Review: Das Blum Restaurant, Innsbruck, Austria

In a city surrounded by towering Alpine peaks and with its culinary traditions steeped in hearty meat and cheese, Das Blum stands out as a refreshing alternative. This vegetarian restaurant in Innsbruck showcases the humble vegetable as a star performer. With a modern philosophy rooted in sustainability, locality and creativity, read on to discover why we recommend a visit to Das Blum to discover what vegetarian dining can be.

The food

The menu is all in German but thanks to a combination of our waitress having a degree in English, and using Google Gemini to aid with translation, we were able to make informed choices.

We opted for the sharing menu and began proceedings with some bread and a lovely chutney but I can’t for the life of me remember what was in it… aubergine, maybe? All I do remember was that it was extremely tasty!

For our appetiser, we had a roasted Brussels sprouts salad with chestnuts, shallots, quince jelly and maple vinaigrette. Who knew vegetarian food – and Brussels sprouts in particular – could taste this good?!

Our main course consists of a series of sharing plates, starting with some delicous celery root fritters with potato-graukäse filling, fried onions, nut butter and egg yolk.

Along with this we have a wirsing roulade (a traditional German dish made by wrapping a filling in wirsing, which is the German word for savoy cabbage) with potato-mushroom-walnut filling, pear-beurre blanc, kale chips

Perhaps the best dish of all was the braised red cabbage with a red wine foam, apple-horseradish ragout and walnut crunch.

According to the menu, we were due a side dish of creamy parsnip purée with a caper-lemon-garlic oil, but they had run out so it was substituted with some roasted potatoes with kimchi seasoning. I could very easily turn veggie if vegetarian food this good was easy to come by!

And the best is left to the end. For dessert, it’s “Armer Ritter” which literally translates to “Poor Knight” but is a common name for “Poor Man’s Bread Saver”, made with sourdough bread, and served with vanilla, peanut ice cream, salted caramel and peanut crumble – a fitting finale to an unforgettable meal.

The chef

At just 26 years old, Matteo Wawerla has already established himself as a visionary in Tyrolean cuisine. Born in Kiel and trained in the art of blending international influences with regional traditions, Matteo’s philosophy is evident in every plate at Das Blum. His commitment to local ingredients, combined with innovative techniques like fermenting and sous vide, transforms vegetables into culinary masterpieces. Matteo describes his style as “modern tavern cuisine,” and it’s this ethos that drives Das Blum to reimagine Tyrolean classics with flair and finesse.

The ambience

Das Blum enjoys a warm, lively energy. The dining room is bustling yet intimate, with the murmur of conversation creating a convivial atmosphere. Staff appear to have a genuine enthusiasm for the menu, and it’s a testament to the restaurant’s commitment to hospitality that we are made to feel at ease despite not speaking much German.

The cost

The sharing menu, which includes a cover charge and still water, is priced at €45 per person.

The final verdict

In a city with no shortage of excellent dining options, Das Blum stands out as a true gem. Its inventive approach to vegetarian cuisine, paired with a dedication to sustainability and local produce, makes it a must-visit for food lovers of all persuasions, be they vegetarian or not. This was, without a doubt, the best meal during our time in Innsbruck.

Disclosure: Our trip was sponsored by Innsbruck Tourism.