Taubenkobel

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.