H O R R O R


CAFES, PUBS, CLUBS AND RESTAURANTS OF THE REST OF EUROPE




Happy Halloween!

painting by David P, Galerie de l'Enfer



GERMANY

BAYREUTH

UNDERWORLD. A family horror restaurant with Morticia-like waitresses, this apparently opened in the early 90's. Anyone know if it's still going?

BERLIN

HORROR KAFE TRANSILVANIA
Schönhauser Allee 5
10119 Berlin
Phone number: +49 171 3800162
One of the Italian-owned chain eating its way across Europe. This one opens at 4.30pm and becomes a "horror rock" cafe after 8.30pm. (A big thankyou to Kat in Berlin for this information.)

MOERFELDEN
South Hessian

GOLDENEN APFEL GASTHOF
Erwin Messmer's Golden Apple Guesthouse and restaurant offers plenty of atmosphere and dishes like 'Bat cut in half' (stuffed quail), 'Freshly drawn jugular' (some kind of noodles) and a Transylvanian Corpse Feast' (blood sausage?)

The above dishes are available during special 'Vampire Weeks', when the normally cosy guesthouse is transformed into a spooky tomb, weakly lit by funeral lights, where cries of horror and pain chillingly pierce swirling clouds of mist. If you're not deterred by these you place your order with a pale waiter in a black vampire cape, who may well be Count Dracula himself.

Without complaining, the vampire waiter stoically serves "Anti-Vampire-Soup." This consists mainly of pungent garlic, decorated with plastic vampire dentures ("not fit for human consumption.") The guests are hardly surprised when the calf filet suddenly starts to move on their plates, thanks to a special kind of dough, or when - from the depth of their soup - they are suddenly spied on by a couple of glass eyes! The house red isn't served in a bottle or carafe, but in a transfusion bag.

Erwin Messmer, a 36-year-old gastronomic entrepreneur, says he got the idea for his Vampire Weeks from seeing a spooky performance by the Theater of Darmstadt. The same theater group also inspired Messmer's idea of gastronomic evenings based on the works of thriller writer Edgar Wallace, also enjoyed by people who like their food spiced with a touch of horror. Messmer claims to have on file the names of no less than 800 gourmets, who often have to travel very long distances to enjoy Messmer's culinary curiosities. He says he knows exactly what they expect of him: "First of all, the food should be excellent. In the second place you should never go too far in terms of good taste. And in the third place, you should never repeat one of your jokes".
(Many thanks to Rob Brautigan for supplying and translating the original article about Erwin Messmer's restaurant. If you're interested in Traditional Vampires, check out Rob's highly informative International Vampire!)


PASSAU
Horror Kafe Transilvania
Rosstranke 9
940342 Passau


SCHLOSS DRACULA
Schenkendorf (south of Berlin)

This Dracula Castle is owned by a 'Prince Kretzulesco', who is said to be yet another descendant (although not of the blood) of old Vlad Drakul!

Supposedly he is really a Berliner by the name of Ottomar Berbig. About ten years ago he is said to have been "adopted" by a Romanian Princess, Ekatherina Olympia Kretzulesco, in order to prevent her family name from dying out, she being the last of her noble line.

The new Prince has renamed the ancestral castle "Schloss Dracula", and it has in featured blood donor appeals by the German Red Cross, and has also hosted "Medieval Tournaments".

The castle's restaurant is said to serve things like "Fire Beans a la Dracula" and "Dracula Sausages". You can also drink some sort of "Knoblauch Schnaps", and the food is served by a waiter dressed up as a vampire.

Last word is that Prince Dracula wants to move to a new castle, because rightwing elements have been trying to set fire to his old one!

Has anyone visited this place or have any more information?

(Grateful thanks to Rob Brautigan for supplying and translating the original article about 'Schloss Dracula'. If you're interested in Traditional Vampires, check out Rob's highly informative International Vampire!)

HOLLAND

Cafe Lugosi, Haarlem


SCOTLAND

THE BALCONY BAR
1 Nicoll Street
Dundee
Tayside
Scotland
DD1 1LY
Del recommends this place for its decor (but then she would, she designed and decorated it...!)

DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE
112 Hanover Street
Edinburgh EH2 1DR.
Tel: 0131 225 2022.
One of the 'Eerie' Company's theme pubs, like the Bram Stoker Tavern in London.

SLAINS CASTLE
14/18 Belmont Street
Aberdeen AB10 1JH
Tel: 012224 631 877
Another in the Eerie Pub Co stable.

SWEDEN

GARLIC AND SHOTS
Folkungagalan 84, Soder
Stockholm.
Tel: +46 (0)8 640 84 46; Fax: +46 (0)8 643 35 01

Broderna Olsson's garlic and vampires restaurant - another is in London.



Know of a horror cafe, pub or restaurant anywhere in Europe? Let me know about it! Send the gory details to:Michel@pumpkinpie.com


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