Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm

Munich's second-largest beer garden, ringed around the 1790 Chinese tower in the middle of the Englischer Garten — 7,000 self-service seats under the chestnuts, the Hofbräu draught flowing despite our note on the Hofbräuhaus itself, brass bands on the tower platform on Wednesdays and weekends in summer. Yes, the world comes here, but locals come too — the trick is to bring your own bread, cheese and radish (Bavarian beer-garden tradition allows it), buy only the Mass and the Hendl, and sit on the side away from the band.