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Fulda's city center is getting a culinary boost: a lot is happening just in time for Hesse Day. From handmade Italian ice cream to new café and bistro concepts to international cuisine.
Fulda – After not only numerous restaurants in the past few months, but also some retail stores in Fulda had to closevacancies are currently shaping the cityscape in several places. The developments on the other side are all the more pleasing: With new restaurants, cafés and concepts, there is noticeable movement returning to the city center.
Fulda's gastronomy scene is growing – these are the new projects
Since Wednesday (June 3rd) there has been another ice cream parlor on the corner of Unterm Heilig Kreuz and Marktstrasse: the one known from Haimbacher Strasse Pizzeria L'Unico has expanded its offering and opened its own gelateria in the heart of Fulda. L'Unico founder Claudio Ravalli and managing director Toykan Can rely on classic Italian craftsmanship.
Just in time for the start of Hessentag, the new café-bistro “Gaston im KARL” will also open on Friday, June 12th. Felix Wessling, Andreas Rau and Fabian Bessler, three entrepreneurs well-known in the regional gastronomy scene, are behind the concept. A modern bistro with an open show kitchen and an extensive selection of wines is planned.
The centerpiece will be the so-called “glass box” in the small passage to the side entrance from Rabanusstrasse with the interior surfaces of the former department store is connected. This creates both outdoor seating and weather-protected areas under the roof. The gastronomic offer is not just for them Hesse day thought: The “Gaston im KARL” should remain a permanent part of Fulda’s city center.
Kick-off to Hessentag: Café-Bistro “Gaston im KARL” opens
The “Cava” on Friedrichstrasse has been open for a few weeks now. The café is an offshoot of the business of the same name Hünfeld and is located on the ground floor of the N°24 Private Health Club. The offer is not only aimed at members of the fitness and health club who can enjoy healthy smoothies here: “First and foremost, we want to offer all Fulda residents a cool place with a lifestyle concept,” says operator Telly Siebert. The Cava serves, among other things, bowls, smaller snacks and various drinks. Various events are also planned, such as those already held in Hünfeld, such as “day drinking” with DJs in the open air.
First of all, for the Hessentag period, the former bookstore at the cathedral will be given new life: The Caritas is implementing an inclusive project here called “Bread & Wine”.. A combined gastronomic offering is planned, in which Caritas workshop products will also play a role. A concept for long-term use is also being worked on.
The Afghan restaurant Mawlana has recently opened on Robert-Kircher-Straße. In the rooms of the former Fruchtbar, which became the “Löwenherz” restaurant last year, but which closed relatively quickly, there is now cuisine from the country in Central Asia.
Another catering project is currently being built on Friedrichstrasse in the former Vogler shoe store, which had to close last year after 135 years. The building is currently being extensively renovated. According to the investor, a restaurant will move in there. What kind remains a surprise for the time being: “It will be a gastronomy that will be beautiful and special.” The work is currently in full swing: “We are in the middle of major upgrade measures, we have carried out massive interventions.”
Italian lifestyle moves into Karlstrasse
There is praise for the city of Fulda: the approval process went smoothly. The scaffolding has already been removed and expansion work is currently underway inside. The opening is scheduled for the end of September. In addition to the restaurant, apartments will also be built in the building – a total of four units, including an attic apartment with a terrace.
In the Karlstraße 15, in the former premises of the fashion store “Feinsinn”another new gastronomy concept is currently being developed: “Davino”. David Matz, a trained chef and restaurateur and co-founder of Davis, is behind the project. With his own restaurant he wants to “create a place where enjoyment and conviviality are the focus” – in keeping with the Italian lifestyle “la dolce fare niente” (the sweetness of doing nothing).
“It will still be exciting until the planned opening in the summer,” explains the restaurateur. “Davino” is unlikely to be launched on Hessentag. Nevertheless, there are indications that the team is already coming up with something to shorten the waiting time. Anyone who is curious can take a look inside now – the taped windows offer small peepholes through which passers-by can follow the progress of the work.
And not only are new cafés and restaurants currently opening, in many places the succession is also working smoothly. A current example of this is the “Olive” on Löherstrasse: Here, the siblings Kayhan Firat and Sibel Akgüc have taken over the “pasta and salad bar”. After a small renovation phase, things will start again on Monday, June 8th: with a menu that will largely be retained, but will also include small changes, says Firat.
And next door in the Kaffeekultur roastery, after many years, Wolfgang Klose and Christine Meurer have just handed over the “helm” to the next generation: son Michel Meurer and Jenny Kapist now invite you to drink coffee in a beautiful atmosphere.
