irori

The story

irori in Knittelsheim: Michelin-Starred Japanese Contemporary Kitchen

irori is a Japanese contemporary restaurant at Hauptstraße 15a in Knittelsheim, awarded one Michelin Star in 2026. Chef Max Goldberg cooks a nine-course surprise menu in the Isenhof, a merchant's house from the 17th century.

Max Goldberg's cooking

Goldberg works alone in the kitchen, and fermentation shows in much of what he serves. Der Feinschmecker hears a Nordic influence in the technique. A trip to Japan gave him the idea of pairing hake with deep orange monkfish liver. Pikeperch from the nearby Altrhein arrives with buckwheat and fermented white cabbage. The Schlemmer Atlas gave the restaurant 3.5 Kochlöffel in 2026.

The nine-course menu

The menu takes about four hours and costs 140 euros per person, at dinner and at the Sunday late lunch alike. It opens with the Japanese-style sakizuke and closes with mizumono, a sweet finish. A sample card lists Palatinate salmon trout with kiwi vinaigrette, Breton scallop and abalone, and pigeon from the embers with celery and yuzu kosho. The dishes change daily with what the farms deliver. Pescatarian is possible all year, and vegetarian by pre-order from July to September.

Room and wine

Five wide tables stand well apart, which keeps conversation private. Sommelière Kerstin Bauer pours mostly from Burgundy and the German southwest. The drinks list also has a section for Japan. Two guest rooms in the house let diners stay the night.