Are kids welcome at Nobelhart & Schmutzig?

31. Oct 2024

© Nobelhart & Schmutzig

A few days ago we received an email that really made us think. 

A guest was asking whether they could possibly bring along their 8-year-old daughter, understanding, of course, that children might not be welcome, that our restaurant might be for adults only. Their daughter, they said, had developed a real curiosity about higher-level cuisine and had long been begging to go to a place such as ours, and anyways she was very quiet and well-behaved and the parents would be sure to manage her expectations in advance… all that notwithstanding, the guest continued, “If bringing her along is categorically not an option, no problem.”

Two things: we love it when people are considerate, but also, no problem? 

We would absolutely hate to exclude young guests. Firstly, we love children. And secondly, we would much prefer to live in a society in which children’s enjoyment of delicious food, understanding of the importance of shopping local and appreciation of culinary culture is nurtured from an early age. If we can pull our weight in making that happen, all the better. 

So if you have ever asked yourself whether your offspring is welcome at Nobelhart, the answer here is a definite, resounding YES! Of course, if your child is of the particularly unruly variety, this might pose a bit of a challenge for other guests and our team – but honestly, most children are not. We make sure to actively involve them in the experience and treat them as a valued guest in their own right, not as a barely tolerated nuisance who is to be seen but not heard. That in itself tends to get them on board! 

Nonetheless, we do want to stress that you’ll be looking in vain for typical children’s dishes. We’ve got plenty of parents on the team and we know from experience that it’s actually quite easy (and rewarding!) to introduce children to our type of cooking in an age-appropriate way. Plus, you only pay for what your kid actually eats – no need to sign them up for a whole menu. If it’s just a plate of mashed potato with gravy, then so be it. Please note, however, that we don’t have a high chair. We’d also kindly ask you to book a seat for your child (as you would for an adult) and to let us know their age. This makes it easier for us to prepare.

Of course we can keep waxing poetic about how much we like kids. But perhaps you’d rather take it from another guest. Check out this Formitable review we received back in March 2023:

“Who knew they’d be child-friendly?! Given the sophisticated nature of the restaurant, I can imagine they might not wish to attract a lot of messy family and kid energy! However, for this dinner, we were making a special visit to Berlin to celebrate my partner’s birthday, so we brought our 4-year-old son. From the first moment, the staff acknowledged him and treated him with respect. When we buzzed the doorbell, proprietor Billy Wagner greeted us, then took our son’s coat to hang first. They served him his fragrant strawberry juice in a tall stemmed Josephinehütte glass, which he delighted in. Around the eighth course, a server brought him a stack of storybooks so my partner and I could enjoy the warm babka with rose hips indulgently. Not once did we feel rushed by our child’s typical pleas to go home. There’s a sign hanging (in the bathroom) that riffs on the Muhammad Ali quote. It’s something like, “Anyone who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.” Well, I think a Michelin-starred restaurant staff who treats a 4-year-old with dignity, must be a pretty stellar group of humans. Thank you. We can’t wait to come again.“

Are kids welcome at Nobelhart & Schmutzig?

31. Oct 2024

© Nobelhart & Schmutzig

A few days ago we received an email that really made us think. 

A guest was asking whether they could possibly bring along their 8-year-old daughter, understanding, of course, that children might not be welcome, that our restaurant might be for adults only. Their daughter, they said, had developed a real curiosity about higher-level cuisine and had long been begging to go to a place such as ours, and anyways she was very quiet and well-behaved and the parents would be sure to manage her expectations in advance… all that notwithstanding, the guest continued, “If bringing her along is categorically not an option, no problem.”

Two things: we love it when people are considerate, but also, no problem? 

We would absolutely hate to exclude young guests. Firstly, we love children. And secondly, we would much prefer to live in a society in which children’s enjoyment of delicious food, understanding of the importance of shopping local and appreciation of culinary culture is nurtured from an early age. If we can pull our weight in making that happen, all the better. 

So if you have ever asked yourself whether your offspring is welcome at Nobelhart, the answer here is a definite, resounding YES! Of course, if your child is of the particularly unruly variety, this might pose a bit of a challenge for other guests and our team – but honestly, most children are not. We make sure to actively involve them in the experience and treat them as a valued guest in their own right, not as a barely tolerated nuisance who is to be seen but not heard. That in itself tends to get them on board! 

Nonetheless, we do want to stress that you’ll be looking in vain for typical children’s dishes. We’ve got plenty of parents on the team and we know from experience that it’s actually quite easy (and rewarding!) to introduce children to our type of cooking in an age-appropriate way. Plus, you only pay for what your kid actually eats – no need to sign them up for a whole menu. If it’s just a plate of mashed potato with gravy, then so be it. Please note, however, that we don’t have a high chair. We’d also kindly ask you to book a seat for your child (as you would for an adult) and to let us know their age. This makes it easier for us to prepare.

Of course we can keep waxing poetic about how much we like kids. But perhaps you’d rather take it from another guest. Check out this Formitable review we received back in March 2023:

“Who knew they’d be child-friendly?! Given the sophisticated nature of the restaurant, I can imagine they might not wish to attract a lot of messy family and kid energy! However, for this dinner, we were making a special visit to Berlin to celebrate my partner’s birthday, so we brought our 4-year-old son. From the first moment, the staff acknowledged him and treated him with respect. When we buzzed the doorbell, proprietor Billy Wagner greeted us, then took our son’s coat to hang first. They served him his fragrant strawberry juice in a tall stemmed Josephinehütte glass, which he delighted in. Around the eighth course, a server brought him a stack of storybooks so my partner and I could enjoy the warm babka with rose hips indulgently. Not once did we feel rushed by our child’s typical pleas to go home. There’s a sign hanging (in the bathroom) that riffs on the Muhammad Ali quote. It’s something like, “Anyone who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter is not a nice person.” Well, I think a Michelin-starred restaurant staff who treats a 4-year-old with dignity, must be a pretty stellar group of humans. Thank you. We can’t wait to come again.“