The Game is On | Venison, Wild Boar and More

 This year, the hunt for red and fallow deer began as early as November and until January, restaurants will be serving fresh boar ragu, venison backstrap, shoulder of venison and similar culinary delights. We have assembled five locations for sophisticated venison dining.

Berlin Sankt Moritz 

Next to light set meals like “Die Schönheit der Leichtigkeit” (The Beauty of Lightness), there's also an “autumn” section on the menu. It consists primarily of venison, like Brandenburg venison shoulder and backtrap with violet red cabbage and cranberries. “Our venison comes from Brandenburg or other places in Germany, wherever the quality is at its highest” explains the owner, Anton Stefanov, whose head chef Daniel Mattle recently worked on the Food Design for Tom Hank's new movie “Cloud Atlas” which is set in different eras - Mattle was in charge of the 30's and the future.

Hundekehlestraße 33, Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Tel. +49 30 83 22 41 51, www.restaurant-sankt-moritz.de 

Lorberth Feine Kost 

“Venison should be served sparingly, and guests like it best in the Fall and Wintertime” says Adrian Lorberth, owner of Lorberth Feine Kost. He obtains his meat from a game deliverer who supplies head chef Jedidjah Buchmann with venison and boar meat from Brandenburg's forests. “Venison isn't exactly our main focus, but we always have at least one or two venison meals on the menu in the fall and winter”, says Lorberth. They're currently serving wild boar ragu with hazelnut spaetzle and Brussels sprouts as well as the highly popular wild boar Bratwurst with seasonal roasted vegetables.

Pappelallee 77, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg, Tel. +49 30 26 34 93 30, www.lorberth.de

Scent  

Ottmar Pohl-Hoffbauer, head chef at Scent, knows exactly where his seasonal, organic quality venison comes from – Brandenburg and Mecklenburg. “I like to choose my suppliers by visiting weekly markets and getting to know them face to face.” During game season, there will always be a venison meal on the menu, like wild boar Sauerbraten (marinated pot roast) with pears, walnuts and Schupfnudeln (finger-shaped potato dumplings). Pohl-Hoffbrauers trademark wild herbs are a little harder to find in the winter, but find their way onto plates via homemade herb-flavored oils. 

Spittelmarkt 13, Berlin-Mitte, Tel. +49 30 58 58 22 22, www.cosmo-hotel.de

Sauvage 

“We try to serve venison all year round” explains Boris Leite-Poço, one of Sauvage's owners. Venison is part of Sauvage's general concept, which focusses on “stone age” food, which means that exclusively wild grown products are used and ingredients from industrial farms are shunned. Right now, wild boar is the main attraction the menu, served with beet leaves and isop, a wild herb. Another recurring favorite is venison goulash with an assortment of root vegetables.

Pflügerstraße 25, Berlin-Neukölln, Tel. +49 30 53 16 75 47, www.sauvageberlin.com

Restaurant Buchholz 

The Buchholz restaurant in Britz splits into two stories and two seperate categories: down to earth tavern and top notch gourmet restaurant. Mathhias Buchholz, who opened his own business only six months ago after a career in classic hotel gastronomy, is especially proud of his pink roasted haunch of venison, which is usually braised. 

Alt-Britz 81, Berlin-Neukölln, Tel. +49 30 60 03 46 07, www.matthiasbuchholz.net