The story
Köhles Chefs Table in Serfaus approaches modern regional cooking with a focus on honest, artisanal preparation. Head chef Lukas Neier runs this compact operation while treating the space as a personal extension of the host family’s home. Gault & Millau awarded the kitchen a 17 point score for its consistent execution and deep respect for local terroir. Souschef Frank Zappe stands beside him during service to maintain the careful pace required for such detailed cooking.
The seven course menu uses descriptive titles drawn directly from the surrounding landscape. Guests encounter venison amuse bouche scented with fresh fir and juniper before moving to a trout course labeled river run and clearing. That plate arrives as tartare accompanied by lime and caviar, then transitions into a terrine served with a dark bergamot variation. Dry aged beef bavette and braised neck later rest beside roasted celery and chive oil. This consistent attention to local sourcing defines the restaurant’s regional cuisine.
Eight seats maximum surround a table positioned against a glass partition that frames the active kitchen. Sommelier Kelly directs the accompanying drink selection throughout the evening. The list features house infused aperitifs, the property’s own Dr. Köhle Hausbier, regional brandies, and carefully matched non alcoholic alternatives. Stone oven bread bakes nearby while the house smokehouse preserves air dried meats and pickled rarities. The arrangement keeps conversation close while the visible culinary process sets a steady rhythm for the evening.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
The Köhle in Serfaus has two restaurants: Köhles Kulinarium is the à la carte restaurant, where, true to the house's tradition, you can also find excellent pizza. The second restaurant is Köhles Chefs Table. But we will talk about that elsewhere. At Kulinarium, the menu is extensive, the craftsmanship solid, and the quality of the ingredients used is outstanding. It is best to start with a flawless vitello tonnato, completely classic with veal loin, plenty of capers and olives, and a creamy tuna sauce. Or go with the chef's recommendation: fried calamari served with a creative dip and a mayonnaise infused with smoked paprika. And since the entire menu has a slight Mediterranean flair, you might as well stick to the Mediterranean dishes: try the rigatoni, for example. They come with pepper pesto and anchovies and are incredibly delicious. Address: Dorfbahnstraße 24, 6534 Serfaus, Austria Contact: 05476 6244, info@das-koehle.at, https://www.das-koehle.at/ Opening hours: see website Team: Lukas Neier, Chef
With the Chef's Table, the Köhle family has set up something akin to a second living room: when there are no guests seated at the table with the large glass wall facing the kitchen, the family dines here. The menu that head chef Lukas Neier serves at this special location for a maximum of eight guests is impressive. What he and his team send out from the kitchen is a tribute to Serfaus and to the cycle of nature. The dishes on the menu feature creative yet fitting names. It begins with a "first stroke," where "stroke" carries a rather double meaning. It is the bread and butter course, which – quite classically – is placed at the start and remains on the table for some time. Hay bread and lye croissant with an assortment of butters and bacon crunch. The amuse-bouche features venison, enhanced with spruce and juniper. Next is the trout. The course is titled "Watercourse and Clearing," so the trout appears in multiple variations: as tartare (with lime and caviar) and as a terrine with bergamot (a slightly deeper-toned variant of bergamot). Accompanied by lettuce mousse, wild berry sorbet (yes, wild berry sorbet!) and roasted milk. Then a rabbit roulade prepared with a barley tea infusion. A hearty dark beer broth served with artichoke chips and egg yolk in brown butter – a genuine soul food course. For the main course, Neier presents beef, specifically a superb bavette and braised neck. Served alongside celery presented in various forms and textures with chive oil. Altogether, a culinary treasure for the region and an exciting project in Serfaus. Address: Dorfbahnstraße 24, 6534 Serfaus, Austria Contact: 05476 6244 | info@das-koehle.at | https://www.das-koehle.at/ Opening hours: see website Team: Lukas Neier, Head Chef | Frank Zappe, Sous Chef
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