Restaurant in Grieskirchen, Austria
Family-run Michelin star, book ahead.
A Michelin-starred family kitchen on the edge of a forest in Grieskirchen, Waldschänke earns its 2024 star through two set menus that move between classic Austrian and contemporary technique. At €€€ pricing, it sits a full tier below most of Austria's starred competition. Book two to three weeks out and take the tasting format — the à la carte menu is a different, more traditional proposition.
Waldschänke is worth booking if you are willing to drive to Kickendorf 15 on the edge of Grieskirchen and plan two to three weeks ahead. A Michelin Star earned in 2024 and a Google rating of 4.7 across 331 reviews confirm this is not a fluke — it is a consistently serious kitchen operating out of a forest-edge setting that punches well above its rural postcode. At €€€ pricing, it sits a full tier below the €€€€ bracket occupied by Austria's most-discussed fine dining names, which makes it one of the more persuasive value cases in the country's Michelin-starred category.
First-timers should book a dinner slot — Tuesday through Saturday from 6 PM , rather than the lunch service. Lunch runs a tight 11:30 AM to 2 PM window and is better suited to a return visit when you know the rhythm. Dinner gives you room to work through the set menus, which are the main reason to come. The kitchen, led by Elisabeth Grabmer and her son Clemens, moves between classic Austrian foundations and contemporary technique, and the set menus are where that range is most clearly expressed. The à la carte menu pulls back toward tradition , creamed veal and baked carp , so if you come expecting the full Michelin-calibre experience, the tasting format is the right call.
The physical setting frames the experience before you sit down. The restaurant sits at the forest edge, and in warmer months the garden terrace opens up, with tree cover providing natural sound and shade. The interior transitions from that outdoor ease to a more composed dining room , the kind of space that suits a long meal with wine rather than a quick lunch. For a first visit, request an indoor table unless the weather is clearly in your favour; the terrace is a seasonal bonus, not the primary draw.
Waldschänke is a family operation in the literal sense: Heinz Grabmer manages front-of-house and service, while the kitchen runs as a two-person unit. That structure produces a consistency that larger brigade-driven kitchens can struggle to match. The service is attentive without the stiffness that occasionally surfaces at comparably priced Austrian restaurants with more formal traditions.
The PEA for this page calls out private and group experiences specifically, and it is worth addressing directly: the database does not confirm a dedicated private dining room or group menus, so do not call ahead expecting a fully packaged event offer. What Waldschänke does offer , based on its structure as a family-run operation with set menus and a terrace , is the kind of flexible intimacy that works well for small celebrations and milestone dinners. The garden terrace in summer can accommodate groups in a way that feels separated from the main room without a formal private hire arrangement. For birthdays, anniversaries, or special occasion dinners of four to eight people, this is a sensible venue. For larger corporate or event groups, contact the restaurant directly to establish what is feasible; the database does not carry phone or booking platform data, so approach through the venue's physical address or any current website.
Book at minimum two to three weeks out. A 2024 Michelin Star in a small Upper Austrian town creates demand that the venue's operating hours , closed Monday and Sunday, lunch and dinner service otherwise , cannot easily absorb. Saturday dinner will fill first. If your schedule is flexible, a Thursday or Friday dinner booking is the most realistic entry point on short notice. The restaurant does not list a booking platform or online reservation system in available data, which means direct contact is likely required. Factor that into planning, particularly if you are travelling from Vienna or Salzburg specifically for this meal.
At €€€, Waldschänke charges less than the €€€€ tier where most of Austria's starred restaurants sit. The set menus are the vehicle for the kitchen's most considered work , the Michelin citation specifically references the two set menus as the highlight , so if you eat à la carte, you are paying for a good traditional Austrian meal at a starred address rather than the full expression of what the kitchen can do. That is not a bad outcome, but it is a different one. For the price point and the Michelin credential together, the tasting format offers the clearest return.
See the comparison section below for how Waldschänke sits against Austria's wider fine dining field.
Planning a wider Grieskirchen visit? See our full Grieskirchen restaurants guide, hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waldschänke | Contemporary | A family business par excellence! While owner Heinz Grabmer and his motivated team take care of the service side of things, Elisabeth Grabmer and son Clemens form a well-oiled machine in the kitchen. They skilfully navigate between classic and modern cuisine, the highlight of their handiwork being the two set menus. These feature dishes such as wonderfully rare fillet of Almenland ox accompanied by well-seasoned king trumpet mushrooms and oyster mushrooms with beautiful roasted notes and an aromatic small spelt foam finished with a terrific jus boasting shine and depth. The à la carte menu is a little more traditional – for example, creamed veal or baked carp. Thanks to its location on the edge of the forest, the garden terrace is a lovely spot in summer - ‘bird concert’ included!; Michelin 1 Star (2024) | Hard | — |
| Steirereck im Stadtpark | Creative | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Mraz & Sohn | Modern Austrian, Creative | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Döllerer | Contemporary Austrian, Innovative | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Landhaus Bacher | Austrian, Classic Cuisine | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Obauer | Classic Cuisine | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Dinner is the stronger choice. The evening service runs Tuesday through Saturday from 6 PM and gives the kitchen room to put the Michelin-starred set menus at the centre of your meal. Lunch runs a tight 11:30 AM to 2 PM window and skews toward the more traditional à la carte options like creamed veal and baked carp — worth knowing if you want the set menu format that earned the 2024 star.
The database does not confirm a dedicated private dining room, so large groups should check the venue's official channels before assuming availability. For smaller parties of four to six, the set menu format works well as a shared experience. The forest-edge garden terrace is also an option in summer for groups who want outdoor seating.
Two to three weeks minimum. A 2024 Michelin Star in a small Upper Austrian town like Grieskirchen creates real demand, and the venue is closed Monday and Sunday, which compresses available seats across five days. For weekend dinners, book closer to four weeks out.
Yes, particularly for occasions where the format matters as much as the meal. The set menus are the kitchen's main event, built around dishes like Almenland ox fillet with king trumpet mushrooms and small spelt foam, and the family-run dynamic gives the service a personal quality that larger restaurants rarely match at this price point. At €€€, it costs less than most of Austria's other starred restaurants.
The venue data does not specify a dress code. Given the Michelin Star, a family-run operation in a rural Upper Austrian setting, and the €€€ price tier, neat casual to business casual is a reasonable baseline — but calling ahead to confirm is worth doing if you are unsure.
Yes, if you are comfortable with a set menu format. The Michelin citation calls out the two set menus as the highlight of the kitchen's output — the à la carte is described as more traditional by comparison. At €€€, the set menus represent the clearest value case at Waldschänke, sitting below the €€€€ tier where most of Austria's starred restaurants price their tasting experiences.
At €€€, it is priced below most Austrian Michelin-starred peers, which makes the value case straightforward if the set menu format suits you. The 2024 star is the anchor credential, and the family-run kitchen — Elisabeth and Clemens Grabmer — operates at a level the Michelin Guide judged star-worthy. For the price and the cooking on offer, the answer is yes.
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