Autumn has arrived. As temperatures begin to drop, warming soups, hearty stews and seasonal ingredients such as pumpkin, mushrooms and cabbage are making their way back onto our plates. They also take centre stage on the new autumn menu at the CAPITOL, available from Thursday, 17 September 2026.
A look at the new autumn menu reveals many classic ingredients from traditional home-style cooking. Head Chef Norman Pontzen and his team give these favourites their own distinctive touch, occasionally refining them with French influences. There is always an element of surprise and a creative twist.
The “Trailers” on the autumn menu, featuring smoked duck breast with red cabbage or pumpkin crostini with feta and salad, provide a savoury and seasonal start.
In the “Opening Scene”, guests can enjoy a creamy Riesling sauerkraut soup inspired by the cuisine of Alsace. For the wild mushroom consommé with semolina dumplings, Norman Pontzen uses semolina, a traditional and wonderfully flavourful ingredient. “In the old days, semolina was always eaten in autumn.”
A firm favourite on the CAPITOL menus is the Capitol Bowl, this time featuring seasonal salads and pumpkin cream, accompanied by a choice of pike-perch fillet or duck breast.
Sweet potato gnocchi with a creamy pumpkin and cheese sauce, or truffle ravioli with turnip and Parmesan, are two more beautifully balanced vegetarian dishes on the new autumn menu.
For meat lovers, the menu features braised game sourced from Wittgenstein, a juicy grilled rib-eye steak made with Argentinian beef, and braised beef roulade served with red cabbage and mashed potatoes.
This season’s favourite dish is “Hearty Solyanka”, selected by Jonas Blassl (Chef de Rang). Solyanka has its origins in Eastern European cuisine and became a popular cult classic in eastern Germany through the cuisine of the former GDR. Here, too, Norman Pontzen experiments with a combination of fresh ingredients. Our recommendation: definitely give it a try.
The “Closing Credits” continue the seasonal autumn theme with poached pear, cassis mousse, cinnamon parfait, or semolina pudding with orange sauce.