Lilienthal: Zero-waste

Although located in the state of Lower Saxony the municipality of Lilienthal is not only the terminal stop of Bremen's tram no.4, it's also easily reachable by bicycle from Bremen, e.g. via the car-free Jan-Reiners-Wanderweg. This beautiful bicycle route through the Hollerland (a cultural landscape created by drainage by Dutch settlers around the year 1000) was opened as early as 1970 and partially runs in lieu of the former Jan Reiners train tracks, a steam train line from Bremen to Lilienthal through the moors which was operated between 1900 and 1956.

In Lilienthal make sure to stop by the wonderful farmshop of the organic farm dairy Dehlwes with its milk vending machine. The milk is guaranteed to travel no longer that 10 kilometres on average and is processed here exclusively. Although the shop isn't decidedly zero waste (in fact all other dairy products and the meat in the fridge and freezer are pre-packaged in plastics) the friendly shop assistant will happily fill your bags with bread, rolls and pastries and your boxes and jars with cheese and meat products from the sales counter. All cattle, milk and bakery products as well as mindblowingly fresh veges, fruits and (in summer) berries come from the close region (there's a separate shelf for imported fruit and veges), and – following the nose-to-tail approach – you will also find ready-made meat and offal preparations in glass jars. Just across the street you can pay a visit to the farm's own cows and hens. There used to be a small cafe on the street, the Melkhus, which has been closed since the covid-19 pandemics started in 2020.

One supplying farm to the Dehlwes dairy is the one run by the Kaemena family which has their own 24x7 open milk vending machine.

New in 2021 Lilienthal also sports a spacious, light and clean package-free self-service supermarket, the Kerngeschäft (a pun with the German translation of "core business") on the premises of the former bookstore a few steps off the town's main shopping street, Klosterstraße. During the summer the only fresh veges available were potatoes, but it is not unlikely that There's everything you need of household chemicals (including dish washer tabs by the piece), products for personal hygiene, dry food and fresh dairy products (by the Kaemena farm). Some like locally produced caramels and ketchup aren't organic, clearly visible by the missing word "bio". When I was there in the summer of 2021 the friendly shop owner told me that after the summer holidays opening hours would be increased to 8-18 Mon through Saturday, and there were plans to keep open until 8 pm at least one day per week, possibly on Thursdays.

• Hofladen Dehlwes, Trupe 18, Lilienthal, Mon–Sat 8:30–18:30
• Kerngeschäft, Stadskanaal 1,, Lilienthal, Mon–Sat(Mon,Thu) 8:30–13(18), during summer school holidays Mon,Thu(Tue,Fri,Sat) 9-18(13), summer-closed July 25 through August 10, 2022.

Selvazzano Dentro and around

Those with a sweet tooth may feel in heaven when coming to the comparatively ugly urban sprawl which comprises the municipality of Selvazzano Dentro south-west of Padua and north of Abano Terme: In the neighbourhoods of San Domenico and Tencarola, devided by the crossing of the river Bacchiglione you will find a confectioner's shop cum day bar, an ice-cream parlour and finally a supermarket serving customers preferring organic food and delights.

When entering the municipality from the west following Via Euganea your first stop should be at a roundabout with an Italian day bar cum Viennese-style cafe cum confectioner's shop where the main ingredients are organic. At Pasticceria Da Angelo you will find organic and vegan options clearly marked, and the friendly staff will proudly and often even unasked point out what's organic. If you don't feel like a delicate ice-cream or a gorgeous pastry along with an organic coffee drink (with organic soy milk if you prefer) have a tramezzino sandwich or toast together with a freshly made organic smoothie, or an organic soft drink. Vegan sandwich options are readily available, with organic "cold cuts", while the meat items on non-veg versions usually aren't organic. A serving of ice-cream comes at 1.40 EUR, with each additional scoop for 1.10 EUR. Vegan varieties aren't restricted to fruit flavours, you can also choose among a number of flavours made with rice or almond drink. Buy a bag of organic cookies to take home if you like, and if you're lucky there may be an organic lunch, dinner or ice-cream special during your stay. Advanced booking by phone is required for such an event.

Not enough ice-cream or arriving after half past nine in the evening? Well, you can be helped. Gelateria Soleluna a few meters east opposite Hotel Piroga uses more than 80 percent organic, and predominantly locally sourced ingredients for their granite, gelati, and ice cakes. A delight not to be missed, one ice-cream scoop goes for 1.40 EUR, each additional one adds approximately 1 EUR to your bill. Personally I prefer the delicate, creamy dairy flavours to the vegan fruit-based ones. The granite are available in two sizes, for 2.80 or 3.50 EUR – the refreshing lime-mint or coffee varieties will get you going in a minute on a warm summer day. Unfortunately the granite are served in one-way plastics cups, each with one-way teaspoon and straw, so you will produce a lot of waste. On bank holidays the shop keeps open as on Sundays.

Groceries

To buy everything you need organic, from fruit and veges over dairy products and vegan alternatives to dry food, natural cosmetics, the forgotten towel or household detergents follow Via Euganea in eastern direction, cross both, the bridge over the river, and the street side. Here, on Via Padova (the street changes its name in Tencarola) you'll find a well assorted NaturaSi supermarket which also has a small section of self-service zero waste dispensers for grains and a few other dry foods and refill for most household detergents. This would also be the place you had to do most of your organic shopping when living in one of the villages in the vicinity – your next real options being the NaturaSi in Abano Terme or, naturally, the ones in the city of Padua.

• Pasticceria Da Angelo, Via Euganea, 39, Mon,Wed–Sat(Sun) 7–20:30(7–13:30, 15–20:30)
• Soleluna, Via Euganea, 21, daily 15:30–22:30, Sun 11–13, 15:30–22:30
• NaturaSi, Via Padova, 73, Mon–Fri 8:30–13, 15:30–19:30, Sat 8:30–19:30

Closed

• Come una volta, Montegalda, Via Roma, 45 (neighbourhood grocery)

Esslingen: Zero Waste and Supermarkets

A serious university city Esslingen sports a small package-free self-service supermarket where you can fill your boxes, bottles, bags and jars yourself, and any pre-packaged item either comes in glass or paper packaging. Ohne Ebbes (the Swabian dialect word "ebbes" refers to "anything", hence the name can be translated as "without anything") is located near Hafenmarkt, with its entrance facing Milchstraße. Missing a glossy window front it can appear nearly invisible. The clean and welcoming shop offers dry food, sweets, cleaning detergents, household items, and sustainable body care. All non-packaged items are organic, but since the shop is missing an organic certification it is not allowed to advertise this. Only some pre-bottled regional beverages are not organic. The shop follows a German tradition among organic shops in university cities to offer a 10 percent discount to students on Thursdays.

For fairly produced gifts, fashion and dried food fair-trade world shops always are a good bet. But the Weltladen in Esslingen is even better: At its left-hand site it has a small zero-waste shop-in-shop with gravity bins containing nuts, cereals, pasta, sweets, coffee and more, not all of them certified organic, though. Bring your own jars, boxes or re-use clean paper bags from previous shoppings. As long as covid-19 requires stricter hygiene ask one of the helpful volunteers who are running the shop to fill them for you – and use the time for a chat. The shop also offers a small assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.

To buy loose weight tea take a stroll over Germany's next to oldest stone bridge, the Innere Brücke ("inner bridge") over the Neckar canals and the Maille park: In a beautiful pavilion integrated into the bridge you'll find Esslingen's branch of the Tee Gschwendtner franchise. If you present your tea box to the shop assistant before you decide on the tea of your choice they are happy to fill customer receptables.

A few steps north of the train station you'll find a branch of the nation-wide operating Alnatura supermarket chain inside the ES shopping mall. It's far from being dedicated zero-waste but offers a basic assortment of preserved food, wine, beer, juices and soft drinks, dairy products and vegetable alternatives in retour glasses or bottles as well as package-free bakery products (provided you sport a bag), fruits and veges.

If you prefer a regional chain of organic supermarkets head for the Naturgut branch inside the old fire warden. Apart from diary products and beverages there's no focus on returnable deposit bottles and glasses, but you may of course buy package-free fruit and greens. For bakery items turn to the right at the entrance: The bakery counter is located inside the attached self-service day cafe, Brot & Cafe.

Although Germany's arguably largest organic bakery chain, Munich-based Hofpfisterei ("bakery with appointment to the (Bavarian) court") traditionally restricts its branches to Bavaria (and the German capital Berlin), there's a Hofpfisterei shop in the pedestrian area of Esslingen's old town, too. As in all Hofpfisterei branches, there's not need to argue with the shop assistants when you present a bag or box to take your breads, rolls and pastries home – they will happily comply.

Outside the city, in Sulzgries, you'll find the organic farmshop of the Eglisenhof farm, a grower of both, veges and grapewine. They also have a (local) delivery service. Unfortunately the vinification of their grapes by a local co-operative does not (yet?) seem to happen according to organic standards, at least I was not able to find any organic local wine and even met strong resistance when I asked for it at local wine specialists.

The farm also has a booth at the farmers' market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. However, you have to rise in time to get there as the market closes already around noon.

• Ohne Ebbes, Hirschstraße 2 (no longer Unterer Metzgerbach 7) , Mon–Fri(Sat) 10–18(16)
• Weltladen Esslingen, Küferstrasse 12 , Mon–Fri(Sat) 10–18(16)
• Tee Gschwendner , Innere Brücke 19, Mon–Fri(Sat) 9:30(9)–18(15)
• Naturgut, Adlerstr. 6 (inside Alte Feuerwache), Mon–Fri(Sat) 8–20(18)
• Alnatura, Berliner Str. 2 (inside the mall "Das ES"), Mon–Sat 9–20
• Hofpfisterei, Pliensaustr. 1, Mon–Fri(Sat) 9(8:30)–18(14:30)
• Eglisenhof farm shop, Bergstr. 200, Tue,Fri(Sat) 9–19(13)
• Eglisenhof market stall, Marktplatz, Wed,Sat 7–12:30

Stuttgart-Möhringen

Directly located behind the old station building of Möhringen Filderbahn train station you'll find the main shop of a traditional artisanal bakery and confectioner's, Schrade. The family-run business dates back to 1902, and as many surviving bakeries of old, is organically certified. Most breads and many rolls are organic, made with Bioland-certified grains from the region and home-made sourdough if applicable.Unfortunately neither the pastries nor the artisanal chocolate truffles are made from organic ingredients (yet).

Further south, in the nicer part of Möhringen-West with its still visible village structure you'll find the Reyerhof farm, a biodynamic co-operative and community supported agriculture. Its homely farm shop is open to the public and sells raw milk from the farm which you can tap yourself into your bottle. A pleasant way to buy food and daily necessities, there's also a cafe corner with tables to sit down and relax.

There's a second organic farm shop in Möhringen-Süd: Bauer Klaus shares its shop with the suburb's package-free supermarket, Umverpackt. Unfortunately it is open on Monday and Friday afternoons only.

To complete your shopping there are also two well-assorted organic supermarkets, Naturgut in Möhringen-Mitte, and Erdi in the large housing neighbourhood of Möhringen-Ost.

• Bäckerei Schrade, Leinenweberstr. 38, Mon–Fri(Sat) 6–19(13)
• Reyerhof, Unteraicher Str. 8, Mon–Fri(Sat) 9–(8)18:30(13)
• Umverpackt, c/o Hofladen Bauer Klaus, Lohäckerstr. 18, Mon,Fri 14:30–18:30
• Naturgut, Vaihinger Str. 110, Mon–Sat 8–20
• Erdi, Widmaierstr. 110, Mon–Fri(Sat) 8–20(16)

Organic Augsburg: Eat & sleep

One of the oldest cities in Germany, with roots back in Roman history, a rich medieval history – including the world's oldest intact social housing project, the Fuggerei –, and the birthplace of Bertolt Brecht, one of the most influential writers in modern theatre, Augsburg is without doubt worth a visit. Conveniently located on the railway tracks between Munich and Nuremberg, urban trains ("Regionalbahn"/"Regionalexpress") from Munich central station depart twice an hour (at day time) and can be used with the Bayernticket flat-rate ticket for Bavaria which is the budget option if you plan to travel from and to Munich on one day (one way takes about 45 minutes). Augsburg is also an ICE/IC train stop: These high velocity trains will save you about a quarter of an hour on this route, but tickets usually come at a significantly higher price.

If you plan to stay overnight there's a pleasant fully organic hotel about three kilometers from the main train station, the Bayerischer Wirt, a certified Bio Hotel in the suburb of Lechhausen, yet easily accessible by tram and bus or bike. Although the hotel is located directly at a noisy main road, the outdoor seating area in the backyard is a peaceful oasis. The hotel restaurant serves Bavarian meat and fish dishes as well as internationally inspired vegetarian ones – with varying results: While the roasted meat was perfectly done (rare as requested, caramelized yet melting), and served with the most delicate onion crisps I've ever tasted, the strips of veal in mustard cream were quite bland and uninspired – health food with boringly blanched veges and saltless (though home-made) spaetzle. Instead of ordering bottled mineral water you may fetch tap water from the water dispenser at no cost. Needless to say that all drinks are organic, too, and the aperitifs were a pleasant refreshment in the summer heat. The dessert menu is quite limited – prefab organic ice-cream, home-made cakes and a parfait when I visited.

If a healthy local kitchen with liberal opening hours does not satisfy your expectations of a city vacation, there are two promising day cafes easily reachable for cyclists on the way from the main station to Lechhausen: Café Himmelgrün near the banks of the river Lech in Berliner Allee serves fully organic breakfast, lunch, coffee and cakes, and you can also find sustainable gifts and nice things. The cafe is run by Augsburg-based organic bakery Schubert – you may have come across the name at the bakery counters of organic supermarkets, both in Munich, Nuremberg and elsewhere in Bavaria.

In front of the cafe's outdoor area the bakery has installed a mobile sales booth for bread, snacks and cakes of yesterday's production, from the quality control desks, with short best-before date or small blemishes, all sold at low fixed prices: A kilogram of bread for example comes at 3 EUR, yesterday's savoury snacks at 1 EUR the piece, and six pieces of cake at 7 EUR. Customers are encouraged to reduce waste and take home their purchase in their own bags or boxes. Unfortunately the booth dubbed Grünfux deluxe is closed in the afternoon as well as on Mondays and on weekends.

Augsburg's long history of textile fabric production, print and trade is reflected in the Bavarian State Textile and Industry Museum, less than 10 minutes from the inner city hotspot Königsplatz by tram no. 6. The museum's cafe dubbed nunó (from the Japanese word for "cloth") is not only a charming spot in an impressive industrial building of a former spinning mill, but also predominantly and certified organic, serving light and internationally inspired lunch, breakfast and Sunday brunch, and of course a recreational coffee. Meat, bread, veges, and eggs are reliably organic and of regional origin if possible while drinks at the bar are still predominantly conventional. As most museums the place is closed on Mondays and – except for special occasions – in the evenings.

If you are so unfortunate to strand before closed doors the next organic supermarket with a small bistro – a branch of the Denn's Biomarkt chain – is located in walking distance.

Inner city

My absolute favourite for meeting friends or family is the cosy day cafe and bar Dreizehn within the Kresslesmühle cultural centre. The food is 100 percent vegan, properly seasoned and absolutely delicious. There's a daily changing special meal (a marvellously filling mushroom-spiced polenta with ratatouille, fried organic tofu crumbles and salad when I was there) in addition to the small standard menu. Unfortunately it's not possible to have breakfast yet, and when you cannot sit outside next to the old mill stream due to weather conditions it's advisable to book a table.

In the backyard of St. Anne's church, the Annahof next to the fenced city market, the church parish gives host to a lively all-day cafe restaurant cum bar dubbed Anna with a great outdoor area, which is open in the evenings, too. The place serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch inspired by international kitchens. Once it was certified organic, but since it no longer is the restaurant is not allowed to advertise with organic ingredients. Nevertheless the managing director assured me that they were still using as much organic produce as before: both eggs, milk and most fruit come from organic farms and distributors in the vicinity. On the menu you'll find organic beer (Lammsbräu), on occasions organic wine (ask for it), lemonade (charitea) and ice-tea. For breakfast you can have organic crunchy cereals, and the bread comes from the Schubert bakery. Unfortunately meat products usually aren't organic. During the warm season the cafe sells organic ice-cream to take away in a biscuit cone, delivered by the Cramer's confectioner's. Only plain flavours like vanilla, chocolate, plan hazelnut and lemon were available in July 2019, the scoop at 1.50 EUR.

For a light vegan lunch bowl or a smoothie stop by 100 percent organic ice-cream shop Juice 'n Cream in the Ulrichsviertel neighbourhood.

If you are in the mood for a pizza there's a branch of the partially organic NineOFive chain at Fuggerplatz.

For a no-frills coffee, snack or lunch you may also head for the self-service cafe at the city branch of the Basic organic supermarket chain between the state theatre and the cathedral.

Want a liquid give-a-away or treat yourself with a good bottle of organic wine or high-quality juice? Uli Scheffler Weinhandel in the Bismarckviertel is one of those small owner-run shops that create the soul of a city: Describe your occasion, and Uli will come up with a suggestion for you that (as to my taste and knowledge) will work (and taste) perfectly. While the shop keeps open on Saturdays you'll have to go without his advice as you'll find Uli at the Mariahilf farmers' market in Munich on that day of the week.

Around the main train station – bakeries and package-free

For last minute travel provisions you can buy an organic snack or sandwich at the Hofpfisterei bakery branch five minutes from the main train station. Unfortunately it's closed both on Saturdays and Sundays.

If you have some more time the city's package-free supermarket Ruta Natur is located no more than 10 minutes from the train station, directly on the way to the Stadtmarkt market place.

Alternatively you may proceed to the Schubert branch at the tram hub of Königsplatz. There used to be a serviced day cafe but after some reconstruction work the area of the bakery shop has diminished to the sales counter and a small self-service area where you may sit down with a sandwich or snack. When the weather is nice there are also chairs and tables outside. The coffee drinks from the automatic machine could taste better, but everything is organic.

There's another Schubert branch inside the city market, around the corner from St. Anne's church (and you'll find another Hofpfisterei branch there, too).

Sunday-open in Hochzoll

To buy fresh bread, rolls or cake on a Sunday morning you have to commute to 12-Apostel-Platz in Augsburg-Hochzoll where the only Sunday-open Schubert branch is located. It also sports a cafe, most suitable on weekdays, though.

• Bayerischer Wirt, Neuburger Str. 122, Mon–Sat(Sun, PH) 7–23(15), warm kitchen Thu–Mon, PH 11:30–14, Mon-Sat 18–21:30
• Himmelgrün, Am alten Schlachthof 9, Mon–Fri(Sat–Sun) 7(8)–18(17)
• Schuberts Grünfux deluxe, Am alten Schlachthof 9, Tue–Fri 9–13
• nunó, Provinostr. 46, Tue–Sun 10–17
• Denn's Biomarkt, Oberbürgermeister-Hohner-Str. 1a, Mon–Sat 8–20
• Dreizehn, Barfüßerstr. 4, daily 9–22
• Anna Café, Im Annahof 4 , Mon(Tue–Sat) 9–18(23), every first Sun of a month brunch 9–14
• NineOFive, Fuggerpl. 9, Sun–Thu(Sat) 17(12)–22
• Basic, Ludwigstr. 2, Mon–Sat 8–20, bakery and bistro from 7 am
• Uli Scheffler Weinhandel, Neidhartstr. 25 (entrance Bismarckstr.), Tue–Fri(Sat) 10–19(16)
• Ruta Natur, Prinzregentenstr. 7, Mon–Fri(Sat) 10–18:30(15), four saturdays before Christmas 2022 10–16
• Bäckerei Schubert, Am Königsplatz, Mon–Sat 7–19
• Bäckerei Schubert im Stadtmarkt, baker row, Mon–Fri(Sat) 7–18(14)
• Bäckerei Schubert 12-Apostel-Platz, Münchner Str. 18, Mon–Fri(Sat) 7–18(12:30), Sun 8–11
• Hofpfisterei, Bahnhofstr. 24, Mon–Fri 8–18
• Hofpfisterei Stadtmarkt, baker row, booth no. C4-C5, Mon–Thu(Fri) 8:30(7:45)–18, Sar 7:30–14

More on Augsburg

• Ice-cream

Closed

• Lokalhelden, Bleigässchen 2, (vegetarian and vegan restaurant)
• Mom's Table, Maximilianstr. 77 (vegan restaurant)
• Schwarze Kiste, Gögginger Str. 26
• Sowieso, Schießgrabenstr. 4 (organic restaurant and cafe, social enterprise)
• Färberei, Färbergäßchen 5 (restaurant), replaced by partially organic winery and bar Tante Frizzante und Herr Brand, Tue–Thu(Fri) 17(16)–23(1),Sat 12–1