Scharff's Schlossweinstube - Heidelberg

Nice atmosphere, excellent wine list and tasty, delicate food. Nothing more to ask for. We had a pre-set menu as a business group, but I did not mind at all. The Food used lots of herbs and spices and was definitely upscale without overdoing it,...I.e. portions were still large.

I have been to a few Michelin starred restaurants, the thing that impresses, apart from the food and wine, is the story they tell and the atmosphere they create....along with the service. Tonight’s meal was excellent, clearly well presented and cooked, but i thought they...were a little stingy on the wine (we had the course with matching wines) and the measures varied from table to table which was frustrating, the service was relaxed, bordering on slow....which was nice except when you needed some cutlery to eat your food, and the atmosphere was....absent. The wine portions varied from table to table, despite eating the same dishes (The menu was limited) and the last Michelin starred restaurant we ate in was BELCANTO in Lisbon and I would not hesitate to recommend that, despite that being a lot more that the for I paid this evening...but i guess that has stars so maybe i am just being picky. Great water service, and the Maitre’d was friendly and helpful, and the wines were excellent too.

Beware some of the reviews here: they appear to be mixing up the castle's Backhaus (also run by the Schlossgastronomie) with Scharffs Schlossweinstube. This review is for the latter. The meal was delicious the menu options highly varied, creatively composed and as beautifully prepared...as one would expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant. The wine list was impressive and we appreciated the competent advice we received (upon our request) regarding a wine selection suitable to our tastes. Based on that advice we ended up with wine that suited us very well indeed. The views of the illuminated castle courtyard from within the restaurant are stunning. Unfortunately, there were some ninor misunderstandings that dampened the overall experience just a little bit. The service in general was attentive and friendly, and although staff tried to answer our questions, their limited English skills were a hindrance. (Also, at least one key ingredient on the English menu was mistranslated, probably not their fault Some of our party were able to translate between German and English for the others, which was a big help. We also googled some menu items when the explanation we got wasn't helpful. Without that, though, much would've been lost, as this type of dining means servers spend a lot of time introducing dishes and describing their components in detail, and part of the fun for the diners is in noting how ingredients have been transformed by the chef. Most guests at the restaurant seemed to be speaking English with the staff, so this is potentially a wide-ranging issue.

Very well located and an excellent closing to a schloss visit. Michelin star was something that sounded very attractive and the food was up to it. Not the best restaurant I have ever been to, and the attention was a little rude. But we spent...a good time tasting wines pairing it with good dishes.

We had dinner at the Weinstube to add a German Michelin star cuisine experience to our visit of Heidelberg. The location is unrivalled, very beautiful in the castle of Heidelberg. We took a bus to the city center and then took a min walk...up to the castle, through the gardens. I very much recommend this walk (instead of a taxi), if the weather allows for it. The views of the city are spectacular. The restaurant was half empty, probably because we are offseason already. We were welcomed with a sparkling Riesling wine, very well balanced and with just the right amount of sweetness. The menu included main dishes and desserts. You can choose any combination of these dishes for a menu of or dishes. Since we had had lunch during the day, we decided to go with the dishes option. We also ordered two glasses of wine and a bottle of still water. Dinner started with two greetings from the kitchen before our first course. We were very surprised that these greetings were later added to the final check, since at no point we were informed that these were extras or were asked if we wanted them. Surprises like these make for a bad aftertaste after an otherwise comfortable dinner experience. The plates themselves were nicely presented and the quality of the food, as well as the taste of the compositions, were appropriate, though not surprising. We definitely missed the WOW effect we've had at many other Michelin star places. If you are looking for tasty food and exceptional wine, this place is for you. If you are looking for a gourmet experience, this might not be the best place for you.