Phaedra

In Greek mythology, Phaedra, the wife of Theseus, is all about forbidden love and genuine passion that cannot be restrained. In culinary terms, this means that you will hardly be able to resist indulgence at the award-winning restaurant of the same name in Cologne's Südstadt district. And this is probably what the namesake, Konstantin Tzikas, has in mind when he turns your palate into the plaything of the kitchen gods in his restaurant Phaedra.

So take a seat: at the chef's table, at the bar with a view into the kitchen, at one of the 30 seats in the high, cozily lit room with a pure wall and turquoise sweet spot to the kitchen - or on the terrace in summer: it's going to be fine-Mediterranean.

Culinary leitmotif: the Mediterranean region

With globetrotters and Mediterranean cruisers as chefs, Phaedra's cuisine has gone far beyond Greek classics since 2018 and instead plays on the food culture of the "Mare Mediterraneum" that has existed for thousands of years: from Greece to the south of France to Portugal and onwards from Morocco to Turkey.

The dishes on the menu rotate depending on the season and market availability: In addition to several mezze, snacks and à la carte dishes, Tzikas serves you seasonal 4-course menus - even as a veggie-only option, with or without wine accompaniment.

Wherever possible: sustainable, versatile, homemade

With 14 Gault Millau points in its first year, a listing in the Michelin Guide and several other important ratings, expectations are skyrocketing. But indulgence takes time, especially when everything on your plate is homemade: from the sauce to the ice cream - made from sustainable products from the region whenever possible. Your Mediterranean fish comes from sustainable fishing grounds and your meat from animals raised organically and responsibly.

The wine list is also exciting and varied, with around 800 European wines, some of which are rare. The modern by-the-glass system allows you to taste wines that are normally only available by the bottle. Once opened, the wines are stored in special argon gas climate cabinets, where they stay fresh for around 21 days.

Maintaining traditions, re-staging them, carrying them forward

Restaurant owner and head chef Konstantin Tzikas can look back on several stints with renowned top chefs such as Edwin Paas and Christoph Paul from Paul's Restaurant and found a teacher and good friend in Franz Keller to put the finishing touches to his culinary art.

Tzikas actively lives on his connection to Keller: in many a culinary twist and now and again in the "Tomato Revival Dinner", when old signature dishes from Franz Keller's tomato era appear on the menu as a tribute to the culinary roots that still characterize Tzikas' cuisine today.