Hidden inside the historic Schreiberei in the heart of Munich, Tohru in der Schreiberei is the highly personal restaurant of German-Japanese chef Tohru Nakamura. It is a restaurant where different worlds come together naturally: Germany and Japan, classical European craftsmanship and Japanese precision, history and modernity. Today, Tohru in der Schreiberei is recognised at the highest international level. The restaurant holds three Michelin stars, Nakamura has received important recognition from Gault&Millau throughout his career, and Tohru in der Schreiberei is included in 50 Best Discovery, the international selection connected to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Yet awards only tell part of the story. What makes Tohru particularly interesting is the strong identity behind the restaurant. Nakamura does not cook Japanese food in Europe, nor does he simply introduce Japanese ingredients into French cuisine. His cooking reflects his own background and professional journey, bringing different culinary cultures together until the boundaries between them almost disappear.

Location & Interior

Tohru in der Schreiberei is located at Burgstraße 5, just a few steps from Munich’s Marienplatz. Despite this very central position, entering the restaurant immediately creates a sense of separation from the busy city outside. The restaurant occupies the upper floor of the historic Schreiberei, one of Munich’s oldest surviving civic buildings. Its history reaches back several centuries and remains tangible throughout the experience. The journey upstairs, through the old structure of the building, already creates a feeling of anticipation before entering the dining room. Once inside, historical architecture and contemporary design meet in a very natural way.

The old proportions and architectural details have been preserved, but the interior itself is warm, elegant and distinctly modern. Darker tones, warm wood, soft lighting and carefully selected furniture create an intimate atmosphere. The restaurant feels luxurious, but never ostentatious. Japanese influences are present throughout the space, although always with restraint. Ceramics, small decorative objects, menu illustrations and playful details provide subtle references to Nakamura’s heritage without turning the restaurant into a themed environment. Even the small golden maneki-neko near the entrance feels more personal than decorative. There is also a certain playfulness that contrasts nicely with the seriousness of the gastronomy.

As the evening progresses and the light outside disappears, the dining room becomes increasingly atmospheric. Tables are comfortably spaced and the relatively intimate dimensions of the restaurant create privacy without isolating guests from the energy of the room. The connection between kitchen and dining room is equally important. There is a feeling that both operate as one entity rather than as two separate parts of the restaurant. It is a setting that suits Nakamura remarkably well: deeply rooted in Munich and its history, yet contemporary and subtly connected to Japan.

The Chef & The Team

Tohru Nakamura was born in Munich in 1983 to a German mother and Japanese father. Growing up between these two cultures would eventually become one of the defining elements of his culinary identity. His professional foundation, however, was firmly European. After training at Munich’s Hotel Königshof, Nakamura gained experience in some of Europe’s most demanding kitchens. He worked at Vendôme with Joachim Wissler and later joined Sergio Herman at Oud Sluis in the Netherlands. His years at Oud Sluis were particularly formative. Nakamura eventually became sous-chef in the three-star kitchen, working in an environment characterised by enormous intensity, discipline, creativity and attention to detail. It was not simply about learning dishes or techniques. Working at that level also meant understanding the importance of rhythm, organisation and teamwork: kitchen and service functioning together, everyone working towards the same experience for the guest.

Those qualities remain visible in Munich today, although Nakamura has translated that intensity into a much calmer and more personal restaurant. Time spent in Japan further developed his understanding of Japanese ingredients and culinary traditions before he returned to Munich. Nakamura subsequently became chef at Werneckhof by Geisel, where WBPstars already experienced his cuisine several years ago. Even then, the foundations of his current cooking were clearly visible: outstanding products, purity of flavour, Asian aromas and a strong European technical basis. The principal ingredient always remained recognisable, regardless of the complexity surrounding it. At Tohru in der Schreiberei, those ideas have evolved considerably further. What once felt like a dialogue between European and Asian cuisine has gradually become a culinary language of its own.

Gastronomy

The cuisine of Tohru Nakamura is difficult to categorise, and that is precisely what makes it interesting. There is a strong classical European foundation. Sauces, reductions, roasting techniques and the treatment of fish and meat reveal a deep understanding of French and European haute cuisine. Japanese ingredients and techniques then give the cooking its distinctive character. Koshihikari rice, koji, kombu, miso, sansho, sake and Japanese seafood appear naturally alongside European vegetables, truffle, classical sauces and carefully sourced meat. Fermentation is particularly important. It is not used to make dishes deliberately unusual, but to create acidity, salinity and depth. Koji, miso and other fermented elements often provide the connection between ingredients that otherwise belong to very different culinary traditions. Fire is another recurring element. Products are roasted, grilled or briefly exposed to heat to create additional depth and concentration while retaining their natural character.

The quality of the produce remains essential. Luxury ingredients such as caviar, Ozaki Wagyu, toro, sea urchin and Périgord truffle certainly appear, but luxury is never the sole purpose of a dish. These ingredients are surrounded by acidity, bitterness, smoke, fermentation and freshness. That creates an interesting tension throughout the menu. Richness is almost always balanced by something sharper. Soft textures meet crisp elements. Marine flavours are combined with earthy ingredients. Deep umami is contrasted with citrus or bitterness. The result is technically complex cuisine that rarely feels complicated on the palate.

The Menu

On our visit we enjoyed the following menu

• Oyster Out of the Flame — N25 Oscietra, coriander seed & soy tomato
  A warm oyster with Oscietra caviar, soy tomato and coriander seed. Salinity, acidity and gentle smokiness immediately introduce the culinary direction of the menu.

• Tartelette — Ozaki Wagyu, kimchi blanche & salsa verde
  Rich Ozaki Wagyu in a delicate crisp tartlet, balanced by fermented acidity from kimchi blanche and the herbal freshness of salsa verde.

• Ozaki Wagyu — piquillo peppers, tartare & pastrami of Wagyu
  Melt-in-the-mouth cured pastrami of Ozaki Wagyu, paired with a tartare mixed with piquillo peppers. Vienna sauce, kimchi blanche and N25 caviar round out the dish with depth and briny richness.

• Koshihikari — tuna harmonica, toro & shiokoji
  Koshihikari rice takes centre stage alongside tuna and fatty toro, with shio koji adding depth and seasoning. A comforting and deeply savoury dish that strongly reflects Nakamura’s Japanese roots.

• Scallop — shiitake, Jerusalem artichoke & mussel broth
  Beautifully prepared scallop accompanied by earthy shiitake and Jerusalem artichoke. A concentrated mussel broth brings the different elements together and reinforces the maritime character.

• Hamachi — chicory, roasted kombu & blood orange
  The richness of hamachi is balanced by the bitterness of chicory and freshness of blood orange. Roasted kombu provides a deeper layer of umami.

• Chawanmushi — morels, smoked eel & Sauce Riche
  A delicate Japanese steamed egg custard combined with earthy morels, smoked eel and a rich classical sauce. Japan and Europe meet here in a particularly natural way.

• Sole — carrot, sea urchin & Benti Nenka coffee
  Delicate sole with sweet carrot and the unmistakable marine richness of sea urchin. Coffee provides a subtle roasted bitterness and an unexpected additional dimension.

• King Crab au Torchon — spring turnips, caper leaf, sansho & shiro miso
  Sweet king crab combined with young turnip, caper leaf and white miso. Sansho provides its characteristic citrus freshness and delicate spice.

• Herrmannsdorfer Pork Fillet — menchi katsu, artichoke & Périgord truffle
  Tender pork is paired with a crisp menchi katsu preparation, artichoke and aromatic Périgord truffle. A richer final savoury course that brings Bavaria, Japan and France together on one plate.

Okashi

The transition into the sweet part of the menu is presented under the Japanese name Okashi.

Rather than changing direction completely after the savoury courses, the pastry section continues the same culinary philosophy. Japanese references meet European pastry techniques, while acidity, bitterness and occasionally savoury ingredients prevent the desserts from becoming overly sweet.

• Matcha — Mieze Schindler, kombu & pistachio
  Matcha bitterness, aromatic strawberry, kombu and pistachio form a final combination that once again moves effortlessly between sweetness, salinity and umami.

• Kakigori — cocoa juice, nashi pear & sparkling sake
  A refreshing combination in which nashi pear and sparkling sake provide freshness and lightness, while cocoa juice introduces a deeper aromatic note.

• Crispy Pillow — rhubarb & sandalwood
  A delicate crisp bite combining the acidity of rhubarb with the subtle perfume of sandalwood.
• Financier — beetroot & Yuna Edel Weiss
  A reinterpretation of the classic French financier, with beetroot bringing gentle earthiness and natural sweetness.
• Pâte de Fruits — quince, beechnuts & apple
  Quince and apple provide concentrated fruit flavours, complemented by the softer nutty character of beechnuts.

The petits fours provide one final visual surprise.

Presented almost as a miniature landscape, with moss, stones, flowers and small decorative structures surrounding the individual sweets, the finale has a playful quality that contrasts beautifully with the precision of the preparations. It is an elaborate presentation, but one with sufficient refinement to avoid becoming theatrical for its own sake.

Wine & Beverages

The beverage programme follows the same open-minded philosophy as the cuisine. There is considerable depth in classical European wine, including mature vintages and prestigious regions, but the programme is not restricted by geography or convention. That flexibility is essential with Nakamura’s cooking.

A single menu can move between raw and cooked seafood, fermentation, smoke, citrus, kombu, rich sauces, meat and truffle. The beverage pairing therefore needs to respond to flavour and texture rather than simply follow a predetermined succession of wine styles.

Wine and sake coexist naturally. Sake is not introduced because a Japanese beverage is expected in a German-Japanese restaurant. It appears when its texture, fermentation and umami make it the logical partner for a particular preparation. This creates an interesting rhythm throughout the meal. More classical combinations can be followed by something completely different, but the transition always makes sense in relation to the food.

The beverage programme therefore becomes an extension of the kitchen rather than a separate element of the experience.

Service

Service is another important strength of Tohru in der Schreiberei. The precision is immediately noticeable, but formality is never allowed to dominate the experience. Timing, glassware, pouring, clearing and the presentation of dishes are handled with great attention, while the interaction with guests remains warm and natural. That balance between discipline and personality seems closely connected to Nakamura’s own professional development.

His years at Oud Sluis were spent in an environment where the entire restaurant operated with enormous intensity. Kitchen and service had to work as one team, and every detail mattered. Nakamura eventually became sous-chef there, and the importance of that experience can still be felt in the organisation of his own restaurant. At Tohru, however, the intensity remains largely behind the scenes. For the guest, everything feels calm.

The dining-room team has an excellent understanding of the cuisine and beverages. Japanese ingredients and unfamiliar preparations are explained when necessary, but explanations remain concise and accessible. There is enough information to understand what is happening on the plate without every course becoming a technical presentation. The pacing of such an extensive menu is equally important.

Courses follow each other naturally, with enough time to appreciate every preparation while maintaining momentum throughout the evening. Wine, sake and other beverages are integrated smoothly into that rhythm. Most importantly, there is personality. The team creates room for conversation, humour and spontaneity. The interaction adapts to the guest rather than following a rigid script, which makes the experience considerably warmer than one might expect from a restaurant operating at this level. It is precisely this combination of technical precision and genuine hospitality that makes the service memorable.

Why Go?

Tohru in der Schreiberei is a restaurant whose identity reveals itself gradually throughout the evening. At first, it seems natural to describe Nakamura’s cuisine through geography: Germany, France and Japan. By the end of the meal, those distinctions have become almost irrelevant. Koshihikari rice can carry the same importance as caviar. Chawanmushi can meet morels and a classical European sauce without either losing its identity. Bavarian pork can appear naturally alongside menchi katsu and Périgord truffle. Sole can be combined with sea urchin and coffee without the result feeling forced or intellectual for its own sake. Nothing seems borrowed simply for effect.

The Japanese influences, classical European techniques, German products and Nakamura’s own cultural background have gradually grown into one culinary language. There is confidence in the cooking, but also restraint. Complexity is present without becoming complicated, and luxury is used to enhance rather than define the experience. The same coherence extends beyond the plate. The historic Munich setting and contemporary interior, the thoughtful beverage programme, the precise but warm service and the subtle playfulness that appears throughout the evening all feel connected to the personality of the chef and his cuisine.

Perhaps that is the most interesting evolution since WBPstars first experienced Nakamura’s cooking at Werneckhof. He is no longer a chef cooking between different cultures. He has developed a cuisine in which those cultures have become inseparable — personal, precise and immediately recognisable. And it is precisely this highly individual culinary identity, supported by an exceptional team and an experience that remains warm and generous throughout, that places Tohru in der Schreiberei among the most compelling gastronomic restaurants in the world today.