Made by Lindners

When renovating and renovating a half-timbered house, the first thing you probably think of is installing a large window. For Jana and Daniel Lindner, however, the installation of a panoramic window was an essential part of the renovation work after they took over the Grenzschänke.

The large window is located inside the house and allows a view of the new and spacious kitchen, the heart of the Grenzschänke. Daniel and Jana Lindner would definitely like to take a look inside. “We want to show by setting up the Grenzschänke that the combination of tradition and zeitgeist works very well.” Preserving the old and creating the new is Jana and Daniel’s motto. This is how the Grenzschänke became “Lindners Grenzschänke”.

Jana and Daniel Lindner have been at home in Friedersdorf since July 2020 and are the owners of the Grenzschänke. Giving her own personal signature to her own restaurant has been her big dream for a long time. Both of them learned restaurant business from the ground up with a lot of passion. Daniel's area is the kitchen and Jana takes great care of the guests' well-being in service.

They became aware of the Grenzschänke in the winter of 2020. The former operators had been looking for a successor for the cozy restaurant in Friedersdorf via social media. “For me it was love at first sight when we looked at the rustic half-timbered house for the first time in February 2020. This is how I imagine my restaurant,” thought Jana Lindner at the time. “After a few nights of sleeping on it, the decision was made: We were going from Dohna near Dresden to Friedersdorf in Upper Lusatia.” In terms of private life, the new start meant moving from the Dresden city apartment into the middle of country life.

“The quality of life in the country is simply better. Here I can plant a garden and the Spree, another small, idyllic river, flows right past the house. There are wonderful excursion destinations nearby for leisure time. Family and friends love coming to visit the idyllic village. After time abroad and most recently in the rented Ratskeller in Dohna, it now feels like the much-quoted arrival,” says Jana about the move.

The Lindners quickly became at home in the village. Even during the renovation phase, many Friedersdorf residents stopped by to find out what was going on in the Grenzschänke. For Jana and Daniel, it was always a good opportunity to talk to the neighbors. “Just having a look” often ended with a tour of the construction site. “So we were no longer unknown when we opened,” remembers Jana. Unfortunately, after the renovation and conversion was completed, regular restaurant operations only took place for two and a half weeks. Then the pandemic caused a longer break.

Daniel Lindner doesn't want to commit to a culinary leitmotif. He was able to get to know too many influences around the globe during his career that inspire him today. “Our dishes change regularly, with a new menu every two weeks. This means that our regular guests can always be surprised.” With three main dishes plus a daily special, the selection is such that fresh preparation is always possible. “A good eating culture is characterized above all by quality and enjoyment. And that’s exactly what our name stands for,” says Daniel Lindner.

The external appearance and the coziness in the log room guest room of the half-timbered house, built in 1768, have remained unchanged. Jana exudes great warmth here.

She clearly enjoys the role of hostess. “I think it's wonderful when a family community develops in our rooms and our guests simply feel comfortable with us. It doesn't matter whether we welcome you in the restaurant or just for a beer in the 'Hafen' beer garden on the banks of the Spree in summer. If you prefer to be among yourself, there are two event rooms of different sizes available for festivities,” says Jana Lindner. Culinary enjoyment with warmth – that is the quality promise of Lindners Grenzschänke.

Text: Granitmagazin
Photos: Siegfried Michael Wagner