Organic German Slow Food, handcrafted with love and time.
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Yes, it is true.With great sadness we closed our doors after Sunday, March 24th. We thank you from the bottom of our heart for sharing the last 13 years and 2 months with us. For more information please see our farewell note, or these 2 articles OaklandSide and KQED. Wir sind für Sie da! Please don’t hesitate to reach out for any questions or requests. Stay safe and healthy – we miss your smiles! Kai, Anja, and the Gaumenkitzel Team
But wait! It looks promising that we will be cooking and baking for you again in the near future. 🥄 We willl keep you posted. ☺️
About
Acterra Photo credit Steven Gregory Photography
Everything began in Hamburg …
Husband and wife Kai Flache (owner) and Anja Voth (chef owner) are both from Hamburg, and they’ve known each other since high school. Some 25 years ago Kai moved to Berkeley and owned a successful construction company. Anja followed him 5 years later, but it took her more than 10 years to finally leave her beloved Hamburg. The plan to open a restaurant was born, and Gaumenkitzel opened its doors in January 2011. Back in Hamburg Anja’s Oma was the culinary advisor during the opening phase, sharing her tricks and knowledge over the phone. And Bärbel, Anja’s mother, would refresh the memory of family recipes she taught her. The restaurant got its name from a memory of Anja’s childhood. Her Opa would make Oma’s cooking super interesting for the children by saying in his humorous voice “Hmm, yummy, what a Gaumenkitzel!” Of course everyone would finish the plates and Oma was happy. Gaumenkitzel is an old fashioned word for a “special treat”; it translates literally into “Tickle your Taste Buds”.
KQED 2018 Bay Area Bites “The region around Hamburg is Germany’s greenhouse … The region’s commitment to agriculture may explain why Hamburg leads Germany’s count of vegan restaurants.” (read full aricle)
CoolCalifornia 2016 ” Berkeley-based Gaumenkitzel Restaurant has long been praised for its organic and slow-cooked German cuisine, but the restaurant’s green business practices are also exceptional. … This recognition, dedication, and distinct approach to addressing food waste is making Gaumenkitzel Restaurant a leader in its industry.” (read full article)
Edible East Bay 2016 ” Voth’s seasonal menu, with its organic, local ingredients and focus on craft, makes Gaumenkitzel popular year-round. ” (read full article)
Oakland Magazine and Alameda Magazine October 2018 ” Voth might tinker with the recipes she inherited from and double-checked with her mother or gleaned from old German cookbooks, but there’s no hint of post-modern, molecular-cuisine experimentation. Her transformations of raw materials are simple and classic …” (read full article)
Oakland Magazine March 2018 “The certified-green German restaurant will receive an Acterra Business Environmental Award. … The award winners continue to push forward important new climate-change solutions and lead the way for others in their industry to follow.” (read full article)
NOSH 2017 ” Nothing screams fall like a mug of mulled cider or wine and some belly-warming German food.” (read full write up)
Zagat Rated Very Good to Excellent 2018 “Spaetzle and other “hearty” “German classics” are complemented by “fresh-baked” bread and housemade desserts at this affordable Berkeley option; it stocks “awesome” beers and wines from Germany, and the “unpretentious” setup benefits from “prompt, friendly” service.”
Best of the East Bay 2012, 2014 and 2023
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