Who would have known that a plate of sausages could make me so happy? We have walked by Cervecería Baden Baden in Ruzafa nearly everyday for months, reminding ourselves each time that we wanted to stop in for some brats. Now you might find it strange to be craving German food in Spain, but when you live here it is nice to have some variety. German food can be heavy, so we think this is best done on a cold day. With spring on its way, we were running out of time. Fortunately (well, unfortunately) we had a short cold spell last week and recognized that it might be our last bit of winter weather for the year; so off we went to Baden Baden.

Cervecería Baden Baden is named for a resort town in southwestern Germany that is famous for its thermal springs. The restaurant’s interior decor offers the cozy German tavern feel that the exterior facade promises. The tables were completely full that afternoon, so we pulled up to the small bar and ordered two Krombacher draft beers while we looked through the menu. Our goal here was sausage.

They have single sausage plates with sides for €6.10, but we had been waiting a long time for these sausages. We went all out with the Variado de Salchichas, a variety plate to explore the range of traditional German sausages including bratwurst, Thuringer bratwurst, bockwurst, and Polish bratwurst.

Our excitement grew when the cook threw those sausages on the grill and the sizzle reached our ears. We watched him expertly cut grooves into each sausage with a knife, allowing them to cook through perfectly.

When they arrived in front of us they were a beautiful sight. Four big sausages accompanied by chopped grilled onions. We loaded up dollops of sweet, spicy, and whole grain mustards to add some extra zing. To my surprise, the sausage was not as fatty as I expected. Maybe I’ve been eating too much heavy chorizo and morcilla, because these sausages were lean with lots of meaty flavor.

The sausage plate came with sides of sauerkraut studded with juniper berries and smooth pureed potatoes. This was a lot of food for €20.50.

We asked our server where the sausages were made, but unfortunately the answer was lost in translation. He either said they are made here in Spain, or they come from Germany. I guess that narrows it down a bit. We have a long way to go in our Spanish lessons. We are really good at asking questions, but the answers sometimes remain a mystery. (Update 4/2017 – on our most recent visit, we confirmed that the sausages are made in Spain.)

Brats just wouldn’t taste the same without a glass of German beer. Baden Baden has a good selection of German, Belgian and Trappist beers by the bottle in addition to Krombacher on tap. After our meal we stuck around for some dessert beers. My husband enjoyed a Grimbergen Tripel while I found a sweet juicy Framboise Lambic fruit beer that was like drinking pure raspberries.

We left the restaurant with more spring in our steps than expected. The meal was not as heavy as we had feared and now I wonder why we waited so long for that cold day. Right now, in this gorgeous spring weather, a plate of a sausage and a cold beer on the terrace of Cervecería Baden Baden seems like a fine idea.

Cervecería Baden Baden
Gran Via de les Germanies, 33
46006 València, Spain

Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday 1:00PM – 11:00PM*
Friday 1:00PM – 11:45PM*
Saturday, Sunday 1:00PM – 4:00PM, 7:00PM – 11:45PM
Closed Monday
*Note that, in our experience, the kitchen is closed from 4-8:00PM. During this time, you can only get beer and snacks.