Starting June 4, 2026, Netflix will premiere a documentary about the unforgettable Cologne football legend Lukas Podolski. If you can’t wait until then, simply take a stroll along the Rhine yourself. At these spots, fans can get closer to “Prince Poldi” than anywhere else.
He won a World Cup, played in Istanbul and Antalya, but always remained connected to his hometown of Cologne. Even long after his departure from 1. FC Köln, Lukas Podolski remains an integral part of the city: kebab shops, ice cream parlors, a prominent penthouse, and an indoor football arena in Mülheim all bear witness to his legacy along the Rhine. If you want to understand Lukas „Poldi“ Podolski, you can’t ignore Cologne.
1. RheinEnergieStadion – “Poldi’s Living Room”
It all begins here. In 1995, Podolski joined the local football club 1. FC Köln as a teenager, and in 2003 he made his Bundesliga debut. In October 2024, he takes the field one last time in “his” stadium for his farewell match. The Lukas Podolski Box, which he helped design and has filled with personal memorabilia, is nicknamed “Poldi’s Living Room”—and that’s without a hint of irony.
The box can be rented for events and conferences for up to 30 people. For a good dose of football culture, however, a public stadium tour is also recommended. Click here to visit the RheinEnergieStadion website.
RheinEnergieStadion, Aachener Straße 999, 50933 Cologne
2. Mangal Döner, Chlodwigplatz –Birthplace of an Empire
In Cologne’s Südstadt district, Poldolski has proven himself to be a shrewd businessman. On the Bonner Straße, just a stone’s throw from Chlodwigplatz, he opened the first branch of “Mangal Döner” together with his business partner Metin Dag. What many initially perceived as a PR stunt has since become a successful franchise and is now an integral part of the cityscape. A long line can still be seen regularly in front of the first shop in the Südstadt, but the wait is worth it. There are now more than 30 branches throughout the Rhineland and beyond.
Mangal Döner, Bonner Straße 1, 50677 Cologne
3. Rheinauhafen – Crane Houses, Offices, and the Penthouse
If you walk south from the cathedral along the Rhine, you’ll end up at the Rheinauhafen, a former industrial harbor turned lifestyle district. Here, Podolski has tied up two loose ends: In one of the three unmissable crane houses that have defined the Rhine embankment for nearly 20 years, he reportedly owns a penthouse spanning around 400 square meters with a view of the cathedral and the Rhine. A few hundred meters further on, at Anna-Schneider-Steig 7, is MD-LP Gastronomie GmbH, the company behind Mangal. At first glance, the sign in the window might look as though they sell kebabs here too. But the office is exactly that: simply an office. For true fans, however, it’s still worth a quick detour to snap a photo of it.
4. Bona’me – Turkish-Kurdish Cuisine Right on the Waterfront
Okay, we cheated a little here. Poldi isn’t directly involved with the Turkish restaurant Bona’me. But he did spend a few years playing football in Istanbul and Antalya. So if you get hungry after a stroll along the harbor, head to Anna-Schneider-Steig 22 for the best Kurdish-Turkish cuisine, featuring meze, pide, pan-fried dishes, and homemade lemonades. All this in an urban atmosphere with a view of the water. And who knows—maybe Prince Poldi will pop by after all; his office is right around the corner, after all.
Bona’me, Anna-Schneider-Steig 22, 50678 Cologne
5. Ice Cream United, Belgian Quarter – Ice Cream With a Vibe
Now we’re heading all the way across town to the west, to the Belgisches Viertel. There, the sweeter side of the Poldi universe awaits. Ice Cream United on the Brüsseler Straße was his first ice cream spot in Cologne, recognizable by its colorful design and red-and-white cups. A second location opened at Heumarkt in 2018. That one might be better situated for tourists, but the shop on Brüsseler Straße has the original charm.
Ice Cream United, Brüsseler Straße 71 and at Heumarkt
6. Straßenkicker, Mülheim – Streetwear With a Cologne Twist
Near the Alter Markt, Podolski opened a store for his label “Straßenkicker” in 2015. The brand specializes in streetwear with football and Cologne themes. Unsurprisingly, the 2015 opening drew long lines of fans and a media frenzy. The concept was a success, and the store has since moved from the Old Town to the Carlswerk district in Mülheim, on the other side of the Rhine. Here, however, “Straßenkicker” has become more than just a shop, as Poldi has built an entire sports arena from the ground up. Several indoor football fields and a gaming lounge are ready to be played on and kicked around.
Strassenkicker Base, Schanzenstraße 6–20, Building 1.21
