Turmschänke
Restaurant Turmschänke
Maximum enjoyment – in a romantic atmosphere
The Turmschänke is a historic restaurant dating back to 1912 and has been a firm fixture in Eisenach's epicurean heaven for many years. This is where old, dignified fixtures and fittings meet the spirit of the times.
The cuisine has an excellent reputation far beyond the borders of Thuringia, as impressively demonstrated by the annual awards in all leading restaurant guides. Inspired by exquisite products, naturally also from the region, host and chef Ulrich Rösch cooks between tradition and modernity. In doing so, he does not leave out the variety of flavours of international cuisines. His many years of experience and many trips to the cooking pots of our world shape his sure sense of taste and are a guarantee for the finest creations.
We are happy to accept reservations:
The hosts
Ulrich Rösch, a native of Saxony, learned to cook in the Ore Mountains. He worked in many leading Interhotels in Leipzig, Dresden and Berlin during the GDR era, then spent many years at the Hilton Berlin and the Turmhotel Gotha. He gained international experience during stays abroad in the Czech Republic, Belgium and Korea. With the Turmschänke, he fulfilled a lifelong dream.
Martina Rasch, comes from Gotha and also trained as a restaurant manageress there. She worked for many years in the upscale gastronomy of Thuringia. She takes care of her guests with joy and dedication.
Philosophy
Fresh produce and solid craftsmanship coupled with sophistication and attention to detail is the foundation of our kitchen philosophy. The star is the product. Inspired by fresh products, naturally also from the region, Rösch cooks between tradition and modernity and does not leave out the variety of flavours of international cuisines. His many years of experience and many trips to the pots and pans of our world have shaped his sure sense of taste
and are a guarantee for delicious creations. Every year we are tested by Germany's leading restaurant guides. This is a yardstick and at the same time an incentive for our daily work. We are proud that the Turmschänke is mentioned in each of these guides.
À la carte
Our menu combines regional with international influences and is supplemented and refined monthly with seasonal delicacies.
As the kitchen team also needs a break, Sunday evening is our day of rest - in which case we will recommend various worthy alternatives at reception.
Wine list
The delicious dishes are accompanied by a well-stocked wine cellar with more than 130 noble crosses with a focus on Germany, especially Saale-Unstrut and Saxony.
Our wine list contains about 130 positions. From regional wineries like the Thuringian winery 'Bad Sulza' to the excellent far away sites in South Africa our wine list offers a wide range.
My latest discovery
2022 Silvaner from the Jena Grafenberg
Quality wine dry
Thuringian Winery Bad Sulza/Saale-Unstrut
Spring - time for fresh white wine. Silvaner loves limestone, and on this terroir, its excellent aromas come to the forefront. That's why the region along the Saale and Unstrut rivers is perfect for good Silvaner.
The vineyards in Jena's district of Kunitz have existed since 1185 but were nearly wiped out by phylloxera and other influences. It was only through the Thuringian Winery Bad Sulza that winemaking was revived in Jena. The result is quite something to savor.
What a delight. This wine impresses with fantastic fruit, delightful flavors of pear and quince. On the palate, it shines with a fine mineral acidity that lends the wine great freshness.
A beautiful finish with good length offers pure drinking pleasure.
This wine is ideal for light cuisine in this season.
Definitely worth a try!
Carafe 0.25 l €10.00
Bottle 0.75 l €29.00
The history
In 1910, a connecting building is erected between the old Nikolai Tower and the neighboring building - the Hotel Kaiserhof, founded in 1897. Hotelier Franke opened the wine restaurant Turmschänke in it and in a part of the Nikolai Tower in 1912. Franke did an excellent job of transforming the medieval defense tower built in 1070 and the later "Bürgergewahrsam" into a cosy tower dungeon and a tasteful wine tavern on the first and second floors of the annex.
What the Ratskeller is in Bremen and Auerbach's Keller in Leipzig, the Turmschänke was in Eisenach. Famous personalities often stayed here as guests, such as Paul Lindau, Wilhelm von Scholz and Max Reger. In GDR times, the Turmschänke was run by the HO and continued as a wine restaurant. The reputation of the house was excellent even in this time and a visit to the Turmschänke was something special. But 40 years of socialism did not pass by without a trace. Quite run down, it was closed for a general overhaul on the part of the new owners. After two years of restoration, the restaurant was reopened together with the Hotel Kaiserhof in April 1993.
Today the restaurant presents itself in its old splendor. Guests are particularly impressed by the beautiful leaded glass windows and old tapestries, the historic chairs at finely set tables and the gallery bordered with wrought-iron flowered railings. The former dungeon in the Nikolai Tower, which can also be booked, is especially popular for parties.
