The story
Guat’z Essen in Stumm, Austria, runs a vegetarian kitchen at Obere März 36, and Gault&Millau awarded it 17 points in 2026. The restaurant is known for cooking almost entirely from its own permaculture garden.
Around 80 percent of the ingredients come from the restaurant's own permaculture garden. Chef Peter Fankhauser, a native of the Zillertal, lets carrots, celery or mushrooms take the lead on the plate. The vegetables grow at their own pace, and food scraps return to the compost that feeds the hill beds.
The tasting menu runs nine to thirteen courses, each one a close study of a single plant. Before every course, Fankhauser comes to the table to present the garden produce behind it.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Vegetarian or vegan alone hardly causes a stir these days, but Peter Fankhauser's restaurant certainly does. This Zillertal native combines culinary art with uncompromising sustainability: around 80 percent of his ingredients come from the restaurant's own permaculture garden, which he tends with the same dedication and care that he brings to creating his beautifully presented dishes. The chef comes to the table before each course to present the stars from his garden. With quiet precision and great finesse, Fankhauser stages carrots, celery, or mushrooms in the lead role; his kitchen is therefore not a stage for vanity, but for vegetables, grains, and herbs. Each dish of the nine- to thirteen-course tasting menu is conceived as a finely composed homage to a single plant-based ingredient, enhanced by layered flavors and delicate textures, yet without any gimmickry. A restaurant that doesn't need to be loud to leave an impression. Address: Obere März 36, 6275 Stumm im Zillertal, Austria. Contact: 0664 1670350, info@guatzessen.at, https://www.guatzessen.at/. Opening hours: Wed–Sat 18:00–23:00. Team: Peter Fankhauser, Chef; Barbara Garber, Maître d'.
Facebook
Instagram