liesl”, a bread with pulled pork, are also on the normal menu for the same price) . It’s worth noting that cappuccinos and the like can also be ordered with oat milk at no extra charge – not even every café in the city center can do that. Well, the cappuccino there doesn’t cost 7.20 euros either. But this is the Oktoberfest.
A large extract with a cup of coffee, optionally with cappuccino, café au lait or Americano, is available in the breakfast menu for 12.90 euros. For the same price you can also get “Inge’s jam bread” with a cup of coffee of your choice. As in upscale restaurants and good Munich cafés, the bread comes from Julius Brantner. In this case, butter and plum jam are spread on the slice of bread and a cinnamon crumble is sprinkled on top. Undoubtedly a nice combination.
Café Theres used to be called “Mohrenkopf”.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Inside, many things are reminiscent of the namesake of the Theresienwiese.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
The breakfast menu continues with the “Strammen Max”, which is quite elegant with truffles, various ham, lamb’s lettuce and eggs. The “Schneidige Liesl” is topped with roast pork, sauerkraut, lamb’s lettuce and egg. And the “Fesche Theres” is generously served with mountain cheese and Camembert, with egg slices hidden underneath and lamb’s lettuce, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms and pickled radish scattered over it. It tastes good, as does the coffee, which has to be ordered separately for the three specialties, which cost 15.90 euros each. The espresso (3.90 euros) is served in a cute miniature stein that reads “Ois Alrighty!” is written.
After the slices of bread, albeit well-filled, there was still some space left in the stomach. The choice falls on a cake that looks and sounds particularly good: the blueberry and chestnut cake (7.50 euros). Unfortunately, the taste is a bit pale and it falls short of expectations. Next time we’ll stick to a house specialty, the “Theresienbussal” (6.90 euros) or the “Theres’ Torte” (7.50 euros) made of vanilla cream with a little chocolate in the base.
Katharina Wiemes is the host.
(Photo: Uwe Erensmann/IMAGO/Uwe Erensmann)
Not only is the breakfast menu worth it – but also a look at the cake counter.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Some tarts, cakes and apple strudel are still on the regular menu, there are of course savory dishes as well, and a foundation needs to be laid later on. Breads, snack boards, which are called “picnic” here, pinsa, beef broth or even a vegan vegetable stew are available, and for the little ones there is a “Seppl” ice cream sundae. The toast is served with champagne and prosecco, wine, long drinks and spritz or even with tequila. Of course, this is not a breakfast recommendation! In the evenings the partying in the small tents is at least as wild as in the big ones.
Who is going there and how much time do they have with them?
At least during the week it’s no problem at all to drop by spontaneously. Hardly any tables occupied, free choice of seating: a nice table by the window is recommended. From there you can soak up the very special morning atmosphere at the Oktoberfest, kindergarten groups with small high-visibility vests walk across the festival grounds and other early goers who may have decided to go for a walk before making their lunch reservations. At some point the first screech comes through the window; The rides are making their first rounds and only now do you realize how unusually quiet it has been so far.
There’s no need to rush, after all, there’s not much going on yet. Morning hours at the Oktoberfest are a cozy time in which you can enjoy yourself in peace.
Café Theres, Theresienwiese, Straße 3, opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and on public holidays from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Only during Oktoberfest.