The story
Since 1927, the Stoppel family has run Hotel Torkel on the shores of Lake Constance. What began as a guesthouse has grown into a four-star superior hotel with a restaurant that draws diners from across the region. Chef Alexander Stoppel leads the kitchen, insisting on natural, organic, and local produce. Vegetables come from his brother’s organic farm; fish is caught fresh from the lake. The kitchen’s commitment to purity and seasonality earned the restaurant a Michelin Recommended distinction for 2026 – a quiet nod to the quality found in every plate.
The menu changes with the seasons, but a sample evening reveals the kitchen’s precision. A four-course tasting menu might begin with bluefin tuna, beetroot, horseradish, and a lime-citrus broth, paired with a local Riesling. Gyoza filled with duck follow, served with dashi, green vegetables, and sesame. Steamed wild trout with lentil cream, maitake mushrooms, and guanciale showcases the lake’s bounty. The main course is a Bioland fillet steak with a pepper crust, artichoke-onion confit, and port wine reduction. A chocolate mousse with coffee sorbet finishes the meal. Sommelier Bernhard guides each course with carefully matched wines from German and Italian producers.
The restaurant balances warmth with elegance. The dining room is spacious and inviting, furnished with understated comfort. The service team is attentive without being intrusive – the philosophy here is to treat every guest as a friend. On warm evenings, outdoor seating lets diners enjoy the lake views. Events like the “Wildfisch vom See – Seegefühl” evening, a collaboration with a local winemaker, underscore the restaurant’s ties to the region. At Torkel, the focus remains on genuine hospitality and food that speaks of its origin.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Opposite the train station and close to the lake shore, you can order a four-course menu, fine Lake Constance fish, or venison ragout with spätzle. For an overnight stay, there’s the hotel with its lovely rooms and small spa area.
Rather than attempting to carve out a niche with vegetarian dishes, Ivo Berger remains faithful to his core competency: meat and fish cuisine. He already showcased his culinary skill with an amuse-bouche of venison fillet with cream-leek sauce and bacon-wrapped dates, and the lightly cured, lukewarm Swedish reindeer meat with celery and bergamot was an outstanding starter. The main course delivered a flawlessly cooked Canadian bison steak, prepared precisely by eye. The fish offerings also impressed, featuring robustly grilled turbot fillets resting on a thickened lobster bisque atop an artichoke base. The classic dishes on the menu remain a solid choice: such as the freshly tossed salad, or the rich yet elegant Pommery mustard soup served with a scallop and carrot vinaigrette. Finally, the dessert menu features perennial hits alongside occasional discoveries. Take, for instance, the legendary "Rolf's Iced Coffee" or the lukewarm baked apple slices served with vanilla ice cream and pineapple. Meals are typically enjoyed in the winter garden, overlooking the "Herawingert" vineyard, which, like the "Torkel," belongs to the Princely House of Liechtenstein. It only makes sense to order a bottle from the princely court winery. Alternatively, guests can peruse the extensive wine list for another premium cru.
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