Troyka

Verdict: A Michelin-starred find in an unlikely postcode

The common assumption about Erkelenz is that serious fine dining belongs elsewhere; Düsseldorf, Cologne, somewhere with a skyline. Troyka corrects that. If you are willing to travel for food, Troyka earns the trip.

What to expect

Chef Steven Fair runs a modern cuisine kitchen at €€€€ pricing; expect a tasting menu format at a price point consistent with one-star dining in Germany, which typically runs from around €120 to €180 per person before wine. The White Star recognition from Star Wine List signals that the wine programme is taken seriously; pairing is likely available and worth factoring into your total budget.

The atmosphere at Troyka reads as composed and considered rather than loud or theatrical. At this price tier and recognition level, the room tends toward quiet formality in the evening, low noise, deliberate service pace, a setting that works for conversation. If you are planning a celebration dinner or a business meal where the environment needs to carry the occasion, that profile fits. Solo diners should note that a kitchen of this calibre in Germany often accommodates counter or bar seating, though the specific configuration at Troyka is not confirmed in available data.

Lunch vs dinner: which session to book

This is where the practical decision gets interesting. At Michelin-starred restaurants in Germany, the lunch service is frequently the stronger value proposition: a condensed menu at a meaningfully lower price, the same kitchen, a room that is easier to book. If your primary goal is experiencing Steven Fair's cooking at the most accessible price, lunch is the answer, it tends to be less difficult to secure than a Friday or Saturday dinner slot.

Dinner at Troyka is the full occasion format. If you are marking an anniversary, a significant birthday, or want the extended tasting menu experience with a wine pairing across several hours, dinner delivers the complete version. The trade-off is booking difficulty: a two-star-adjacent reputation (consecutive Michelin stars attract diners from the wider region) means weekend dinner tables move fast. Book a minimum of three to four weeks ahead for weekday dinner; five to six weeks for weekend slots is safer. Lunch mid-week is your leading chance at a shorter lead time.

Ideal time to visit

Autumn and winter are the strongest seasons for this style of cooking. Modern cuisine at the €€€€ tier in Germany typically anchors menus around game, root vegetables, fermentation-driven preparations in the colder months, the kind of technically intensive cooking that justifies the price and showcases what a kitchen at this level does leading. Spring menus built around asparagus and early alliums are also a strong draw in the Rhineland specifically, where white asparagus season runs roughly April through June. If you can align a visit with either window, the seasonal logic adds an extra reason to book.

Is the journey worth it?

Erkelenz sits roughly between Düsseldorf and Aachen, accessible by road and rail. For diners travelling from Cologne or Düsseldorf, this is a viable evening out rather than an overnight trip, though staying locally removes the pressure of a late return. Check our full Erkelenz hotels guide if you want to make a night of it. The town itself is not a destination, Troyka is. Plan your visit around the restaurant, not around the city.

For more on eating and drinking in the region, see our full Erkelenz restaurants guide, bars guide, and experiences guide. If you want to compare Troyka against other serious German kitchens before committing, Vendôme in Bergisch Gladbach and Victor's Fine Dining by Christian Bau in Perl are the relevant benchmarks at a comparable award level. For further reading on the broader German fine dining tier, Aqua in Wolfsburg, Schanz in Piesport, and Waldhotel Sonnora in Dreis are worth your time. If you are visiting Germany's larger cities before or after, JAN in Munich, Restaurant Haerlin in Hamburg, and CODA Dessert Dining in Berlin round out the picture. For a contrast in format, Schwarzwaldstube in Baiersbronn remains the classic French reference point in Germany. Internationally, Frantzén in Stockholm and FZN by Björn Frantzén in Dubai operate in a similar modern cuisine register if you want a wider frame of reference.