A veal frikadelle at Berggasthof Kellerskopf, a restaurant and beer garden just outside Wiesbaden. The restaurant's award-winning chef opened Kellerskopf to serve down-to-earth dishes, but they happen to be out of this world. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
A veal frikadelle at Berggasthof Kellerskopf, a restaurant and beer garden just outside Wiesbaden. The restaurant's award-winning chef opened Kellerskopf to serve down-to-earth dishes, but they happen to be out of this world. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
Lamb cutlets at Berggasthof Kellerskopf, a rustic restaurant and beer garden set in the wooded hills just outside Wiesbaden, Germany. Adjacent to the restaurant is an observation tower which offers a 360-degree view of the countryside and Rhine valley. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
A view of the beer garden and observation tower at Berggasthof Kellerskopf, a rustic restaurant set in the wooded hills outside of Wiesbaden, Germany. Located in the midst of several major hiking and biking trails, the restaurant welcomes hikers and bikers to sit in its beer garden after a long workout. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
The entrance to Berggasthof Kellerskopf, a rustic restaurant set in the hills outside Wiesbaden, Germany. The restaurant offers high-quality takes on a variety of German dishes, as well as an array of beers, wines and schnapps. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
A view from the observation tower adjacent to Berggasthof Kellerskopf, a restaurant located in the wooded hills just outside of Wiesbaden, Germany. (Dan Stoutamire/Stars and Stripes)
I’d seen the tower from a distance many times before, looming over the trees in the forest of the Taunus Mountains. I didn’t know exactly where or what it was until recently, when I visited the restaurant next to it.
Neither the views from the tower nor the food at the restaurant disappointed.
Berggasthof Kellerskopf, located in the picturesque wooded hills near Naurod, a village next to Wiesbaden, is a real gem. Its owner and head chef, Tim Gassauer, says in a message on the restaurant’s menu that he sought to offer something simpler than what’s found at a Michelin-starred restaurant, but still of top-notch quality.
“I came back to basics and felt more comfortable in an honest, down-to-earth kitchen where I cook for the guests and not for the critics,” he says.
The result is a restaurant with a wide variety of reasonably priced, high-quality salads, soups, meat dishes and fine desserts. I had a veal steak topped with caramelized onions served in a mushroom sauce. It tasted like an unusually good frikadelle, a common German festival food, and the sauce and onions complemented the meat perfectly. My friend ordered the grilled lamb cutlets served on top of mashed sweet potatoes. I had a bite, and it, too, was impressively prepared.
Besides main dishes like these, Kellerskopf offers several salad options — with or without meat — and vegetarian dishes, such as couscous with fruit curry sauce, two kinds of soup and a children’s menu.
The restaurant has a beer garden outside, making it a convenient place for hikers and mountain bikers to have a post-workout meal or drink.
Besides the food, the tower (Aussichtsturm, in German) is a compelling attraction, which gives guests a commanding 360-degree view of the Taunus Mountains and the Rhine River. During my visit on a slightly cloudy day I could easily see Mainz and beyond. Entrance to the tower is free and can be gained without going through the restaurant.
I highly recommend the Berggasthof Kellerskopf. It’s one of the best dining and overall experiences I have had in more than two years in Germany.
Berggasthof Kellerskopf Location: Kellerskopf 1, Wiesbaden-Naurod 65207, Germany Hours: 5-10 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, closed Mondays and Tuesdays Prices: Soups, salads and appetizers are 5.80-18.90 euros ($6.81-$22.19); main courses are 10.80- 8.90 euros. Information: Phone (+49) (0) 6127-4926, website: www.kellerskopf.de. Reservationsr ecommended, especially on weekends. The staff generally speaks English well, and English menus are available.
