Neobiota - Cologne

We went to Neobiota on a Saturday night. We ordered the six-course vegan menu plus the wine pairing. In addition to the printed menu, you are brought a plethora... read more We went to Neobiota on a Saturday night. We ordered the six-course vegan menu plus the wine pairing. In addition to the printed menu, you are brought a plethora of amuses-bouches “greetings from the kitchen” in between some courses; turning your six-course dinner into something more akin to a twelve-course tasting menu. These in-between dishes are easily as delicious and almost as elaborate as the actual courses. Though clearly delicately prepared, they manage to somehow remain down-to-earth. Right out of the gate, I particularly enjoyed the bread foam Madeleine, one of those amouses-bouches. While that may sound somewhat pretentious, it was utterly delicious. At some point in the dinner, you are also served an entire mini loaf of freshly baked bread. That warm bread is so wonderful that you will be sad that you just got the one loaf. From the actual courses, I will remember the potato with smoked vegetables and linseed for a long time, as well as the meadowsweet. (They must scour half the country for some of these ingredients. Our dinner was brought to a close with sunroot ice cream served alongside oxalis and cranberries. An earthy yet light combination that ended the evening on just the right note. Though it doesn't need to end there as you will be offered a single origin coffee and a wide selection of interesting spirits. We tried the mountain hay spirit as well as a gentian spirit—both delicious. The restaurant is quite small and cozy. All staff are attentive, very affable, and knowledgeable. So from the food, to the drinks, to the atmosphere, it's just a pleasure to spend an evening at Neobiota. Everyone is very easy-going and relaxed making the experience almost casual. So in that regard, do not be deterred by their Michelin Star. Apparently they also have vegan options for breakfast, but we haven't tried those yet. On previous visit, I chose the non-alcoholic drink pairings which are just as exciting as the food. The sommelier seems to go to quite some lengths to invent and prepare unique drinks for that pairing. Overall, not a dinner you will have every other night but a wonderful and memorable experience for special occasions.

UNETHICAL. Please do not support a non-vegan business that is solely focused on profit and does not do right by customers... Moreover, be aware, THEY SERVE VEGA... read more UNETHICAL. Please do not support a non-vegan business that is solely focused on profit and does not do right by customers... Moreover, be aware, THEY SERVE VEGAN FOOD IN REAL OYSTER SHELLS!!!!! SERIOUSLY??????? Is this a joke they are playing on vegans to throw it in our faces? Despite the things above, other things whet wrong that were a bit shocking: Our experience at Neobiota left much to be desired, with the management 's response adding insult to injury. Despite specifically booking a tasting meal, we were misled into believing that a wine pairing was included. Imagine our shock when the bill, originally estimated at 250 EUR, suddenly soared to 500 EUR, all due to this unexpected addition. Despite our clear request for a drinks menu, we were told none existed. We told the staff we didn 't want a pairing because we generally do not like them (which ended up being the case here) and it 's more alcohol than we want to consume. Nevertheless, the staff continued to be adamant about a pairing being part of our booking. Feeling uneasy about pressing further and drawing unwanted attention, we reluctantly agreed to proceed without the information we desired. Upon receiving the inflated bill, the staff saw were were shocked and told us no manager was available, so we paid and hoped to address the issue discreetly later with management. However, our efforts were met with resistance from Sonja, whose defensive stance and refusal to engage in constructive dialogue only exacerbated the situation. Despite our requests for a phone call to resolve the matter amicably, we were met with stonewalling and a lack of acknowledgment of the errors made. I cannot recommend a business that puts profits first, misleads/lies to customers, and finds humor serving vegans vegan food inside real oyster shells. Updated from previous review on 2024-03-21

I'm sure. also for missing accompanying persons, a reservation fee of €15 is required at an early part date, and that is at a half-empty local. And if you don't... read more I'm sure. also for missing accompanying persons, a reservation fee of €15 is required at an early part date, and that is at a half-empty local. And if you don't feel comfortable and just want to say goodbye with a drink, these penalty fees are required as a no show fee. very annoying. the price of the breakfast below this penalty is 8.12,13 euro. the star blows.

We had a really nice and exciting evening here. It was so much fun as the people here were super cool and relaxed! We had the vegan 8-course menu with non-alcoh... read more We had a really nice and exciting evening here. It was so much fun as the people here were super cool and relaxed! We had the vegan 8-course menu with non-alcoholic accompaniment. Every single course is visually and tastefully unique. Since it was our first star experience, we were surprised by the many great courses in between! Everyone was really nice, even if we didn't always get everything done. Thank you again!!!

We reserved a late breakfast table relatively spontaneously. The possibility of putting together 3 dishes into one menu at breakfast is brilliant for anyone who... read more We reserved a late breakfast table relatively spontaneously. The possibility of putting together 3 dishes into one menu at breakfast is brilliant for anyone who can't decide on the great selection! Delicious and creative dishes, very good coffee and attentive and nice staff. We'd love to come back!