Taxisgarten: Munich’s green oasis with heart and history

Anyone who wants to escape the hustle and bustle of the tourist crowds and experience a piece of real Munich will find the Taxisgarten in the Neuhausen-Nymphenburg district. This traditional beer garden is still an insider tip even among locals and promises an incomparable mixture of historical flair, culinary enjoyment, and heartfelt conviviality.

From Postal Nobility to Beer Enjoyment: The Secret of the Name

The name Taxisgarten might make you think of motorized cabs, but the true story is far more noble. To be clear, the name has nothing to do with taxis or taxi drivers. The name simply derives from its location on Taxisstraße. The street is named after the noble family of Thurn und Taxis. These pioneers created Europe’s first modern postal system in the 15th and 16th centuries. The name “Taxis” itself is a Germanized form of the Italian “Tasso,” which means “badger” – the proud heraldic animal of the family.

A Century Full of Stories: From Care to Enjoyment

The history of the Taxisgarten doesn’t begin with beer, but rather with welfare. In 1920, a group of severely wounded veterans of the First World War founded the “Munich Recreation Park Association for the War- and Physically Disabled.” They collected donations from the public and from companies. Just under a year later, the recreation park was opened. It included a community house, a resting hall, and even a swimming pool.

In order to finance the recreation facilities, the idea arose to operate a beer garden in the park. It opened to the public in 1924, and the revenues helped maintain the grounds for many years.

After the Second World War, the banquet hall became the popular “Park-Kino” (Park Cinema), a cultural meeting place for the neighborhood, before it gave way to gastronomy again in 1971. Since 1982, this Munich institution has been run by a renowned family of restaurateurs.

The Philosophy of the Taxisgarten

The Haberl family, who operates the Taxisgarten, is also responsible for two other Munich institutions: the beer garden at the Chinese Tower and the world-famous Ochsenbraterei tent at the Oktoberfest.

The core principle of the restaurateurs is that everything is freshly prepared on-site in their own large kitchen. In doing so, the operator places great value on using regional products from Bavarian partners. Even the pretzels are baked fresh on-site all day long to guarantee maximum crispiness. That is quite a big difference from other beer gardens, where the pretzels often lie in baskets all day and become increasingly soft and stale.

The social heritage of the Taxisgarten is still maintained today. Through cooperation with a non-profit inclusion company, they provide valuable jobs in the gastronomy sector.

A Toast to Conviviality: The Incomparable Atmosphere

On a balmy Bavarian summer evening, there is hardly anything better. The crunching of gravel underfoot and the sunlight falling through a dense canopy of ancient chestnut trees. In the air, the hum of conversations and the clink when a one-liter beer mug hits a wooden table. That is exactly how the Taxisgarten welcomed us when we arrived. But here, the laughter of children also mingles with the conversations of adults. Families from the neighborhood meet up here, enjoy the downtime, and the little ones conquer the beautiful playground.

With around 1,500 seats in the purely self-service area, the beer garden offers a pleasant size. Traditionally, you are allowed to bring your own Brotzeit (food/snacks), but those who try the delicacies on-site will not regret it.

We were hungry, and a look at the menu revealed Bavarian classics, but also something we hadn’t expected in a beer garden. Here you can find – as you read everywhere – the “best, but also most expensive, spare ribs in Munich.” That wasn’t quite to my taste for the day. Rather the Original Haberl Ochsensemmel (ox meat roll). It consists of the finest ox meat, the original secret sauce, and a freshly baked roll. Or – and this is what I ultimately chose – a pretzel with Leberkäse (Bavarian meatloaf) and mustard. Very traditional and really good!

Tip: The extensive and creative vegan-vegetarian offering of the Taxisgarten is a major distinguishing feature in the traditional beer garden landscape. It ranges from spinach dumplings and salad bowls to the vegan Ochsensemmel. That is definitely a temptation worth trying!

Of course, a beer goes with the meal. The freshly tapped beer from the Hofbräu brewery made the visit complete for us.

Visitor Information

Address

Taxisgarten,
Taxisstraße 12,
80637 München

Website