The setting of Helen, Georgia is like a mini Bavaria, so it’s only fitting that you can find some fine German foods there. And what better time to enjoy a beer and a brat—or some other German specialty—than during Oktoberfest month! So here’s a little taste tour of German restaurants nearby our Inn.
Chef Aurel Prodan and his wife, Doina, lived in Bavaria before moving to Helen to open Bodensee Restaurant—named for a lake on the Rhine, at the foot of the Alps. Here you’ll find hearty platters of Sauerbraten with potato dumplings and red cabbage, Schweinebraten with sauerkraut and spaetzels, and other savory German dishes. Bring an appetite if you want the Haus Platter—it’s a plate filled with knockwurst, homemade garlic wurst and smoked pork chop with traditional sides. As filling as the entrees are, sweets such as Black Forest Cake are too tempting to pass up.
Bodensee Restaurant
64 Munich Strasse, Helen
706-878-1026
Open daily, 11:00 a.m. until…
Check out the collection of steins lining the walls at The Old Bavaria Inn and Restaurant, which offers a selection of more than 35 beers, imported and domestic. Order a pint to enjoy with some of the tasty Hungarian goulash soup or German potato pancakes with applesauce and sour cream. Spatzle lovers (count us in!) can enjoy the house specialty with Black Forest ham, Parmesan cheese and cream. Or order up the Oktoberfest platter, a meat-centric entrée that includes pork medallions, sauerbraten and bratwurst with red cabbage, sauerkraut and spatzle.
Old Bavaria inn and Restaurant
8619 North Main Street, Helen
706-878-3729
Open daily, 11:00 a.m.– 8:00p.m.
Happy hour, Saturday – Sunday, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Head downstairs to the delightful GI Germany Pub where you can find a great selection of imported beer, or upstairs to Hofbrauhaus Restaurant if you’d like something to eat with your pint. If the weather is nice, the terrace overlooking the Chattahoochee River is delightful spot to have a delicious rueben and a brew.
Hofbrauhaus Restaurant and GI Germany Pub
9001 North Main Street, Helen
706-878-2248
Monday – Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday – Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
For a real Oktoberfest feeling, stop by King Ludwig’s Beer Garden. Its casual outdoor setting is conducive to tipping a pint with friends—or with your favorite black lab, as the restaurant is pet friendly too! The menu here is equally casual, including giant pretzels with cheese sauce and sausages. And on many nights, you can catch music on the an outdoor stage.
King Ludwig’s Beer Garden
8660 North main Street, Helen
727-230-3879
Monday – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – midnight
Sunday, 12:30 p.m. – midnight
Not that you need an excuse to come visit us at Lucille’s, but October is a great time to be here in the mountains. Give us a call—we’d love to have you!