Appare

The story

Appare Köln: Japanese Kitchen by Hiroyuki Watanabe at Balduinstraße 10

Appare is a Japanese restaurant at Balduinstraße 10 in Köln, where chef Hiroyuki Watanabe cooks traditional washoku with a modern direction. The restaurant is listed as Michelin Recommended for 2026, and the Schlemmer Atlas awards it two Kochlöffel for the same year.

Chef and cooking style

Hiroyuki Watanabe was born in Tokyo in 1968 and has worked in restaurants for more than 30 years. He aims to develop a new style without abandoning the core of traditional Japanese cooking. His motto, "creating the new from the study of the old," appears on the restaurant's own pages.

Standout dishes

The Schlemmer Atlas names shrimp, oysters and sashimi among the dishes served here. Bento boxes sit alongside an evening three-course meal. Takeaway is also available, so the kitchen's focus on composed, boxed plates travels well.

Room and atmosphere

The Schlemmer Atlas describes the dining room as small but stylish. The restaurant's gallery shows a Sake Pairing Dinner held in March 2025. The name Appare is a Japanese exclamation of delight, chosen in the hope that guests will use it after a meal.