Mättle

Wirtshaus Mättle restaurant in Lörrach 

The city of Lörrach is located in the southwestern corner of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg close to the French and Swiss borders. It is here that Michelin-starred chef Nicolai Wiedmer and his family run a traditional inn that dates back to the 19th century. The inn is known as Wirtshaus Mättle (comprising a main dining room, the THEODOR cellar bar and a beer garden) and it offers traditional cuisine fused with international, modern influences. The Wiedmer family are passionate about looking after their guests. The restaurant serves family dinners, expansive breakfast buffets and home-baked cake by Grandma Heidi. The inn can also host private functions.

The owners enlisted the help of renowned designer Sebastian Herkner to put his stamp on the premises. The Thonet 118 chair, designed by Herkner himself, features heavily. In total there are 62 of these chairs with a moulded seat, most of which are stained in a special colour to match the two shades of taupe used on the walls and the cladding on the bar. As a visual contrast, there are also 18 black 118 chairs with a canework seat to coordinate with the vintage-look wooden tables. The end result is modern yet cosy. “The design choices at Wirtshaus Mättle create a direct link to the past. The 118 chair is the perfect addition, and a design for which I consciously drew on Thonet’s traditions stretching back more than 200 years. The 118 is a classic wooden chair that affords a subtle elegance to any dining table in any restaurant. It never looks out of place but blends organically into the overall look and feel,” explains Sebastian Herkner.