The story
Bär & Schaf Wirtschaft in Völkermarkt delivers a focused brand of Carinthian cuisine where seasonal availability dictates every decision. Martin Nuart runs the kitchen with a strict emphasis on local partnerships. What began as a temporary pop-up has grown into a recognized fixture, earning a solid rating from Gault&Millau. The menu changes daily depending on what arrives from neighboring farms.
Recent tasting menus highlight precise techniques applied to straightforward ingredients. A brook trout arrives alongside roasted roots, leindotter seeds, and verjus. Guests often order the asparagus salad paired with beef, egg yolk, and quinoa before moving to a lamb stew simmered with bell peppers and chard. The pasture pork finished with Tauern rye and fennel demonstrates how this regional cooking balances earthy depth with clean finishes.
Philipp Medwed manages the floor while guests settle into the Kulturgasthaus Prinz Johann. The space embraces an old plates, young kitchen ethos that favors relaxed evenings over formal ceremony. Wooden furnishings and a visible connection to the surrounding vineyards create a grounded setting. Regular visitors appreciate how the team maintains a welcoming pace while keeping wine pairings tightly linked to the day’s harvest.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Bär & Schaf started as a pop-up, was a secret gem for a long time, and is neither anymore. The two, Martin Nuart in the kitchen and Philipp Medwed in service, have long since become a culinary staple. Rightly so, in our view. Looking at the menu, it stands out that the partners and farmers Nuart works with take up more space than the dishes themselves. The Slow Food philosophy flows seamlessly into what Nuart sends out from the kitchen. The menus change according to product availability. Ours began with a brook trout served with beets, Hadn (the Carinthian word for buckwheat), linseed, and verjus. Then an asparagus salad with beef, egg yolk, and quinoa, followed later by a lamb casserole with peppers and chard. The first three courses already demonstrate that Nuart successfully navigates the balancing act between robust, down-to-earth seasoning and light elegance. Indeed, even later with the main course and the dishes leading up to it, it becomes clear that Martin Nuart is developing his own signature style. Particularly tender is the pasture-raised pork paired with Tauern rye and fennel, while a dessert of chocolate, cherries, and pistachio is somewhat less convincing. An exciting wine selection, very friendly service. Address .Mai-Straße 18 2 9100 Völkermarkt Austria Contact 0660 2100498 hallo@baerundschafwirtschaft.at https://baerundschafwirtschaft.at/ Opening hours Thu–Sat 18–21, Sun 12–15; open from early June to the end of September, as well as November and December 2026 Team Martin Nuart Chef
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