The story
Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger offers refined Austrian cooking in a restored thirteenth-century stone building just outside Krems an der Donau. The Hirtzberger family purchased the former monastic vineyard office in 2014 after five generations of cultivating the Wachau valley. They preserved the original architecture to create a courtyard setting where daylight fills the dining space during warmer months.
Küchenchef Erwin Windhaber leads the kitchen after training at established venues like the Steirereck and Kloster Und. He approaches modern Austrian cuisine with a strict focus on seasonal precision. The menu rotates twice monthly to reflect what the local soil yields, stripping away theatrical presentations in favor of honest flavors. This disciplined method recently earned him a sixteen point five rating from Gault Millau.
Guests frequently begin with crusty house bread and a smooth white tomato soup brightened by Thai basil. The kitchen transforms regional harvests into precise compositions like turbot paired with salted apricot and shiso, or fresh pasta tossed with wild mushrooms. Patissier Alexander Enne balances familiar textures with unexpected notes, serving dark chocolate finished with soy sauce alongside creamy strawberry preparations. Most meals unfold in the sunlit courtyard where waitstaff allow comfortable pauses and the cellar stocks Wachau selections that complement every course.
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Recommending the perfect wine for each course of the two menus: That takes real skill. However, the wine list also has something to offer – namely nearly endless quantities of bottled Wachau wines plus plenty of champagne and much more. A treasure trove for connoisseurs – and not even expensive! The food is also fairly priced and served most courteously. Served quickly too – too quickly. Please take longer breaks between courses next time! Because what we are served in the garden – created by head chef Erwin Windhaber – is top-class. The bread wonderfully crispy, then fennel with gooseberry and onion blossoms. The white tomato soup with Thai basil is deeply flavorful; from the wonderful homemade pasta with porcini mushrooms, we wish for just one more spoonful, and the turbot with salted apricot and shiso benefits from an excellent sauce that captivates with its complexity and freshness. Very thoughtfully crafted are also the strawberry dessert (Mara des Bois, white chocolate) and the sweet little treats afterward. Compliments! Address: Wösendorf 74, 3610 Wösendorf, Austria Contact: +43 2715 22 93 1, restaurant@hofmeisterei.at, https://www.hofmeisterei.at/ Opening Hours: Mon, Sat 12–14 and 18–21, Thu, Fri 18–21, Sun 12–21 Team: Erwin Windhaber (Chef), Hartmuth Rameder (Maitre d'), Alexander Enne (Pastry Chef)
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