Rob Rees enjoyed a meal with Skier & Snowboarder publisher Frank ‘Scoop’ Baldwin at Kipferl, which claims to be London’s only Austrian restaurant. Rob gives us a taste of what you will find there
If you’ve been missing your mountain food, then Kipferl will definitely ‘stoke’ you up for the coming ski season.
DOSH TO NOSH: Banker turned restaurateur Hubert Zanier
Tucked away down quaint Camden Passage in Angel Islington is Kipferl, a charming Austrian eatery that’ll have you dreaming of warm huts and the ski slopes of Tirol.
Hubert Zanier took over the restaurant from a fellow Austrian in 2019 and has put his own stamp on the restaurant, introducing all-day fine dining while retaining its core Viennese café culture.
He’s added some of favourite dishes from his native Tirol. “How can you not have Tiroler Gröstl and a Gulasch?” explains the former banker, who arrived in the City of London in the early noughties.
Hubert is teutonically precise with ingredient quality and recipe optimisation. He sources his breadcrumbs from Austria after he found it almost impossible to produce the perfect Wiener Schnitzel with ingredients currently available in the UK.
A range of sausages – Wiener (or Frankfurter), spicy Hungarian Debreziner and Käsekrainer- was painstakingly developed for 18 months with a Croatian butcher in South London. It has been worth every minute as the Käsekrainer – a thick large Bratwurst filled with Emmental cheese – is quite literally to die for!
EARLY YEARS: As a boy, Hubert began skiing on Kufstein’s Kaiserberg
Born in Kufstein and university educated in Innsbruck, Hubert’s been skiing since he was two and a half. He learnt the basics on his local hill, Kaiserberg, up on the alm just above Kufstein, surrounded by the towering peaks of the Wilder Kaiser.
The single seater lift shut for skiing about 20 years ago, but it’s been restored by the local municipality for summer hiking. (www.tyrol.com/regions/a-kufsteinerland)
Hubert now likes to ski in the vast Ski Welt and Söll. His brother is the local geologist who advises all the major ski areas on rock composition and stability for any new cable car installations and the siting of reservoirs to cover the extensive snow making apparatus in this vastly underrated but huge ski area (www.skiwelt.at).
NEW LIFT: The refurbished single chair at Kaiserberg where Hubert skied from the age of two and a half
He said: “My favourite run is still the straight-line descent from the Hohe Salve to Söll, but elsewhere in Austria, I adore the black run from the Kapall in St. Anton am Arlberg. Söll’s Berggasthof Tenn, between Hohe Salve and Hopfgarten, is my favourite hut – an amazing spot in the sun and excellent local food.
“I do miss Austria – the nature, the mountains, the lakes, the forests, but I also love living in London – the buzz and vibe, the international crowd, the variety of restaurants, concerts, galleries. It’s such a great city.”
LUNCH IS SERVED: Skier & Snowboarder publisher Frank ‘Scoop’ Baldwin tucks in
The Kipferl decor is as ‘gemütlich’ as you’ll find anywhere in Austria with walls adorned with iconic images and legends such as Arnie Schwarzenegger, Niki Lauda, and The Sound of Music. Other Austrian knickknacks, such as a pair of old wooden skis, and an original Kitzbühel sign, are also on display.
All the classic dishes are available on the appetising menu including Kaiserschmarrn, Schnitzel, Gulaschsuppe. You can see the full menu by CLICKING HERE
Kipferl is a haven for Austriaphiles too. The Austrian Ambassador Michael Zimmermann and the Watford and Austria national football team goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann are regular guests. Daniel brings his wife, two kids and two dogs. Yes, even dogs are welcome anytime.
Kipferl is reasonably priced, and Hubert has an impressive range of affordable quality Austrian wines, possibly the best in London. It’s a very strong wine list
https://kipferl.co.uk/collections/wine
Which whites and reds does he recommend for someone who is new to Austrian wines?
“It all depends on how experienced and sophisticated our customer is, but Grüner Veltliner is everbody’s darling, and the Grüner Veltliner Löss from Zuschmann is probably the most popular. From the red wines, I think the Phantom is an outstanding wine, that has nothing to fear from French or Spanish reds, and is really good value for the quality.
“The most popular choices online are the boxes we have but together, like this one for example:” https://kipferl.co.uk/collections/wine/products/taste-of-austria-wine-box
And let’s not forget Austrian cake and coffee. Hubert said: “Unsurprisingly the bestselling cake is our Sachertorte. Everybody knows it and loves it. Our most unusual cake is probably the Bosnian Poppyseed Cake, gluten-free with organic Austrian poppyseeds. Cakes can be ordered online too and even personalised.”
Surviving through the lockdown with top notch takeaway coffee and these Austria cakes, baked to ancient recipes, Kipferl has emerged in great shape despite the pandemic.
Hubert now opens the restaurant seven days a week for breakfast, tea and cakes, lunch and dinner. It is still advisable to book a table during the obvious busy times.
You won’t be disappointed and a meal at the Kipferl will certainly get you in the mood for the mountains and remind you of your trips to Austria.
Clip in and schuss down to Islington for Kipferl’s cuisine and a proper Austrian welcome. Servus!
PS – Lederhosen not compulsory.
ON THE MENU: There is a great choice of traditional Austrian dishes to choose from
Kipferl
20 Camden Passage
London
N1 8ED
Nearest tube: Angel
AUSTRIAN CHARM: Hubert and Frank outside Kipferl
INTERIOR DESIGN: The walls at Kipferl are adorned with interesting artefacts such as a photo of Austrian motor racing legend Nikki Lauda with Britain’s James Hunt, skis, signs, and a Sound of Music poster