Good to know about the kitchen and your visit
Why a pizza only needs 60 to 90 seconds in a wood-fired oven, how to spot handmade pasta, and how to plan your lunch break in the old town – all gathered on one page.
Many of the questions we're asked at the table revolve around the same three things: the wood-fired oven, the homemade pasta, and the way to find us in the Marlesgrube. Here we answer them at leisure – so that, even before your visit, you know what's coming to the plate and how best to plan your evening or lunch break.
Topics in this guide
Three topics come up most often with our guests, along with the questions asked over the phone. Each one has its own page with us.
Understanding the wood-fired oven
Why the dough cooks through so quickly in the wood-fired oven, where the dark spots on the edge come from, and why no two pizzas ever look the same.
Learn moreHandmade pasta
How to spot fresh pasta on the plate, why it absorbs sauce differently, and which shape suits which sugo.
Learn moreLunch break in the old town
How to plan your visit between 12:00 and 14:30, Tuesday to Friday, so that a one-hour break is really enough.
Learn moreFrequently asked questions
Reservations, high chairs, larger tables, allergies and payment: all the answers gathered on one page.
Learn moreSpotting pasta on the plate
Our pasta is made in-house, not from a packet. You can tell by the matte, slightly rough surface – and by how much sugo clings to the strands.
Freshly rolled or dried
Fresh pasta from our kitchen
- A soft bite, the dough stays elastic rather than glassy
- Rough surface: sugo and butter cling to the dough
- Short cooking time, so it goes straight from the pot to the table
- Made fresh daily in limited quantities
Dried pasta from the packet
- Long shelf life and always available in the same quantity
- A firmer, chewier bite – which suits some dishes perfectly well
- Smoother surface, so the sauce slides off more easily
- Longer cooking time, the dough absorbs less sugo
Heat doesn't replace time
The dough rests for a long time, the oven works for a short time: only this order produces the airy edge with its dark bubbles. That's why the oven sits at the heart of our kitchen – not at the end of the process.
Discover our kitchenFrom dough to wood-fired pizza
A pizza leaves the oven after 60 to 90 seconds – but the journey there begins long before that. Every ball of dough goes through these four stages in our kitchen.
- 1
Making the dough
Flour, water, salt and a little yeast. The less yeast in the dough, the more time it needs – and the better its flavour becomes.
- 2
Resting
The dough rests in a cool place and is then portioned into balls. This is when the structure forms that will later support the airy edge.
- 3
Stretching by hand
It's stretched out with the fingertips from the centre outward, never with a rolling pin. This way, the air stays trapped in the edge.
- 4
Into the oven
At high heat on the stone floor, the base and topping cook at the same time. The dark spots on the edge are part of it – not a mistake, but the result of the flame.
Planning your visit well
Between 12:00 and 14:30 we're set up for short breaks, and in the evening for long tables. Knowing which time slot you fall into makes for a more relaxed visit.
Our opening hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday–Sunday
- 12:00–14:30, 17:30–22:30
Lunch service runs Tuesday to Friday between 12:00 and 14:30. We're closed on Mondays. For larger groups, please get in touch in advance.
Short lunch break, full plate
Those coming from the offices and law firms of the old town usually have just under an hour. With these tips, a full lunch in the Marlesgrube is still possible.
- Come early in the window: between 12:00 and 12:30pm the tables are quietest, later the restaurant fills up.
- Call ahead: a table for two can also be reserved spontaneously by phone on +49 30 23125106.
- Let us know how much time you have when you sit down – then we'll plan the dishes from the kitchen in the right order.
- Pizza from the wood oven is quicker than pasta: if you're in a hurry, pizza is the safer choice.
- Please let us know in advance about groups from the office, so we can set up one long table instead of several small ones.
- Monday is our day off – the lunch menu runs from Tuesday to Friday.
More on our website
What the guide only touches on is covered in full detail elsewhere: in the menu, at the lunch table and in the kitchen.
- Menu Antipasti, pasta, wood-fired pizza and dolci at a glance.
- Lunch menu The offer from Tuesday to Friday, 12:00 to 14:30.
- The kitchen How we work – from the wood-fired oven to the pasta board.
- The restaurant Rooms and seating at Marlesgrube 14.
- Celebrations and groups Long tables for family celebrations and groups.
- Reservation Request a table – for lunch or dinner.
Questions we're often asked
In the mood for genuine Italian flavour?
Reserve your table and experience our kitchen live.