Vendôme

Vendôme is a three Michelin-starred restaurant located within the Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg in Bergisch Gladbach, a short drive from Cologne in North Rhine-Westphalia. The restaurant occupies a wing of the baroque palace hotel and commands panoramic views over the Bergisches Land and, on clear days, the Cologne skyline. Chef Joachim Wissler has held three Michelin stars at Vendôme since 2002 and has maintained this distinction through a cuisine that draws on classical French technique while incorporating German regional ingredients and contemporary sensibilities. The tasting menu, which changes with the seasons, typically runs to nine or more courses and might include preparations of Moselle River fish, Black Forest game, and ingredients sourced from small regional producers. Dishes are technically brilliant and composed with exceptional restraint. The wine cellar is among the finest in Germany, with particular strength in German Riesling and Grand Cru Burgundy; the sommelier team builds pairings that genuinely enhance the food. The dining room is formal and opulent — high ceilings, period furniture, crystal, and silver service — creating an atmosphere that positions Vendôme firmly in the classical European grand restaurant tradition. Dress is formal. Reservations must be made well in advance; the restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner and lunch service on certain days.