In My Hood: Out and About in Sendling, Munich

The best place to get off the subway is at Implerstraße. From here you almost fall into Om Nom Nom (1): a vegan deli in a former butcher’s shop. The grilled cheeze sandwich is sensational and the location symbolizes the great things that have happened in Sendling in recent years. It’s an area where people are much more relaxed than in other trendy neighborhoods. At Bahnwärter Thiel (2), a small cultural hub has emerged from discarded shipping containers and subway cars, with club nights, cinema evenings and flea markets. 

Next door is the imposing Munich Volkstheater (3), which was built in 2021. Its productions are modern and there are often readings. You should also head to the Alte Utting (4), an excursion boat that used to float on the Ammersee, but now stands on an old railway bridge and is a beer garden, club and stage. The best time to visit is at sunset – the view over the railway tracks and roof-tops is magnificent. 

Over at the cobbled Valleystraße (5), with its listed historic buildings, everyone knows each other, and there are old craft businesses, small boutiques and cafés. One of these is Café Dankl, which serves excellent coffee and delicious dishes. If you’re hungry, you’ll also be happy at nearby BeirutBeirut (6): their falafels are perhaps the best in Munich, but the other Lebanese dishes are also finger-licking good. 

A little further on, the Sendlinger Buchhandlung will enchant you. As an author, such owner-run shops are, of course, very close to my heart. And then there’s the Stemmerhof. The former farm is now home to restaurants, a theater and a children’s store. I love sitting on the village square with an ice cream when the weather is nice.

Anika Landsteiner lives and works as a journalist, novelist and podcaster in Munich. Her latest novel "Nachts erzähle ich dir alles" was published in summer 2023. Since 2021, she and Dr. Sharon Brehm have been hosting the podcast "Hello, lovers! How do we want to love today?".