Hotel Tafelfreuden

Tafelfreuden Hotel is a charming place right in the heart of Oldenburg, and I highly recommend it. The rooms each have their own name and distinctive design. Breakfast is a lovely organic spread, with fresh bread, homemade jams, fruit salad, muesli, and different cheeses. They also make omelettes and sunny-side-up, boiled, or scrambled eggs fresh to order.

We had a really lovely stay and are already looking forward to coming back this summer. Our themed room was great, and the "bio-frühstück" was so delicious, I'd happily eat it every day.

We went on a Wednesday night and found a relaxed crowd of Oldenburgers in a homely dining room. The acoustics were good for conversation, and there was no piped music. The open kitchen looked spotless, and the modern facilities and general setting were clean. Tafelfreuden has been part of Oldenburg's restaurant scene for about twenty years. It's expanded and built a great reputation among slow food fans and locals who care about fresh, mostly local organic produce. There is a regular a-la-carte menu as well as weekly specials. From the specials, I had a very plain cabbage strudel starter with date yoghurt and smoked duck breast that could have been any ham, so it wasn't very exciting (€9,80). The roasted Iberico pork with chestnut crust was superb, and the Brussels sprouts and potato gratin made a comforting autumn meal (€20,90). Brilliant! The wine list has about 40 organic wines, though it doesn't list vintages. The waitress was happy to bring bottles over so we could check. The red wines under €30 that we looked at came from fairly weak vintages. For four people, the bill was €35 per head. We had four Proseccos, five starters, three main courses, a bottle of Organic Chianti, three coffees, and a praline chocolate mousse. The food and drink were flawless, and we all left satisfied with the meal and service. Many people may rate Tafelfreuden five stars; it's certainly among the restaurants I'd like to return to. Extra kudos to the staff and the coffee. The waitress even showed us the milk used in the coffee: locally produced, certified organic full-fat milk. I'd like other restaurants in Germany to follow that positive example.

I found a peaceful, relaxing place with a warm welcome and kind service. Breakfast was really good, and the bedroom was quiet.