New restaurant

If you fancy a vacation, go to “Robitza”

Konrad Robitza (center) with his small crew, consisting of Esther Farkas and Peter Prieler.

(Bild: das ROBITZA & Mr. K. )

A new wine bar and grocery store will soon be opening in Eisenstadt, where you can discover the culinary delights of the former Pannonia. 

Konrad Robitza was managing director of the Esterházy wine bar "Selektion" in Eisenstadt for nine years and was responsible for countless wine and culinary events. In the summer of 2023, it was over: "I realized that I needed a change and only wanted to put my heart and soul into my own projects," says the 41-year-old chef and sommelier, who attended the Pannoneum in Neusiedl and worked at "Wein & Co." in Vienna and the Grandhotel Giessbach in Switzerland, among others. His passion for viticulture and gastronomy was awakened by his parents, who ran the "Broaska" tavern in Oslip, where Robitza worked diligently from a young age.

It was while traveling with his girlfriend Barbara, a chemist from Poland, that he had the brilliant idea: "When people talk about Pannonia, most people think of Burgenland. Yet this historical landscape, which is derived from the Roman province of Pannonia, included not only what is now eastern Austria, but also parts of Hungary, Slovenia, Serbia and what is now Slovakia. In this large region, which has always been a cultural melting pot, there were not only linguistic and traditional similarities, but also culinary ones. This can be seen in the food and wines."

Robitza's motto is: "Feast, drink wine, chat and enjoy life."

(Bild: das ROBITZA & Mr. K. )

Local producers
In order to introduce other people to the versatility of Pannonian wines and supra-regional delicacies and thus create an offer that does not yet exist, Robitza will open a Pannonian wine bar and delicatessen in the next few weeks in the premises of the abandoned restaurant "FreuRaum" in the historic center of Eisenstadt: the Robitza."

All of the delicacies on offer come from local producers who still consciously rely on manual labor. The natural sourdough bread, for example, is supplied by the Schumich bakery in Oslip and a young baker from Sopron, while the coffee comes from the Reiter roastery in Bad Sauerbrunn. The traditional Kolbasz hard sausages and game dishes are prepared by butchers from Hungary and Slovenia, the cheese and ham come from Serbia, and exquisite oils and spices as well as fish and seafood from Istria. 

Some delicacies, such as pickled cherry peppers, are prepared under our own label by our chef Peter Prieler, who was already sous-chef at the Taubenkobel.

Neo-Gastronom Konrad Robitza

Because a coherent overall concept is important to Robitza, he also attaches great importance to authenticity when furnishing the new gourmet meeting place: "The bar will be lined with wallpapered tiles in a Koo blue print look. The floor and walls will be in warm, earthy tones that can be found around Lake Neusiedl. There will also be elements made from reeds or Leithaberg limestone. For example, I have commissioned artist Evi Lehner from Schützen am Gebirge to create lampshades from clay. All these details are intended to create a feeling of home, security and relaxation for guests."

Pleasure evenings for young guests
To make his bar a place for all generations to meet and communicate, Robitza had a "Lümmelboard" and a U-shaped counter specially made so that visitors who are out and about on their own can spontaneously strike up a conversation with others. During the warmer months, there will also be tables and benches in the garden where people can sit and relax.

"We will also offer wine tastings once a month for young people between the ages of 18 and 25 under the motto 'Sip and grow'. I'm not interested in pouring them lots of wine and partying, but rather in making it tasty for them to go out in a cultivated way and enjoy it consciously." A "Music Wednesday" is also planned once a month. The opening times will soon be published on the website www.dasrobitza.at .