Wenkers Brauhaus

Wenkers at the Market - house of the Dortmund Crowns

Tradition in modern Form...

Preserving tradition while still staying in tune with the times - Wenkers Brauhaus at the Old Market shows how to playfully reconcile seemingly opposing concepts. Already at the entrance, one is reminded of the history of the house, and one can justifiably be proud of it: After all, you are exactly at the place where the popular Dortmund Export was once invented. The old Crown at the market, the parent house of Dortmund's Kronen, was completely destroyed in the war but was later rebuilt at the same location, thereby continuing its function from the Middle Ages to the present. It owes its current name to Heinrich Wenker, who took over the establishment in 1729. Historical photos, images, and certificates create a nice contrast to the otherwise fairly urban-modern ambiance with three large screens that attract many football enthusiasts on weekends and during Champions League match days. Transparent, bag-shaped lamps dangle from the high ceiling, while bordeaux and ochre walls, as well as dark wooden tables, give the brewpub a simple chic that makes people of all ages feel comfortable. The house beer Wenkers Urtrüb with 13% original gravity and about 5% alcohol, as well as the digestible Schwarzbier variant, are brewed according to the original recipe of Heinrich Wenker. If you are out with a larger group, the Urtrüb can also be tapped at the table from a 10-liter barrel. The kitchen offers an appealing selection ranging from typical brewpub snacks like Dortmund salt cakes with minced meat and many other variations, to Westphalian specialties, and even steak or pike-perch, complemented sensibly by changing seasonal dishes such as mussels, asparagus, or chanterelles.