The story
Gasthaus Assenmacher sits at the foot of the historic Burgruine Are in Altenahr, a short drive from Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. The building dates to 1876 and has been in the Happe family since 1928. In 2006, Christian and Christa Storch (née Happe) took over, modernising the operation while keeping its soul intact. After the devastating Ahrtal flood of 2021, they reopened in May 2022, and in April 2023 added a guesthouse with five apartments and a small wellness area.
Christa Storch runs the front of house; Christian Storch leads the kitchen. Both trained as cooks and later earned their Küchenmeister titles. Their combined experience – from the Hotel Traube Tonbach to the Restaurant Steinsmühle – gives them a calm, precise approach. The restaurant’s own website describes it as “legeren, von allen Zwängen befreiten” – relaxed and free from pretension. There are no silver cloches or white gloves here, just flavour and originality.
The kitchen works with top-quality base ingredients and a creativity that doesn’t stop at the plate. The seasonal menus change regularly. A recent “Schlemmermenü” (five courses, 124 €) included marinated trout with beetroot and horseradish, a carrot variation with rabbit and scallop, pork belly with mustard, followed by beef fillet Wellington with truffle jus, and a cassis dessert with dulce de leche ice cream. The “Probier mal Ahrtal” menu pairs local wines with each course – a thoughtful nod to the region.
À la carte, you’ll find starters like fried saibling praline with chicory and trout roe, mains such as pink-roasted veal loin with beetroot-coriander vegetables, or roast venison with creamy mushrooms and spätzle. Vegetarians are catered for with Tyrolean spinach dumplings and Bergkäse. Desserts include house-made sorbet topped with Ahr sparkling wine.
The Michelin guide has recognised Gasthaus Assenmacher as “Recommended” for 2026 – a testament to the Storch family’s consistent, honest cooking. It’s a place where international cuisine meets Ahrtal hospitality, and where every dish tells a story of craftsmanship and place.
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