Taubenkobel

Nothing short of a foodie legend, Restaurant & Hotel Taubenkobel’s quirky 19th-century Austrian country cottage is the iconic culinary destination of Austria - and beyond. Serious pilgrims of food flock from far reaches of the globe to this tiny gourmet hub of creative flavour. Named after the rickety dovecote in the back garden, Restaurant Taubenkobel is the true originator of farm-to-table eating, winning top marks in Gault & Millau, Falstaff and Michelin, as well as being ranked one of Forbes’ 16 must-dine restaurants. 

Chunky lime-washed walls play host to a culinary theatre of locally foraged herbs, a vegetable garden full of freshly picked organic bounty and heaps of creative imagination, the kind of which conjures up such intensely truthful flavours that can be found only here. Taubenkobel’s Puritan simplicity sees the original cottage, stables and outhouses lend their rustic DNA to beautifully frame the combo of the boutique country chic and modern zeitgeist.

Chalky white eggshell tones blend with stone walls while pockets of zingy floral colour blocks, inspired by the surrounding meadows, sing alongside vivid artworks and gallery installations, all igniting the beamed sloping ceilings of this old twisted house of food.

Outside in the moss-green meandering cottage gardens, a scene of pruned bushes, mature trees, oversized hydrangeas and herbs gather around the circular natural swimming pool, a perfect chillax corner in which to digest your culinary delights – especially perfect for post-dining curled up with a glass of the good stuff to hand, close to the outdoor kitchen fire. Taubenkobel is a lovely family affair carefully crafted over the years, a gourmet restaurant and boutique hotel that wonderfully harks back to the times of the good life’s slow lane – a culinary philosophy of keeping things simple that is itself a taste experience and makes it well worth every foodie pilgrim of taste’s journey to the little hamlet of Lake Neusiedl.

There’s nothing better than indulging in a serious gourmet lunch or dinner, knowing that you’re here for a night or two, allowing you the luxury of time to put you right in the slow lane. More than a restaurant with rooms, there are only ten bedrooms at Taubenkobel’s which all offer a homely, whimsical feel, some located on mezzanine floors, accessed by iron circular steps – an adventure in itself.

Loft bedrooms are cosy yet chic, with beams adding character and gold-framed mirrors bringing a touch of glam, while eccentrics will love the charm of unusual curios in the room such as hanging aeroplanes, stone-sculpted baths and record players. A place to relax in between incredible gastronomic experiences and perhaps a dip in the natural pond, Taubenkobel’s rooms are the perfect refuge.

First opened by Walter Eselböck and his wife Eveline in 1992, Taubenkobel and its seasonally changing menu is a legendary foodie institution in Austria, and despite being lauded by countless culinary awards, Michelin, 18 points in Gault & Millau, 96 in Falstaff, it is its legacy of patrons that really confirm its celebrated standing. Taubenkobel is famous for its regional, nose-to-tail approach to cooking and its modern celebration of local Pannonian cuisine. 

Having no previous culinary training, Walter one day decided to pick up a pan, and the universe intervened; from there, he took to his calling, pioneering the farm-to-table movement that is now so frequently seen today. Having now handed the culinary reins to his daughter Barbara Eselböck and her experienced French chef husband Alain Weissgerber, (Gault & Millau Chef of The Year 2024), a more modern gastro twist has descended on these terroir kitchen dishes, but one that, of course, stays true to Taubenkobel’s ethos - sourcing regional, organic produce from surrounding hills and meadows, like wild amaranth, coriander and even fresh pondweed from Lake Neusiedl. Filled with an incredible abundance of taste nuances and hidden subtleties of flavour, eating at Taubenkobel is like starting afresh, tasting for the first time, and truly adoring your new-found home of Pannonia. No meal is complete without wine, and this tipple is another huge part of the Taubenkobel dining experience. Sourced from the (similarly exciting) boutique biodynamic winery, Gut Oggau, run by Barbara’s sister, Stephanie, many menu packages come complete with wine pairings, and if you are going avant-garde, then a big blackboard in the restaurant tells you what’s on offer.

For a drink, a bite and a shop, the restaurant’s boutique neighbouring Greisslerei is a tapas-style reverie where local clay plates, jewel-like pots and long-handled wooden spoons line up as rune-like mementoes against the wall and floor - almost sacred reminders of this most coveted of dining experiences.

Taubenkobel sits to the west of Lake Neusiedl in the beautiful little village of Schützen am Gebirge, an hour’s drive south of Vienna (and 35-minutes from Vienna International Airport) and with its own train station, Bahnhof Schützen am Gebirge.

Tucked in Austria’s famous wine region, Burgenland, Taubenkobel is famed for celebrating its Pannonian produce and locality – Pannonia being an ancient Roman province reaching from Eastern Austria over into Eastern Europe. The village of Schützen am Gebirge is surrounded by meadows, sheep, rolling hills and of course, Lake Neusiedl and in the neighbouring town is the Oggau wine estate, one of the most interesting biodynamic wineries in Europe and owned by Walter Eselböck’s daughter Stephanie – as well as the source of Taubenkobel’s wine list.