Culinary delights whilst travelling: Get to know our Local Heroes

Kassel Hauptbahnhof

Where suitcases used to be stored, there are now rows of sofas and chairs, with an eleven-metre-long bar in front of them. A buzz of voices, music, the clink of glasses. ‘Gleis 1’ is more than just a bar and a club – it’s a stage, a meeting place, an institution in Kassel. And since spring 2025, it has been Arzu Kilic’s domain.

The fact that culture is so naturally at home here is down to this special place: The terminus station was converted into the “KulturBahnhof” more than 25 years ago – a complex comprising a theatre, cinema, clubs and studios that continues to write history.

Arzu Kilic (45) is now part of it. “I wanted to do my own thing,” she says. She used to be a foreign-language secretary, a long-time regular and organiser of Turkish folk evenings. Now she runs the venue, which has been established for more than 20 years – with drive and a smile that’s infectious. The programme: DJs and dance classes ranging from salsa to disco fox, concerts, readings, over-30s parties, themed evenings and corporate events.

Arzu Kilic is bringing about change with a delicate touch. “People love Gleis 1 just the way it is.” That’s why there are only small, subtle innovations: a perfume vending machine, power banks available to borrow. In this way, ‘Gleis 1’ remains what it has long been for her: a place of well-being where people come together. It is precisely this feeling that she passes on to her guests.

Duisburg Hauptbahnhof

Where can you find the best currywurst? If you ask Mo, it’s at Duisburg Hauptbahnhof. Here, with plenty of passion and a cheerful attitude, he sells popular butcher’s-quality sausage specialities.

“The usual, then?” Mo calls out to a regular customer. The sausage seller, whom everyone simply calls Mo, has been working at “Lecker Wurst” at Duisburg Hauptbahnhof for two years. For him, the snack bar is the ideal place to strike up a conversation with travellers. Many regulars pop in almost every day and share their stories.  

“I know exactly who orders what and what’s on their mind,” says Mo. For Mo, a qualified care worker for the elderly, his daily routine at the snack bar isn’t just about preparing food, but also about connecting with people. It’s particularly important to him to create a welcoming atmosphere. So at “Lecker Wurst”, the culture of the Ruhr region isn’t just served – it’s lived. Great importance is also attached to the quality of the food. The sausages are supplied by a Duisburg butcher’s, the chips are deep-fried in pure rapeseed oil, and the homemade curry sauce contains no preservatives. There are seven different sausage specialities to choose from: ranging from the classic bratwurst to beef and poultry sausages, right through to the bestseller, the popular currywurst. Mo swears by the hot and spicy ‘Feuerwurst’: “You absolutely must try it!”

München Hauotbahnhof

In the heart of Munich, “Rischart” has been baking a history of culinary delight since 1883. Magnus Müller-Rischart is the fifth generation to run the family business, guided by the motto: “Fresh baked goods, produced centrally and sold exclusively in Munich.”  

In the bakery right next to the Theresienwiese, you can watch the bakers and pastry chefs at work through huge glass windows. From here, the goods are delivered several times a day to 21 branches, including those at Ostbahnhof, Pasing station and no fewer than three at the main station. “Our newest shop on the mezzanine level of the Hauptbahnhof has a 15-metre-long sales counter that shows off our baked goods to their best advantage.” Müller-Rischart values the interaction with customers: “Many travellers from Bavaria buy our bread to freeze at home – a compliment to our quality.” “Das Dinkel” is particularly popular; its cooked oats and spelt sourdough are left to rest for 42 hours, making it easy to digest and keeping it fresh for a long time.

‘Rischart’ offers more than 100 baked goods. In summer, strawberry tarts and ‘Zwetschgendatschi’ are a big draw, whilst doughnuts are available in many varieties from New Year’s Eve onwards. For savoury snacks, chive pretzels or the ‘Bavaria Sandwich’ with Leberkäse and pickled cucumber are highly recommended. A visit to ‘Rischart’ is a true Munich taste experience.

Regensburg Hauptbahnhof

Manuel Dirnberger-Ammon is the founder, roaster, barista and creative force behind ‘Der Dirnberger Kaffee’. As a student, he started out in 2018 with a small roaster in a supermarket – and has since turned his passion for coffee into a career.  

In 2024, Dirnberger-Ammon and his wife Anna opened a roastery in Obertraubling and a shop at Regensburg Central Station. The 36-year-old attaches great importance to quality, fairness and sustainability. “We ensure that coffee farmers are well paid, work sustainably and can therefore deliver top quality,” says Dirnberger-Ammon. His roasting machine in Obertraubling runs on green electricity, and will soon even be powered by solar energy from his own roof.   

Drawing on his extensive knowledge of roasting and a keen instinct, Dirnberger-Ammon develops new flavour profiles. His latest creation consists – alongside Arabica beans from Brazil and Colombia – of 30 per cent Indian Robusta beans and is therefore called “Elefant Espresso”.   

These speciality coffees are available right at the entrance to the main station and online. Alongside his team of baristas, Dirnberger-Ammon is often found manning the portafilter machine himself: “Many regulars pop in for a quick espresso. That often leads to nice chats. It’s almost like being in Italy.” Whether in the morning, at lunchtime or in the evening – his customers enjoy their break.

Hamburg-Harburg station

Coffee, bread rolls – and a smile. The station bakery ‘Mathewes’ in Hamburg-Harburg offers more than just baked goods: the life story of its owner, Nafisse Akbarzada, tells of flight, hard work and family solidarity.

Whilst the city is still asleep at three o’clock in the morning, Nafisse Akbarzada’s working day begins. At the “Mathewes” bakery, she switches on the coffee machine and starts baking bread rolls. Behind this routine lies a story that began in Afghanistan in 1994.

At the time, Nafisse was 27 years old and dreamt of studying biology. But the political situation made that impossible. When she came to Germany with her husband and three young children, she had one goal: “My children should have a better life.” She learnt German and found work at “Mathewes”. Her hard work impressed the owners. When they retired in 2012, they offered the Akbarzada to take over all three branches.

It was a success: they renegotiated the lease agreements and weathered a complete change of staff. Today, the team serves up to 500 customers every day. Regulars have their favourite products set aside for them.

“We work hand in hand,” says Nafisse Akbarzada. Stop working? The 57-year-old isn’t thinking about that. For her, the work is more than just a way to earn a living – it is what connects her and the customers at Harburg station.

Warnemünde station

“Word that the locomotive was back spread like wildfire,” says Tina Ahrend. “People even brought us gifts to welcome us.”  Although she and her husband, Michael Karpinski, come from families who travelled the country as fairground performers and comedians, she was blown away by the warm welcome on the station forecourt in Warnemünde.  

With his “Warnemünder Lok”, Karpinski was already a fixture here from 2007 to 2015. Now he’s back – and here to stay. Together with his wife, the 58-year-old stands behind the bar every day from 11 am and runs the beer garden, which seats around 50 and is complemented by a wind-sheltered lounge area. Because in the evenings, things can sometimes go on a bit longer, says the restaurateur: “For us, every day is like a get-together amongst friends. It’s simply in our blood to make our guests laugh and keep them happy.”

As well as freshly tapped beer, there are long drinks and cocktails. Ahrend specialises in mixing and garnishing: “They turn into little works of art, because I enjoy working with fresh fruit and serving up that holiday feeling.” That’s how the “Warnemünder Lok” creates that holiday feeling – with a generous helping of joie de vivre.

Magdeburg Hauptbahnhof

Magdeburg is home to Germany’s first mini-golf course set inside a station. As they try to sink their balls, visitors are greeted by a giant locomotive, a riot of three-dimensional colours and tricky challenges. 

The door clicks shut. A glance to the left: a spooky skeleton is sitting at an old wooden table. A monitor flickers, then suddenly a lifelike-looking buccaneer appears on the screen and gives instructions for the adventure ahead. It’s clear that this goes far beyond the conventional idea of a mini-golf course! Then the adventure begins, and after a clever trick opens the next door, you find yourself in the wonderfully colourful pirate world of ‘Farbrausch 3D’.  

“Classic mini-golf was simply too boring for us,” says owner Heiko van Vliet, who already runs several indoor courses under the “Farbrausch 3D” concept. The rules of the game remain the same, but if you want to score points here, you’ll have to look very closely. Thanks to 3D glasses, the surroundings seem to come to life: a sea monster devours a three-masted ship, a locomotive whizzes past the wall – and at the end lies the mysterious temple. “Our visitors make their way through room after room – a mix of mini-golf and an escape room,” explains van Vliet, adding: “But so far, everyone has found their way out!”