The story
La Cuisine Mario Kalweit is a classic French restaurant at Lübkestraße 21 in Dortmund, listed as Michelin Recommended in 2026. It occupies the first floor of a former tennis club villa, with a garden terrace for summer evenings.
Mario Kalweit, chef and owner, took over the restaurant as tenant in 2004 and earned a Michelin star for the house from 2001 to 2004. He also spent 13 years as a regular cooking expert on WDR television. In the kitchen he follows the seasonal product rather than trends. The Schlemmer Atlas gave the restaurant 2.5 Kochlöffel in 2026.
The French kitchen offers three menus: Poisson, Viande and a vegetarian one. Each is three courses, at 82 euros for the first two and 71 for the vegetarian. On the fish menu, marinated organic salmon comes with mussel fritters and lamb's lettuce, followed by plaice with roasted almond flakes, smoked beetroot and hemp seed gnocchi. The meat menu includes a crêpinette of veal fillet and mushrooms. Dessert might be champagne and white chocolate mousse with raspberry sorbet and pickled mirabelles. Dishes can be ordered singly, and courses swapped between menus.
Kalweit grows around 70 historic tomato varieties in and around a greenhouse on the terrace. The harvest peaks in August and goes into a dedicated tomato menu. Susanne Thoenes looks after service and the wine list, which stays within Europe and runs to more than 100 positions, with many organic bottles.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Located in the heart of a residential neighborhood, the Dortmund Garden City, stands this charming villa. The small restaurant with its romantic garden terrace offers several customizable three-course menus.
Location
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