Sylt
Fine dining has found a home on the gourmet island of Sylt: A total of three Michelin-starred restaurants are located on Germany’s largest North Sea island, along with Germany’s only oyster farm, the “Sylt Royal,” award-winning coffee roasters, and small beach bistros that invite you to enjoy a cocktail while watching the sunset.
Enjoy the Ocean View
A cherished Sylt tradition is the small beach bistros, which line the 40-kilometer-long coastline like pearls on a string. On terraces sheltered from the wind, you can enjoy the view of the water—at the right time of day, complete with a sunset show and a sundowner—and everyday life fades into the distance. At “Sunset Beach,” for example, you can enjoy tarte flambée, matjes herring with fried potatoes and salad; “Onkel Johnny’s” has burgers and fries on the menu; and even the legendary surfer hotspot “Buhne 16” offers simple, delicious dishes perfect for a delightful time at the beach.
Sylt, the Gourmet Island
Sylt’s three Michelin-starred restaurants —the Söl’ring Hof with two Michelin stars, Bodendorf’s Restaurant at Landhaus Stricker, and Kai3 Restaurant at Hotel Budersand, each with one star—are known and loved throughout Germany for their down-to-earth charm, regional ingredients, creativity, and unique styles. These and other restaurants and top hotels have also earned international recognition from the “Gault Millau” restaurant guide. Sommelier Bärbel Ring, who is responsible for the wine cellar and the restaurant at the Söl’ring Hof, has been named “Sommelier of the Year” several times.
Tea, coffee, or hot chocolate?
Especially on cold days, all the hot drinks—which people in the far north like to spruce up with a shot of hard liquor—are very welcome. From “Pharisäer” to “Tote Tante” to tea punch: The North Frisians really make themselves cozy in the fall and winter. In the island’s many cafés and bakeries—which invite you to warm up and settle in—there’s an abundance of top-quality teas and coffee blends that pair perfectly with local specialties like the Friesentorte, a dream made of puff pastry. A coffee culture in a class of its own, known among foodies, is celebrated by the Sylt Coffee Roastery in Rantum and the Braderup Coffee Workshop, which achieved a proud 5th place at the German Brewers Cup.
Culinary Ambassador of the North: “Sylt Royal”
Germany’s only oyster farm is operated by the long-established Dittmeyer’s Austern-Compagnie, which cultivates the “Sylt Royal” variety in the North Frisian Wadden Sea National Park, in Blidsel Bay off the coast of List. The ebb and flow of the tides dictate the work schedule: The shellfish grow in mesh bags on so-called “table cultures,” where they are washed by the nutrient-rich waters of the North Sea at high tide. With proper care—turning, shaking, removing seaweed and algae, and overwintering at the farm—the oysters are ready for harvest after two years. At the company’s own restaurant and oyster bar, fans can look forward to being surprised by new flavor creations.
Sylt Delights
As a former Michelin-starred chef, Alexandro Pape knows what really matters when it comes to enjoyment and flavor. His “Fleur de Sylt,” now famous even beyond the island’s borders, is a mild-tasting, mineral-rich sea salt that’s also available in evocatively named varieties such as “Wild Berries” and “Blossom Blend.” Via a 500-meter-long pipeline, Pape channels 3,500 liters of seawater daily into an indoor saltworks, where the salt is extracted and gently dried. Using the water left over from salt production and the finest deep freshwater from Sylt, he brews his WATT beer and produces unique pasta specialties based on recipes from his Sardinian great-grandfather.