WHERE TO EAT The best Schweinshaxe in the world (according to food experts)

"The Bavarian fare is superb, especially the Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle)."

"And then, there's this. The dish that almost alone brought me back to Cologne. It was sweet, sweet memories of this stegosaurus sized shank of cured pork boiled and boiled until it literally falls away from the bone steaming and moist, a symphony of meat and gelatin and good, good stuff. God is hiding in there somewhere."

"Eat a filling lunch of schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle)."

"Recommendation: The oven-fresh, crispy pork knuckle with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes!"

"Apfelwein Wagner is a firm favourite amongst locals and tourists alike for its traditional, rustic decor and a menu that offers all the Frankfurter classics as well as German specialties such as Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle)."

"You MUST get the boneless pork knuckle. It was one of my favorite things to eat on this trip."

"Once you've digested the architecture, you can get down to business; this is, after all, one of the best places in town to try traditional German food (like pork knuckles) along with house-brewed beer."

"If you want to enjoy pečené koleno, don't come here without a reservation."

"And, the main attraction, the pork knuckle (or ham hock as I know it). They nailed the cooking on this, somehow making it tender and shred easily with a fork. It must have been braised or roasted for a very long time. The "half crispy" portion was totally crazy, I'm still not sure how that was done. Was it the skin? Was it dunked in something and deep fried? I have no idea, but it was crazy crispy, salty, and right up my alley."

"Roasted to perfection on the outside, leaving a crackly shell to seal the inside: a mixture of juicy fat and tender pork meat. An explosion of flavor when you bite in - like a juicy piece of bacon. Really, really amazing... In Germany, this is known as Schweinshaxe."