Swimming in Swabian Noodles

The Alte Kanzlei is one of the hippest restaurants and wine bars in Stuttgart. I started my evening there at the bar, sampling great beers and wines from the Baden Wuerttemberg region. My waiter, Carsten, recommended the Fellbacher Riesling to accompany my starter of giant Swabian ravioli called Maultashchen. These come with all kinds of fillings, but mine had meat and spinach with sautéed onions on top and I could have made a meal of those alone.

However, Carsten told me that one of the best dishes on the menu was the Filet platter so I had to try it. Beef and pork filets in a creamy mushroom sauce are served with a huge helping of my other favorite Swabian noodles, Spaetzle. I absolutely stuffed myself and the Riesling was perfect with both dishes, so I didn’t have room for one of the scrumptious desserts, like Coconut parfait with mangos or Tiramisu with fresh berries and raspberry sauce.

I ate at Alte Kanzlei on a Friday night, and the place was packed so reservations are a must for the busy weekend nights. Prices run from about 9 Euros (about $12.80 US) for a Swabian noodle dish to 20 Euros (about $28 US) for the top entrees, and the huge selection of wines are reasonably priced by the glass and bottle. The service was excellent at both the wine bar and in the dining room, and my waiter’s recommendations were honest and spot-on.

Alte Kanzlei is located right on the Schillerplatz (Tel: 0049 711-294457) so it’s an easy walk from anywhere in the city center or hop off the train at the Schlossplatz stop.