Pfunds Molkerei In Dresden - Visit The Most Beautiful Dairy Shop In The World!

⋆˙⟡♡︎ This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for details. Thanks for your support ⋆˙⟡♡︎

A stunning place you cannot miss in Dresden is the dazzling Pfunds Molkerei.

This one-of-a-kind milk spa opened its doors in 1892 by the Pfunds brothers and sells only the freshest and highest quality regional dairy products.

It has won a Guinness Record for being the ‘Most Beautiful Dairy Shop in the World’ as every wall inside has been decorated in hand-painted tiles.

It’s so pretty that it caught the attention of filmmaker Wes Anderson who featured the shop in The Grand Budapest Hotel as the interior of Mendl’s Bakery.

You must visit if you’re in Dresden to sample a fresh glass of milk or a scrummy regional cheese platter.

Here is a complete guide for visiting Dresdner Molkerei and what to buy!

Pfunds Molkerei Dresden Most Beautiful Dairy Shop in the World — *Pfunds Molkerei*

Table of Contents

The history of Pfunds Molkerei

Pfunds Molkerei was opened in 1892 and was named after the Pfunds brothers, Paul and Friedrich.

They aimed to provide the city of Dresden with fresh and regional dairy products of high quality.

At the time, Industrialisation was taking over Germany. As the population grew, the demand for dairy products increased.

However, hygiene rules were ignored and the quality was poor. Many of the products were sour or contaminated.

Disgusted by this, Paul Pfund founded a milk sanatorium at Waldgasse.

Shortly after, he opened up a speciality ‘milk spa’ which was an instant hit with locals.

As their popularity grew, the business had to move in order to expand. So, they founded a shop on Bautzner Straße and it is still located there today.

Unlike other buildings in the city, the molkerei suffered limited damage during WWII.

The entire shop is like a fairytale as it is entirely decorated with hand-painted tiles from Villeroy & Boch.

These Italianate ceramics have portraits of cupids and swirling ornate patterns. There are also landscapes of milk farms and worldly attractions.

It’s these stunning hand crafted tiles that won Molkerei Gebrüder Pfund a world record.

The Most Beautiful Dairy Shop in the World

In 1997, the Guinness Book of Records visited the dairy shop and awarded it for being ‘The Most Beautiful Dairy Shop in the World’.

It’s easy to see why as the entire shop is a feast for the eyes!

Adorned in azure and gold, you can spot cherubs, squirrels, emperors and heraldic coats of arms

Today, Pfunds Molkerei is a popular tourist attraction in Dresden and sees thousands visit every year.

If you’re in the city, you must make a visit to this delectable dairy to sample some of its products!

What do they sell at Pfunds Molkerei?

Pfunds Molkerei has always sold the freshest dairy products of the highest quality found in the region of Saxony.

They no longer produce their own stock but many of the items that they sell are exclusively made for them by local farmers and companies.

You’ll find a variety of fresh cheeses in all types as well as country milk and buttermilk in bottles and on tap.

Along with fresh dairy, their shop sells a range of artisan chocolates, Italian nougat and other luxury treats as well.

There are even magnets and postcards of the Villeroy & Boch designs.

You can take them home in their uber-cute paper bags which have the tile patterns on them.

Sample a glass of fresh milk

A popular thing to do at Pfunds Molkerei is to buy a glass of fresh milk or buttermilk to sample.

You can order them over the counter along with a platter of regional cheese.

I’m lactose intolerant but I’m one of those people that will still stubbornly eat ice cream and chocolate. It’s risk and rewards baby.

I don’t think my intolerance could stretch to an entire glass of milk though so I decided to give this little treat a miss.

But, I was so happy to discover something even better…

Pfunds Secco Bar

I visited the dairy shop in the summer and I was so happy to see their pop-up Pfunds-Secco Bar.

Here, they were selling glasses of sparkling wine and buttermilk mixers if you can believe it.

They had a seasonal ‘Maracuja Spritz’ which was made with Prosecco and passionfruit. It was incredibly tasty.

After you have bought your drink, there is a small seating area to relax in.

There is usually only one table with seats but there are also several standing tables to gather around.

I’m not sure if this bar will be there in cooler months but I really hope so.

It was a nice way to support the shop and an ideal opportunity to savour these spectacular interiors.

If you are interested, they also have large bottles of locally fermented wines that you can take home with you.

Pfunds Speciality Shop

Just behind the Molkerei, you can visit their Pfunds speciality shop which was opened to expand their offerings.

It pays homage to the Pfunds brother’s inventiveness and sells other non-dairy regional products from Saxony.

Inside, you can find all sorts of jams, preserves, cooking oils, pasta, sweets and teas. Also, some bottled ‘Goldene Reiter beer’.

It’s worth checking it out to see if something delicious takes your fancy. But, a fair warning, you may find your wallet shrinking.

Mendl’s Grand Budapest Hotel filming location

If you’re a lover of Wes Anderson, you may be excited to know that this stunning Dresden milk shop featured in his movie The Grand Budapest Hotel.

The shop was used to film the pretty interiors of Mendl’s bakery in Lutz, a city in the fictional country of Zubrowka.

If you remember, this is where Agatha works and creates her pretty pastries like the Courtesan Au Chocolat.

If you want to visit even more Grand Budapest Hotel filming locations then I would head to Görlitz, also known as Görliwood.

It’s only 90 minutes away from Dresden by train and makes a great day trip.

This fairytale town is Hollywood’s favourite filming location in Germany and they filmed Wes Anderson’s movie all over the town.

The most famous location is the Kaufhaus department store which was the lobby of the hotel. They also filmed at the Rathaus, Ratscafé and many more places.

Grand Budapest Hotel Filming location Kaufhaus gorlitz — *Kaufhaus*

The tourist information centre has a map to follow or you can take a Görliwood tour bus to see even more filming locations from other movies like The Book Thief and Inglorious Basterds.

Filming locations aren’t the only draw of Görlitz. Their Barockhaus museum is home to one of my favourite libraries in the world; the Upper Lusatian Library of Sciences.

Also known as the Triumphal Arches of Knowledge, this Baroque tunnel library is a must-visit for reading lovers.

Is there a café at Pfunds Molkerei?

Yes, there is a café located upstairs at the dairy shop if you want to sit down and grab a coffee, tea and a slice of cheesecake.

As the shop is quite touristy, you can expect this café to be quite busy throughout the day.

I visited Pfunds Molkerei quite late in the evening so I missed the opportunity to visit the café, unfortunately.

I did see online that the interiors weren’t as pretty as downstairs. Also, I found out that the café is not associated with Pfunds at all.

So, I didn’t feel too bad about missing out in the end.

How to get to Dresdner Molkerei

Pfunds Molkerei is located on Bautzner Straße which is very near to the huge 400 metre shopping street of Rothenburger Straße.

There are some parking spaces outside of the shop but Dresden also has a wealth of public transport on offer to take you there.

The nearest tram and bus stops are located on Bautzner Straße / Pulsnitzer Straße.

If you’re heading here from the Old Town, you can take a direct tram to Albertplatz and then walk around 15 minutes to Dresdner Molkerei.

Opening times are Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm but it’s closed on Sundays.

The address is Bautzner Straße, Dresden, Germany. Click here for a Google Pin!

My top tips for visiting

Visit earlier or later – it is very touristy and there are often queues to visit Pfunds Molkerei during the day so I would get here early or late if you wanted to avoid that.

Tour groups – there can be quite large tour groups that visit. Again, visiting in the late afternoon may be best to avoid crowds.

Buy a spritz – they had a cute Pfunds-Secco bar set up in the summer. Take advantage of having a spritz inside the most beautiful dairy shop in the world. Próst!

Photography – videos and photos are allowed inside these days but no flash and you cannot use tripods or selfie sticks.

Villeroy & Boch Tiles Pfunds Molkerei — *Villeroy & Boch Tiles*

Is Pfunds Molkerei worth visiting?

Yes, I would say that a stop in Pfunds Molkerei has to be included on your Dresden itinerary.

Sure, it can get very busy with tourists. Can you blame them? The entire shop looks like it has been plucked from the pages of a fairytale.

Not only are the interiors dreamy to capture but the products inside are delectable too!

Plus, film buffs can’t skip the chance to visit the beloved Mendl’s from The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Don’t skip a trip to the Pfunds in Dresden. You and your taste buds won’t regret a single thing!

Are you looking for more things to do in Dresden?

While you’re in Outer Neustadt (Outer New Town), I would recommend exploring this area as it’s very bohemian.

It has a great range of diverse restaurants from all over the world if you are tired of traditional German fare.

You can also head to the Kunsthofpassage to see some incredibly colourful and quirky buildings.

I loved the blue house with its ‘singing drainpipes’ that make music when it rains.

Kunsthofpassage Dresden — *Kunsthofpassage*

Dresden is most famous for its Old Town attractions and there are a wealth of historic buildings you can visit.

I loved my tour of Dresden Castle where you can step inside the shimmering Green Vault filled with royal treasures.

You can also visit the iconic Frauenkirche and Firstenzug which is a large mural of the rulers of Saxony.

Bruhl’s Terrace provides one of the best views in the entire city over the mighty River Elbe.

Plus, you really cannot leave without exploring the Zwinger with its plethora of museums.

I loved the Old Master Picture Gallery, Porcelain and Royal Instruments Museum.

It’s also very easy to book some day trips from the city. You can visit historic Meißen, Saxon Switzerland National Park and Görlitz, with more filming locations from The Grand Budapest Hotel!