A house full of history & stories
Our story: from bakehouse to the Franconian original
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Friday 17:00 - 00:00
Saturday12:00 - 00:00
Sunday & public holidays12:00 - 23:00
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Our story
On historic ground
Anyone who takes a seat with us at the Backöfele today, enjoys a wonderfully fragrant Schäufele or opens a good bottle of Silvaner is sitting on historic ground. Our quaint house at Ursulinergasse 2 has seen quite a lot over the decades, and every era has left its very own loving traces.
Join us on a little journey through time through our house: from the bakery via the joinery and the legendary student pub to the Backöfele as you know it today.
Our house in fast forward
- Late 19th century: The Fechenbach family runs a long-established bakery at Ursulinergasse 2.
- Afterwards: For a long time the house is home to a traditional coffin joinery.
- 1970: The legendary “Café Bundschuh” moves in, one of the very first student pubs in Würzburg.
- Friday, 13 May 1977: Gerd Ehehalt opens the Backöfele.
- Today: Almost five decades of Franconian hospitality in the heart of Würzburg's old town.
Late 19th century
From the baker's trade to the poet
The connection to baking is practically in the Backöfele's genes. In the late 19th century, the Fechenbach family ran a long-established bakery at Ursulinergasse 2. This is exactly where the famous Jewish poet and resistance fighter Felix Fechenbach grew up.
The Stolpersteine (memorial stones) in front of our entrance gate keep the memory of him and his family alive to this day.
Over many decades
From wood to cosiness
After the bakery era, things got down to earth: for a long time the house was home to a traditional coffin joinery. It may sound a little macabre at first, but today it makes for a wonderfully relaxed calm in the house!
If you sit in our cosy courtyard and let your gaze wander, you can still spot the old, historic logo of the joinery on the wall. Take a close look on your next visit.
1970
The wild years at the “Bundschuh”
In 1970, social life finally moved in with the legendary “Café Bundschuh”, one of the very first student pubs in Würzburg. This is where people chatted wildly, laughed loudly and surely drank the odd beer too many.
The beautiful dark wood panelling from that era still creates a wonderfully cosy atmosphere today.
Friday, 13 May 1977
The oven that gave us our name
Gerd Ehehalt laid the foundation for the Backöfele as you know it today on Friday, 13 May 1977. With endless passion he brought our historic house back to life and gave it a soul you can truly feel.
Closely tied to this era is our proud namesake: the historic “Backöfele”, a little baking oven. And even though this beautiful old tiled stove no longer heats the room, it still watches over our dining room as its warm heart.
For almost five decades
Half a century of Backöfele
For almost five decades the Backöfele has been bringing life to Würzburg's old town. Can you feel the history of our house? These deep roots greet you in every corner, and you are even sitting right in the middle of them!
Many of the rustic table legs, the comfortable chairs and the odd decorative piece have faithfully travelled to Würzburg over generations from the Ehehalt family's own history in hospitality.
Grown with time
Our staghorn sumac in the courtyard
A special symbol of this long journey stands in the middle of our courtyard: our staghorn sumac tree. It was a beautiful gift for our opening. Planted back then, it has been growing faithfully at our side day after day ever since.
Over the years it has witnessed countless happy hours and convivial gatherings. And just like the tree, we too have grown with time while staying true to our roots.
Franconian for “a little like the old days, a little like always, a little like home”. This has been the Backöfele's promise from the very beginning. You feel it in the dining room, in the courtyard and on your plate.
Hidden pictures & wine
Hand-painted originals by Klavinius
And because good stories should never be enjoyed on an empty glass: browse our wine list, discover our favourite Franconian wines and find your perfect companion for a few cosy hours with us.
But don't forget to take a look at the cover of the wine list and our menus. They are beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces, hand-painted by the artist Klavinius especially for our Backöfele. Discover, search, find, laugh.
A closer look
Our house in detail
Some things only catch your eye at second glance: the baking oven sign on our façade, the plaque in the leafy courtyard, the old tiled stove in the dining room and the memorial plaque for Felix Fechenbach. A few views before you come and see for yourself.
History is best experienced over a glass of wine and a Schäufele. We look forward to your visit at Ursulinergasse 2.
Your Backöfele team
