Von Stephen Village Bier Garten at Cocoa Village Review

I had never tried much German food until moving to Florida, where I was surprised to find how many German restaurants there are here. We have a few on the Space Coast, but the one we always go back to is Village Bier Garten. This Cocoa Village spot has a transformative atmosphere and an authentic food and beer menu.

We have came here a few times since finding out about it last year an always have an excellent experience. I especially love going during the holidays when they decorate with lots of lights and traditional German decorations. This is an especially fun place to visit with a group when there is live music, and you can even just order drinks if you like. I find the food to be quite delicious though, so you will probably want some as well!

Location and Atmosphere

You will find the Von Stephen Village Biergarten across from the Cocoa Riverfront Park. It is kind of crazy to just be walking through a Florida town and then see this little German garden area. There is even a water wheel for decoration out front!

Inside the courtyard are lots of picnic tables and a stage for the musicians they frequently host. There is an open air area as well that they close off when it rains. You can even sit at the long bar, but I prefer the outside the best. With all the little German touches, it really feels like you are in another country!

Drinks at Village Bier Garten

Considering this restaurant is a Bier Garten, of course there is plenty to drink! Most of the beer on tap is German beer, although they do have domestics as well. I saw kinds of beer I had never seen before like the Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest and the Warsteiner Dunkel. Most of the types available are some variation of Oktoberfest, Pilsner, Lager, Hefeweizen and Dunkel. You will have to go up the street to Dirty Oar if you want sour beers and IPA’s!

The beer is served in either half liters, liters or flights. It’s an expensive endeavor though with the half liters costing at least $7 and the liters costing $10. If you are like me, you will have plenty though, as I did not realize how much a liter was!

Wine and liquor is also available, as well as soft drinks. The wine is mainly of the German variety, so they have some nice rieslings!

The Food at Village Bier Garten

The Village Bier Garten is open for lunch and dinner and there are all sorts of food options to choose from. They have separate menus, with the lunch options including more sandwiches. There are appetizers and salads available all day in the $7 to $15 price range.

The specialties at Village Biergarten are the Wienerschnitzel and the Jagerschnitzel, both offered for lunch and dinner at $15. The rest of the lunch menu is a variety of sandwiches from $9 to $13. They have some pretty interesting ones like a Knackwurst (beef sausage) on a pretzel roll, as well as classics like bratwurst.

Dinner is where the restaurant really shines. They serve favorites like Berliner Currywurst, Bier Brewed Goulash, and Pork Shoulder. The entrees during dinner are between $15 and $21 and are pretty big portions. For vegetarians, there aren’t many options during dinner unfortunately. A meal of appetizers or a salad would be the only way to go for veggie eaters, although there are some vegetarian sandwiches offered at lunch that they might be able to make for dinner. There is a kids menu, with typical kids food and sausages for under $7.

The one offering I don’t recommend is the buffet. It costs $25 per person and features options like sausages, schnitzel and roast chicken. It looks decent, but I have yet to order it. The reviews on Yelp indicate it’s not worth the money, and considering I’m not a big fan of buffets, I do not find it enticing. I would stick to the entrees, because those are always delicious and cooked to order.

My Favorites

The appetizers are a must here, in my opinion, especially the Giant Pretzel, with mustard and beer cheese. I’m not really sure what authentic German pretzels taste like, but this one is much better than the pretzel I had at Frankfurt airport recently. I also really like the potato pancakes topped with lox and sour cream.

For lunch, I really like the German Cheese Steak. I did not get the best picture of it, but it is quite delicious with the swiss cheese and the pretzel roll! The bratwurst on a pretzel roll is always delicious too.

I have yet to order the same thing twice for dinner at Village Biergarten and everythig has been impressive. The Berliner Currywurst is a really unique dish, as I love the tomato curry sauce on the sausage. You definitely can’t go wrong with the Beer Brewed Goulash or the Cabbage Roll either. Andrew always gets the Wienerschnitzel and finds this to be a tasty meal that isn’t too heavy.

We have yet to get the dessert yet, but they are apparently known for their Spaghetti Ice Cream! It’s basically like strips of ice cream that looks like spaghetti and is very popular in Germany. There are a few other classic German desserts and a bunch of coffee options as well, that I will have to try sometime.

Know Before You Go: Von Stephen Village Bier Garten

For a fun and delicious evening in Cocoa Village, I highly recommend this Bier Garten. It’s almost Oktoberfest, so it’s the perfect time to get into the spirit with some German music and liters of beer! Whether you come for food, or entertainment, I think people of all ages will have a great experience. Here’s some things to keep in mind for your visit.

• The Village Bier Garten is opens every day at 11:30 AM and closes at 10 PM Sunday through Thursday, and 2 AM on Friday and Saturday.
• Seating is indoors and outdoors and there is no need for a reservation. The entire restaurant is open air, but they do have screens to close off the indoor restaurant in the event of inclement weather.
• There is free parking available throughout Cocoa Village and a large lot right across the street.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are very limited, especially during dinner. Gluten free may be a challenge as well.
• There is a kids menu with grilled cheese, chicken fingers and sausages.
• Live entertainment is frequently played at night. Currently there are dueling pianos playing Friday and Saturday nights. Check the restaurants Facebook page for event info.

Have you been to the Von Stephen Village Bier Garten? What about Cocoa Village in general? If you are visiting the Space Coast, be sure to check out my travel guide for more recommendations in Cocoa Beach and Melbourne!