Restaurant Tisane

Rating: 16
Author: Gault&Millau

Augustinerhof 3, 90403 Nuremberg, Germany

16/20
Remarkable Restaurant

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1 PHOTOS

Chef: René Stein
Cooking: Gastronomic | International | Vegetarian
Services: Accommodation | Private Parking | Private Room
Style: Casual | Romantic | With friends

Gault&Millau's review 2025

On the way to the most important attraction in Nuremberg, the Kaiserburg, lies the Affenfelsen. Tons of sandstone offer the best view of the castle and the city. In the Augustinerhof, in one of the most important restaurants in the imperial city, you sit down with 15 like-minded people at a U-shaped counter made of nine tons of concrete, which is modeled on the Monkey Rock, and enjoy the view of the completely open kitchen, which flashes and fills the U and proudly presents its results on plates that once again take up the motif of the weathered stone and its break-off edges. In addition, a huge bouquet of herbs as the only decoration, a proper Soundcloud on air - and René Stein, who cooks as independently and individually as his restaurant looks. After stints at the Tigerpalast, Juan Amador and a few years in US gourmet kitchens, it can be assumed that the chef has also mastered more complex food processing techniques – and he does indeed, but without focusing on molecularly loving technical magic. That's where the products are – and the sauces to go with it. Tisane means essence, and sauce pope Auguste Escoffier is often quoted by Stein: "Sauces form the most important chapter in the kitchen. The saucier is the enlightened chemist, the creative genius and the cornerstone of fine cuisine." That's right, even if the Tisane team uses significantly less butter and cream than the teacher to prove this finding, but likes to use oils, soy, reductions. And otherwise, in addition to the main ingredient, which is cooked to the point and presented in one or two varieties at most, there are also small contrasting factors in crumbled, puffed or iced form – and nothing else. Much comes from the region, so there is a lot of seasonal food, but there is also a great openness to more exotic dishes, if it meets the quality standards. A vegetarian menu is available on advance order, the wine list is extensive, and Martina Prenn's pairings can be trusted. The menu remains cryptic with one word per course on a Polaroid, but that replaces the – in the best sense of the word – kitchen conversations. And there are few opportunities for this as attractive and enjoyable as here.