Fischrestaurant Gasthof Luger ****

MARKUS AND THE LUGER GUEST HOUSE: HOW THE PASSION FOR THE DONAUFISH HAS BEEN KEEPING ALIVE THROUGHOUT GENERATIONS

The story of Restaurant Luger in Neustift im Mühlkreis began decades ago, when Markus Luger's great-grandfather laid the foundation stone with a small inn. Today, it has become a culinary jewel that celebrates the Danube, its fish and the Mühlviertel region in a masterful way. Here, where time seems to pass more slowly, the Luger family welcomes their guests with a warmth that makes you feel that you are not just in a restaurant, but in the heart of a passion that has been lived for four generations.

The Luger family business: that's Markus, his aunts, uncles and his daughter, who together make the business what it is - a place filled with a deep connection to nature and a history that began with a passion for fishing and has been passed down through generations. Markus and his family specialise in one type of fish in particular - Danube fish, which they catch fresh in front of the house. Preparing the fish at Gasthaus Luger requires a special skill: cupping - an almost forgotten technique of fish preparation in which fine, parallel incisions are made in the skin of the fish, allowing spices, marinades or other flavours to penetrate deep into the fish flesh. The range of fish that can be tasted at the restaurant extends from white fish such as aitel, barbel and bream to noble fish such as trout, char, pikeperch and carp. But it's not just fish lovers who get their money's worth at Gasthaus Luger, as the restaurant offers a variety of different dishes ranging from traditional Austrian cuisine - such as the Mühlviertler Bierschnitzel filled with bacon, sheep's cheese and herbs - to vegetarian options and homemade pastries. The cuisine at Gasthaus Luger is characterised by the use of ingredients from the restaurant's own farm and many local producers.
For Markus, the connection to the region is not just a promise, but a way of life that has been built up and strengthened through years of relationships with local farmers and producers. These friendships are reflected in the ingredients, which find their way into the kitchen fresh and of the highest quality every day. A mixture of deep tranquillity and warm hospitality prevails at the inn.
 
Guests travelling along the Donau cycle path, on the Penzenstein-Runde, the Donaulimes Welterbe-Runde Passau-Schlögen-Passau can look forward not only to fresh dishes, but also to tastings and seasonally changing menus. Here, far away from everyday life, guests will find a place to stop and savour - be it with a freshly caught fish dish or a glass of wine with a view of the passing Danube.

The following tour also leads past the Gasthof Luger fish restaurant:

• Burgherrenweg