If you’re the kind of person who likes to eat really well in the evening – you will not fail to be impressed by the wealth of restaurants in Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony). What is more, gourmets can easily identify the quality of a restaurant. Different quality labels, whether stars, toques (chef’s hats) or points, reveal places where you are guaranteed not to be disappointed by the first-class cuisine.
But what do the awards presented by the Michelin and Gault Millau restaurant guides actually mean?
The grading criteria used by both Michelin and Gault Millau are very similar. Apart from the quality and freshness of the ingredients, the criteria also rate professional and creative preparation, the harmonisation of flavours and the uniqueness and presentation of a restaurant’s dishes. In addition the green star provides information about a restaurant's commitment to sustainability.
Michelin Stars
The German edition of the restaurant guide describes the meaning of the stars as follows:
- One star: Fine cuisine – worth stopping by
- Two stars: Excellent cuisine – worth a detour
- Three stars: Exceptional cuisine – worth a special journey
Gault Millau
Gault Millau has been working with a 5-toque system since 2022, which is developing into an international quality mark. A scale of one to 19 points will serve as a more detailed rating system.
- 5 toques: 19 to 19,5 points: Top score for the world's best restaurants
- 4 toques: 17 to 18,5 points: Characteristic cuisine, leading in creativity, quality and preparation
- 3 toques: 15 to 16,5 points: High level of cookery, creativity and quality
- 2 toques: 13 to 14,5 points: Very good cuisine that offers more than the usual
- 1 toque: 11 to 12,5 points: Ambitious cuisine
- 10 to 10,5 points: Good cuisine, as you would expect in any home-style establishment
Michelin Green Star
Since 2020, the Green Star has been awarded to restaurants that stand out in their commitment to sustainable gastronomy, for example through their working methods, philosophy or seasonality.
Below you will find the Niedersachsen gourmet restaurants and restaurants with at least one star, two toques or one green star.
