Guide to Oktoberfest NYC 2015
It’s always startling how abruptly seasons change — one second, we’re sipping frozen daiquiris on a beach somewhere, and the next, we’re knocking down steins of beer during Oktoberfest. All we can say is, at least the Bavarian festival (commemorated from September 19th-October 4th this year) doesn’t coincide with bikini season! So forget about counting calories, and check out the sausage and schnitzel-fueled celebrations at the following bars and restaurants.
Loreley
This Lower East Side spot is kicking off its 12th annual Oktoberfest celebration with free beer, a pig roast and German music. Throughout the month, revelers can also expect special brews like Hofbräu Oktoberfest, Weihenstephan Oktoberfest, Spaten Oktoberfest and Schneider Wiesen Edel-Weisse, with $1 off of half-liter steins, and $2 off of full liters. Needless to say, each pairs perfectly with Loreley’s food offerings, both traditional (a platter of sausages over beer-marinated sauerkraut with bacon), and non (Wurst Tacos filled with onion, cilantro and spicy guacamole).
Read MorePaulaner
The next best thing to being in Munich (home of Paulaner’s original, famous brewery), Bowery beer garden, Paulaner, goes all out for Oktoberfest. Expect six full weeks of live bands, house-brewed beer, and dishes conceived by Wolfgang Ban and former Blaue Gans chef, Daniel Kill, such as Obazda Cheese and Pretzels, Lamb and Red Cabbage, and Crispy Pork Knuckle over a bed of roasted potatoes.
Read MoreUpholstery Store Food and Wine
Who says Oktoberfest needs to be all about sloppy plates of sausages and slippery steins of beer? For a more refined take on the holiday, stop by Kurt Guttenbruner’s newest spot in the West Village, featuring modern, Teutonic-tinged small plates (think Duck Noodles with pickled radish, and Elderflower Panna Cotta with streusel), as well as elegant Austrian wines, like Sekt “Klimt Edition” Blanc de Blanc, Gruner Veltliner Mordthal, and Blaufrankisch, made from rich, black-skinned grapes).
Read MoreBear Mountain State Park
Autumn doesn’t register quite the same way in the city the way it does upstate. So to get into the official fall feeling of Oktoberfest, you might consider taking a two-hour trip up to Bear Mountain in the Hudson Valley. Running every weekend throughout September and October, and ringed by mountains and foliage in the beautifully maintained state park, the annual Oktoberfest festival is tons of fun for the whole family (dogs included), featuring plenty of beer and cider, Soft Pretzels, Stuffed Cabbage and Strudel, as well as craft vendors, live music, yodeling contests and more!
Read MoreCafé Katja
Inspired by the Austrian tradition of buschenschank (simple establishments for eating and drinking, using ingredients from local farmers), this cozy East Village eatery is ideal for a low-key Oktoberfest dinner. Try the Housemade Liverwurst with red onion jam, Pork Belly Reubens with pickles and cheese, Emmentaler Sausage with savoy cabbage and quark dumplings, and a slice of Topfen Torte with berries and pecans for dessert.
Read MoreHeidelberg Restaurant
Family-owned for over 100 years, this sentimental favorite is the last German restaurant standing, of the multitudes that once lined the Bavarian stronghold of Yorkville on the Upper East Side. And the recipes have barely changed over the years; meaning Kase-Spaetzle (tiny nubs of pasta baked with cheese, onions, parsley and cream) serve as blasts from the past, along with Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), Oschenmaul-Salat (beef tongue salad), and Rindergulasch; a savory beef and carrot stew in a spicy paprika-spiked sauce.
Read MoreBlack Forest Brooklyn
Starting Sept 19th at noon (the official kick-off of the original Oktoberfest in Munich), this Fort Greene biergarten will begin rolling out all manner of Bavarian food and drink specials. Festivities will conclude on October 2nd with a massive, raucous blowout, including a live performance by the Balkan brass funk band Slavic Soul Party, as well as a keg-tapping ceremony and a mug-holding competition, with plenty of fun prizes.
Read MoreWerkstatt
A brand new Brooklyn opening from notable Austrian chef, Thomas Ferlesch (formerly of Thomas Beisl near BAM), this airy spot specializes in Schnitzel — pounded cutlets of veal, chicken, cod and even celery root — served with traditional sides like cucumber and potato salad, and paired with cocktails like the “Von Trapp Spritz;” made with vodka, contratto, Giffard pamplemousse and sparkling wine.
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