A couple of weeks ago a few of us went to visit our friend, Anna, in Luxembourg for her birthday, and, as per, I had to make sure that I found somewhere good to go for a cake whilst I was there. I did some research beforehand (yes, I was that determined), and came across great reviews for Oberweis. So Oberweis it was.
On the Saturday, I went for a little nosey around the city, and after not so long, I found Oberweis (Luxembourg isn’t a large place, so I suppose it wasn’t too difficult). As is always the case with Europeans with good taste, it was packed full of locals stocking up on cakes and macaroons for the weekend, as well as tourists exploring this magical Hansel and Gretel-esque emporium.
As soon as you enter Oberweis, the interior stuns you. The incredibly high ceilings and room-length white counters make this large room very eye-catching, sleek and modern – almost like a cake-carrying space ship. The pâtisserie and chocolates have your full attention, and a gasp cannot help but escape from your mouth, as the tasty treats trail away into the distance, for as far as the eye can see. Large cakes to (reluctantly) share, small cakes to selfishly scoff, macaroons forming neat rows like soldiers. There is everything you could possibly want here.
As well as sweet goods, they also do plenty of savoury – baguettes, tarts, portions of pâté and the like. In fact, if you were lost in this small city (though perhaps impossible, really), and starving, then you could come here and certainly be revived by a veritable feast. I did a quick scan, and made a shortlist of a few favourites to ponder over for later, and then went for a wander around the picturesque city.
Chocolate is undoubtedly a strong focus here, and one of their most famous cakes is a simple chocolate tart, decorated with broken pieces of dark chocolate, with the name Oberweis proudly emblazoned upon it. In fact, the second floor is entirely devoted to chocolate, and here you are faced with row upon row of beautiful individual chocolates.
Christmas had already arrived at Oberweis, and people were like moths to a flame, all choosing presents for their loved ones. I did the same. There is definitely a Deutsche flavour here, drawing on that fusion of Romanic and Germanic customs that Luxembourg has. Decorations on the chocolates are traditional Saint Nicholas, and stollen are abundent, whilst the cakes on offer in the rest of the shop are undoubtedly exquisite French pâtisserie. They also sell boxes of chocolate selections named after famous French authors, such as Balzac and Stendhal.
Here at Oberweis you choose your cake in the shop before you go and sit upstairs in the tea room. Once you have made your decision, you are given a card with a barcode on to take with you, and once you have chosen your seat, they scan it, and, like magic, your cake appears. I’m not entirely convinced how I feel about this ultra-modern mode of service, but I suppose it goes with the feel of the place that is Luxembourg’s version of futuristic. My friend Luke and I made our choices and fought our way upstairs, where we had a slight battle trying to secure an optimum seat, but eventually managed to find a table for two near the large window overlooking the main street outside, with a fantastic vista over the old moss-covered and new sleek rooftops of Luxembourg.
Within a few minutes arrived the masterpiece that I had selected – a Charlotte Poire-Chocolat. White flecked with speckles of abundant Madagascan vanilla – a sure sign of the ensuing luxurious flavour. The creation was topped with delicately cooked pieces of pear, and decorated with two dark chocolate curls, a taste of what was to come in the middle. Encased in the vanilla sponge was a milk chocolate cake base, topped with a milk chocolate mousse, and then finished with a vanilla mousse, tying the whole thing in together.
Luke had an apple pie-flavoured macaroon, which went down a treat, though I think it was decided that he would have rather had more than one, as tragically it disappeared too quickly.
I’m glad I did my research beforehand, as I would not have wanted to miss out on visiting this phantasmagoria of cake. Given that it is set back slightly from the street, and all that confronts you is red tiles, you could very easily miss this, especially as there are no windows obviously displaying their wares. It’s a mystery for anyone who doesn’t know its secret, but it’s a jolly good one.
16, Grand-Rue
Luxembourg.
(+352) 47 07 03
Monday-Friday 7:30am-6:30pm
Saturday 8am-7pm
Cherry on the Cake 
Wowee – I LOVE it!! Is that Paul Maynard wandering around the shop btw? xxxxx Christianne Cherry Photography t: +44 (0)1204 308170 e: info@christiannecherry.co.uk w: http://www.christiannecherry.co.uk