Etz pursues a vision that is as ambitious as it is consistent: to bring the culinary potential of the Franconian-Bavarian region to the plate in its purest, most exciting and ideal form. With a deep understanding of product quality and origin, creations are created here that surprise and inspire in equal measure – rooted in tradition, but with an eye to the future. At the time of my visit in April, everything revolved around rest & ripening, tender shoots and the first mushrooms. One of the seven seasons at Etz.
The kitchen team uses both classic and modern techniques – never for their own sake, but always with a clear goal: to treat the ingredients, the animals and the people with the greatest possible respect. This attitude can be felt in every course.
What makes Etz special is the desire to experiment: some culinary boundaries are redrawn, occasionally even playfully crossed – without gimmickry, but with substance. This makes every visit not only a pleasure, but also an invitation to discover and understand something new.
etz – and I’m deliberately jumping the gun here – is probably the one German restaurant that should be mentioned at the forefront of international destination dining. A cuisine that not only incorporates the terroir, but consistently places it at the center. An experience that is inextricably linked to its location – which is precisely why it is only possible here, only like this, only now.
The high level of expertise and the confident interaction of the entire team create a remarkable sense of ease. Despite the clearly thought-out concept, there is still plenty of room for genuine cordiality, openness and enjoyment of the evening together. No dogma, no raised index finger – instead an evening full of hospitality and culinary culture at the highest level.
Traditionally, the evening at Etz does not begin directly at the table, but with a special prologue in the neighboring building. Here, where the laboratory, warehouse and preparation kitchen are located, guests are given a glimpse behind the scenes – and at the same time a deeper understanding of the philosophy of the establishment.
On our evening, Thomas Prosiegel welcomes the guests and guides them through the shelves where jars of fermented, pickled and matured products are stored – silent witnesses to a long process that begins long before the actual cooking. With palpable passion, he explains techniques, ingredients and ideas, inviting us to gather individual jars that arouse our particular interest on the table for joint observation and discussion, to ask questions, to sniff out aromas.
This prelude is more than just an introduction – it is a dialog with the products, an invitation to conscious tasting and an expression of the care that permeates every detail at Etz.
The first small snack to reach us directly from the production kitchen is a “spinach leaf” with dried clove twigs, cassis berries and cassis wood vinaigrette
This is followed by a wagyu from the hip with emu egg mayo, first herbs and flowers. Small plates that immediately tell of the clarity and product focus at Etz and whet the appetite for the rest of the evening.
After the introduction in the laboratory, the experience continues seamlessly in the sun-drenched dining room. Blossoming cherry branches in simple vases pick up on the current season and at the same time tell of the Japanese-inspired aesthetics of the house – reduced, clear and full of quiet elegance. The first plate of “First Shoots” – briefly grilled daylily shoots, accompanied by a clear chicken broth and aromatic citrus leaf – embodies this philosophy in an impressive way.
At the same time, the first glasses are placed on the table. Alongside a wonderful champagne – whose producer I unfortunately didn’t make a note of – a kefir made from sugar beet is served, finely balanced and highly unique.
For the evening, I opted for both the classic wine pairing (€120) and the non-alcoholic drinks pairing (€90). The latter is in a class of its own at Etz: for me, it is clearly one of the best in Germany – comparable only to the concepts at 100/200 and Horváth.
It is hardly surprising that the non-alcoholic creations inspire at this level. The Etz team’s in-depth expertise in fermentation, extraction and other refinement techniques is not only evident on the plate, but also confidently and naturally in the glass.
At Etz, the traditional Franconian butcher’s dish is interpreted in a modern, elegant way: Fine shavings of cured and cold-smoked pork liver from the Mangalica pig breed – known as pork liver bushi – matured for months, meet young potatoes of the Madame Blanche variety, and an intense, velvety, lactic-sour blue cabbage juice. A real classic that I have already tried twice on my visits to Sosein, the previous restaurant under the management of Felix Schneider. Thankfully, the history and recipe for this classic can be found here.
The snack at Etz starts off hearty yet refined. Accompanied by a Landbier from the Orca brewery and a refreshing glass of kale with apple, the focus is initially on the outstanding sourdough bread – made from old wheat varieties, matured for 36 hours, based on a ten-year-old sourdough culture.
From the in-house charcuterie come three-year matured leg ham, neck and back bacon, smoked cheek ham and a tender lardo with linseed trestermiso – all from Mangalica wool pigs from the Steigerwald. In addition, there is Wagyu spotted cattle, matured with noble mold and refined with Pinot Noir.
This selection is complemented by fine pickles from Knoblauchsland and mature, salted sour cream butter – a snack that celebrates craftsmanship and origin in equal measure.
Winterlager uses vegetables from neighbor Birgit Meier: black radish pockets with pickled tomato from last summer, smoked fish lard from sturgeon and chive-buttermilk vinaigrette. One of those rare, vegetable-centered plates with such a great “Schlotzigkeit” and depth that you can only imagine how intensively the products were worked with to achieve this.
At Etz, the classic “blue trout” is reinterpreted in a modern way: Raw trout from Eltersdorf in the Aischgrund region is cooked on the skin side with apple cider vinegar, giving it a delicate texture and subtle acidic notes. It is accompanied by root vegetables, an intensely aromatic leek oil and a vinegar mother – a gelatinous mass of acetic acid bacteria that is traditionally used to make vinegar. This gives the dish an additional very intense acid component. The preparation is rounded off with spirulinatamari, a fermented seasoning based on spirulina algae, which adds umami-rich notes.
A demanding course, especially due to the striking acidity. However, it is precisely this that challenges and rewards with a complexity that invites you to carefully explore the subtle nuances. In the glass with a 2022 Silvaner “Sur Lie”.
A course all about subtlety: various tubers, roots and turnips – all in light, delicate tones – meet a creamy walnut crème, an aromatically deep poppy seed-miso velouté and dandelion capers from the in-house test kitchen. A composition that artfully combines earthiness, nuttiness and delicate fermentation.
Wagyu beef boiled beef, matured on the bone for ten weeks, then cooked slowly and carefully. The tender meat is served with mashed potatoes and fine white asparagus (sweet and sour pickled from last year), aromatically supported by oxidized beef fat, which gives the dish a warm, nutty note. Tarragon salt adds fresh, herbaceous accents. The wagyu comes from the Hoffmann family from Birkenreuth – another example of the consistent regionality and close producer relationships at Etz.
A dessert full of freshness and floral lightness: fennel ice cream, delicately scented with magnolia blossoms, meets the aromatic diversity of the ornamental quince – presented as fruit, blossom, granité and curd. The magnolias and quinces used come from the surrounding gardens. Magnolia blossoms, especially those of the tulip magnolia(Magnolia × soulangeana), are considered edible and are increasingly used in creative cuisine. Their delicately tart aroma, reminiscent of ginger and roses, lends dishes a special floral note.
A soufflé made from goat’s cream cheese from the Reimehof farm in Wallsdorf forms the centerpiece of this course – light and airy yet aromatically deep. It is served with caramelized blackcurrants, refined with bee pollen and agastache blossoms, which add a delicate, floral sweetness. The ensemble is complemented by an intense cranberry sorbet, which is given additional complexity and spicy depth with black fermented thyme honey. This course is a new addition to the menu and – in the context of an overall outstanding evening – falls slightly short of the class of the other dishes. This is by no means a tragedy, as it is more than compensated for by a second glass of the sensational 2010 Frühburgunder “Centgrafenberg” from the Helmstetter winery, which has already accompanied me for several courses and is given the opportunity to shine once again here.
In general, there is so much more to say about the two beverage accompaniments at Etz – but that would really go beyond the scope of this article. Sommelier Schorsch Raptis not only has a large repertoire of fine wines – above all, he has his very own style of presenting them: Precisely formulated facts with depth of content and sophistication. This really makes wine accompaniment fun again.
Finally, Etz brings another piece of Franconian tradition to the table – but in an unpretentious and charming way. Freshly baked “Auszogene”, crispy on the outside, wonderfully airy on the inside, are served in a small bowl, lightly rolled in sugar and smell of pure well-being.
The Etz is committed to indulgence – uncompromising and yet full of warmth. This rare balance of depth and informality makes every visit an experience that goes far beyond the food. And that is precisely why this evening will be remembered for a long time to come.
Restaurant Etz
Wiesentalstr.41
90419 Nuremberg
