3 hours ago
The storied Faust Hotel in New Braunfels has already given a sneak peek at its revamped rooms; now it is teasing what will be going on behind the kitchen doors. The historic property at 240 S Seguin Ave. has unveiled the culinary lineup guests can expect later in the spring, including a new bar and restaurant.
Photo by Brittany Sudwischer
Wilhelm & Werner will serve European classics like poulet rôti.
According to a release, the boutique hotel has drafted Luce Ristorante e Enoteca veteran Michael Moore and executive chef Adam Gilly to guide the food and drink program. The approach will combine Gilly’s French finesse with seasonal Texas ingredients — and a nod to the property’s almost 100-year-old legacy.
“The Faust Hotel is an iconic part of New Braunfels' history,” explains Moore in the release. “From the time it opened its doors as the Traveler’s Hotel in 1929, this has been a gathering place for the community. Our menus are thoughtfully designed to represent who we are and where we’ve been, and we can’t wait for our spaces to become a hub for the city once more.”
Faust says the flagship restaurant, Wilhelm & Werner, will be a Texas brasserie with European influences. The dinner menu scans the continent for classics like an “apple strudel” of foie gras and pork, saffron tagliatelli with Gulf shrimp, and poulet rôti with a savory bread pudding.
The cocktail menu covers both pre-Prohibition standards like sidecars and Manhattans and originals like the Prickly Pear Blossom (orange blossom gin shaken with fresh lime and aperitivo) and the Cucumber Orchid Martini, a vodka and elderflower-based sipper.
The 130-seat restaurant includes a main dining room, long bar, and patio, with an indoor-outdoor fireplace lending a warm glow. Once open, Wilhelm & Werner will serve lunch and dinner daily, with brunch launching at a later date.
Before dinner, guests can sneak into the basement speakeasy beneath the restaurant space. Walter's is an homage to the hotel's founder, Walter Faust, offering craft cocktails and late-night bites such as popcorn butter-poached lobster, confit duck taquitos, and poutine du jour.
Unlike the eclectic food menu, the drinks lean more biographical. The Move, made with barrel-aged Balcones Bourbon, tells the story of Walter Faust moving his family home across the street on logs. Elevator Operator — a riff on the espresso martini — nods to one of the hotel’s spectral employees. And The Rebirth-2026 completes the circle with a splashy gin libation, complete with Texas wildflower petals and edible gold leaf.
Rounding out the program are the Prince Solms Lobby Bar and a refreshed Magnolia Patio, both open to hotel guests and the public. Both of the renovated concepts will serve easygoing, shareable plates like a Hill Country cheese board, whipped ricotta, and flatbreads.
The new restaurants and bars are part of a complete overhaul of the iconic Hill Country inn. The painstaking renovation preserves the historical details of the property, blending them with contemporary flourishes like statement wallpaper, poppy art, and playfully upholstered furnishings.
