Oben

Rating: 16
Author: Gault&Millau

Kohlhof 5, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

16/20
Remarkable Restaurant

BOOK

1 PHOTOS

Chef: Robert Rädel
Cooking: Gastronomic | Local | Vegetarian
Services: Access for people with disabilities | Accommodation | Private Parking | Terrace
Style: Casual | Elegant | Exceptional setting | Romantic | With friends

Gault&Millau's review 2025

The restaurant "OBEN" lives up to its name - both culinarily and geographically - and is located high above the city of Heidelberg at an altitude of 465 m between orchards and a coniferous forest on the grounds of the lovingly renovated Kohlhof. Robert Rädel, Philipp Kloos and Leis Büttner welcome up to 12 guests here from Wednesday to Saturday. It is not without reason that these coveted seats are quickly booked up (we are pleased that this is now transparent online via a booking system), so it pays to be quick. Once you have managed to get a table, the evening begins for all guests together at 6:30 p.m. with an aperitif - in good weather in the secluded garden. Here the first fine snacks are served, e.g. wonderfully fresh tomato salad with unripe strawberries or eggplant puree with harmonious pepper and tomato jelly. After the aperitif, you go to the cozy guest room, which is reminiscent of a country house living room. But this is not the last change of location of the evening: Each table is whisked away to the kitchen for one course each: Robert Rädel and Philipp Kloos let us look over their shoulders while preparing the next course and talk to the guests in a relaxed manner as if they still had plenty of staff support in the kitchen. But that's not the case – nevertheless, the two chefs keep coming to the tables and serving their creations in person. This quickly creates the feeling that good friends have cooked a nice meal for you, but at an excellent level: As a signature dish, the pork frond (nose to tail is taken literally here) is represented on the menu all year round. Cured and cooked sous-vide, combined with Boskop and chives, and finally garnished with fresh horseradish, the result is a crispy, tender revelation that almost denies other pork cuts their raison d'être. All around, the menu changes every season, in summer, for example, artichoke is surprisingly combined with cherry (in late summer with plum) and sour pickled lime blossom. When creating this creative menu, great importance is attached to the regionality of the ingredients, fruit and vegetables come from Heidelberg-Handschuhsheim, the brown trout (grilled over the fire on cedar wood, refreshing with cucumber-dill combinations) comes from Oberzent in the Odenwald. Also special: There is no wine list, if you want, you can instead be led into the wine cellar by Leis Büttner and can choose a bottle yourself. However, we recommend that you look around at most and then trust the wine accompaniment. Also remarkable: This recommendation also applies without restriction to the non-alcoholic beverage accompaniment, Büttner also manages to harmoniously complement and expand the aromas of the dishes on an astonishing level. Regarding drink highlights: When ordering coffee, it is also worthwhile to follow its preparation on the open-house machine specially made for the "OBEN". Of course, the kitchen does not have to hide from this conclusion, Rädel and Kloos end the evening as pure and yet extraordinary as it began, for example with lettuce and raspberries. Overall, the "OBEN" offers a feel-good evening on several levels - in keeping with the atmosphere, the "Du" is offered by default and thus you ultimately feel at home - although at the top.