21. January 2025

Gault&Millau 2025: The best restaurants in Germany

Rosina Ostler vom Restaurant Alois. Foto von Gault Millau.

Gault&Millau Restaurant Guide 2025: Germany’s best and a special “Chef of the Year”

The Gault&Millau Restaurant Guide 2025 was officially presented at the Brasserie Cuvilliés in Rosewood Munich. This year’s edition once again recognizes the top achievements of German gastronomy and highlights the diversity and excellence of the industry with numerous awards.

A special highlight of the event was Benjamin Peifer ‘s award as “Chef of the Year”. The head chef of the Intense restaurant in Wachenheim an der Weinstraße impressed with his creative interpretation of Palatinate cuisine, which he masterfully combines with elements of Japanese high cuisine. His unmistakable signature style and extraordinary compositions made him a worthy winner of this prestigious award.

Further awards:

The Gault&Millau jury also honored personalities and restaurants that stood out for their commitment and achievements in various categories:

-Restaurateurof the Year: Simon Tress, Organic Fine Dining Restaurant 1950, Hayingen – for his pioneering commitment to sustainable and organic fine dining concepts.

-Host ofthe Year: Kilian Skalet, JAN, Munich – for his exceptional hospitality and fine sense of atmosphere.

-Discoveryof the year: Rosina Ostler, Alois – Dallmayr Fine Dining, Munich – a promising newcomer who has made a name for herself with her innovative cuisine.

Rising star of the year: Isabelle Pering, bellasLokal, Bad Soden – for her dynamic path to the culinary top.

Sommelière of the Year: Désirée Steinheuer, Steinheuers Restaurant Zur Alten Post, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler – for her expertise and passion in the area of wine accompaniment.

-Pastry Chefof the Year: Dennis Quetsch, Rutz Restaurant, Berlin – for his masterful dessert creations.

-Producer ofthe Year: The Johannsen family, Honkenswarf, Hallig Langeneß – for their unique products from the North German Wadden Sea.

Lifetime achievement: Bobby Bräuer, EssZimmer, Munich – for his decades-long influence on top German cuisine.

New highest ratings:

Particularly impressive was the awarding of five red toques to the JAN restaurant in Munich for the first time, which recognizes the outstanding quality and consistency of this establishment. Other top restaurants such as es:senz in Grassau, Lafleur in Frankfurt am Main and The Table Kevin Fehling in Hamburg were also included in the five toque category – clear proof of the increasing density of top culinary addresses in Germany.

Conclusion:

Gault&Millau 2025 impressively demonstrates how diverse and ambitious the German gastronomy scene is. This year’s awards are a compass for gourmets and a source of inspiration for restaurateurs who want to realize their passion at the highest level.