The story
Executive Chef Sebastian Zier and Head Chef Richard Schmidtkonz have shaped their French-inspired cuisine at Hotel Einstein in St.Gallen into a consistently refined practice. The kitchen’s work earns an 18-point GaultMillau rating and two Michelin stars, reflecting a commitment to elaborate plating and precise technique. Guests seated on the fifth floor watch the chefs translate local ingredients like Alpine trout and Swiss Wagyu into layered compositions. A starter of calf tartare paired with smoked eel demonstrates how they balance rich textures with bright acidity.
The tasting journey often begins with sea trout accompanied by radish and a light potato espuma, followed by king crab dressed in buttermilk and dill oil. These preparations highlight a careful attention to contrast, whether through the sharp tang of a cherry-sauce reduction on foie gras or the earthy warmth of zander served with fermented cabbage and lentils. The kitchen maintains a steady rhythm throughout the evening, ensuring each course arrives with distinct clarity.
Sommelier Loris Lenzo guides diners through a cellar honored with multiple international wine accolades, matching vintages to each plate without overwhelming the flavors. His selections span Burgundy, Bordeaux, and sparkling wines, all curated to complement the restaurant’s French-influenced cooking. Restaurant manager Daniel Bölle coordinates the pacing, allowing guests to settle into the historic building’s quiet elegance while enjoying views over the textile district below.
The property occupies a structure originally built in 1830 and later adapted by New York embroidery manufacturer Isaak D. Einstein in 1884. This industrial past leaves visible traces in the original masonry and timber, softened by contemporary furnishings and soft lighting. Dinners typically conclude with a battery of petits fours alongside complex dessert courses featuring grapefruit, dark chocolate, and yuzu. The team ensures the transition from savory to sweet feels seamless rather than rushed.
Recognition
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Chefs who place themselves in the service of taste without personal vanity are a profession particularly worthy of appreciation. Indeed, not a single element on any of the dishes we order at the Bistro of the Hotel Einstein is something that could have been omitted without loss. With admirable consistency, the chefs focus on the essential: The velvety, buttery asparagus cream soup tastes exactly as one would expect, the green asparagus pieces used as garnish are crisp – that’s all it needs. A touch more refinement goes into the red bream from Lake Constance, which is otherwise not particularly glamorous. The fish is marinated skin-on for three days in a savory, sweet-and-sour broth, then sliced into fillets and served with carrot and pepper julienne, onions, a hint of lemon, and garlic mayonnaise. Finally, the Beef Stroganoff is just as straightforward and excellently executed as the rest: The filet pieces are cooked to precise medium to medium-rare, the sauce impresses with robust acidity and an almost creamy, umami-rich consistency; mushrooms are omitted, but thankfully crème fraîche is not, and the accompanying rösti is perfectly classic. Only with the dessert do we ask ourselves: Why is almost all the acidity of the rhubarb, which is elegantly presented in pieces within a millefeuille layered with whipped cream, sweetened until all its tartness is lost, thereby robbing the beautiful composition of all its freshness? Especially since the strawberry sorbet is also prepared to be almost cloyingly sweet. Otherwise, however, an evening at the Hotel Einstein’s second restaurant promises an unpretentious, excellent meal.
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