Sparkling Bistro, Das Tschecherl, Das Obers, Das Fogosch

Anyone who writes about Jürgen Wolfsgruber is faced with a strange problem: the man does not fit into any pigeonhole. Star chef sounds too stiff and landlord too conservative. What he does is something else. He builds restaurants that feel like they've always had to exist, but somehow never existed. And he is doing this four times, in the same city, with the same signature.

For us, Wolfsgruber is not a random tip. We have been supplying Jürgen's restaurants with champagne and wine for a long time, know his cuisine inside and out, and think that what he has built up in Munich speaks for itself. Four restaurants, four different characters, a common denominator.

The Sparkling Bistro: Where it all began

In 2015, Wolfsgruber opened his first own restaurant in Amalienstrasse, in the heart of Maxvorstadt. Born in Salzkammergut, he had learned in some of the best kitchens in the world and then wanted to create a place that didn't have to be noisy to make an impression. A kitchen with attitude, but without attitude.

In the Sparkling Bistro, Austrian origin meets French technology: reduced, clear and full of character. Wolfsgruber focuses on top regional products, creative flavours and genuine craftsmanship. In 2020, the Michelin star came. A nice confirmation, but never the goal, as Wolfsgruber himself says. He prefers to wear sneakers rather than white jackets and wants to know his guests, not impress them. The champagne, which has been on the menu here since day one, is not an aperitif ritual. It is part of the evening.

Sparkling Bistro: Amalienstrasse 89/Türkenstrasse 86a, 80799 Munich. Wed–Sat from 6 p.m., Fri & Sat lunch 12 p.m.–3 p.m. To the reservation

Image @AnnetteSandner

The Tschecherl: Austria in perfection

In Austria, "Tschecherl" means something like a small, simple inn. Wolfsgruber's second restaurant, also in the Amalienpassage, is deliberately uncomplicated: no menu obligation, no long explanations, but a manageable menu with Austrian dishes that are not only classic here, but are rethought. Crackling dumplings with sauerkraut, brown trout with salted potatoes, boiled beef with runner beans and pumpkin seed oil. If you prefer to be surprised, order the Ö-Makase, a five-course menu according to the market situation.

The kitchen is open to the public, the atmosphere relaxed. In summer, there is something else: Outside in the lively Amalienpassage it is wonderful to sit. Michelin has also included the Tschecherl in its selection. And rightly so. The Tschecherl proves what many underestimate: a cuisine that knows its origins and takes them seriously.

Das Tschecherl: Amalienstrasse 89, Amalienpassage, 80799 Munich. Tue–Fri 12–10 p.m., 1st Saturday of the month 4–10 p.m. (Ömakase only). To the reservation

Image @AnnetteSandner

The cream: Gladly

During a walk through Gern, one of Munich's quietest districts, Wolfsgruber fell in love with a location that had previously housed an Italian restaurant for twenty years. The result is his most neighbourly project to date: a corner house, a terrace, thirty seats and a kitchen that corresponds to the neighbourhood without adapting to it.

In the kitchen is Lukas Gietl, who comes from South Tyrol and worked at Bobby Bräuer's side for many years. You can tell that. The menu shows Austrian baseline with a South Tyrolean touch: Schlutzkrapfen with nut butter, lake trout in Matjes style, Grammelknödel with sauerkraut.

This is not fine dining that hides. This is a modern inn with serious aspirations. Michelin has already included Das Obers in its selection.

The terrace is one of the most pleasant places in the city in summer, without the noise of the city center, but with a full kitchen.

The Obers: Gerner Strasse 48, 80638 Munich. Wed–Sat 12 noon–10 pm To the reservation

Image @AnnetteSandner

The Fogosch: Butter to the fish

The fourth restaurant is the youngest, just opened at Amalienstrasse 81, less than 100 meters from the Sparkling Bistro. The name says what's going on: "Fogosch" is the Austrian name for zander, a river fish that is unjustly rare in Central European cuisine.

Fogosch is designed as a fish bistro that dispenses with chichi but focuses on quality. The menu is deliberately kept small and changes depending on what is available and good at the time. No showpiece, no concept paper that smells of marketing. Only the question: What is excellent right now, and what do you make of it?

The Fogosch: Amalienstrasse 81, 80799 Munich. Wed from 5 p.m., Thu & Fri 12 noon–3 p.m. and 5 p.m.–11 p.m., Sat 12 noon–11 p.m. To the reservationImage @AnnetteSandner

What this has to do with champagne

Nothing happens by chance in these restaurants, not even the wine selection. Winegrowers' champagnes need places where they are taken seriously. Not as a status symbol, but as what they are: artisanal wines from one of the most fascinating regions in the world. Wolfsgruber's cuisine, which combines Austrian depth with French precision, is a natural environment for this.

If you want to drink a winegrower's champagne with your meal and don't yet know what goes with it: The Sparkling Bistro is not a bad start.