H-Albzeit – recharging body, mind and battery

With the drive & dine app, travelers can find gastronomic offerings that are close to the highway and make them forget the dreariness of car parks and rest stops in some places. The app also takes into account the special needs of e-drivers, including charging options at these oases of taste or in their immediate vicinity.

Culinary along the highway

The gentle grumbling can no longer be ignored; the stomach demands at least a small bite. The charge level indicator in the Stromer also signals that a short stopover at the Charger might not be a bad idea. It was perfect that the drive & dine app had already revealed a gastronomic destination located directly at the Merklingen exit of the A8 autobahn that could satisfy both needs. In the end, the snack turned into a full-blown, delicious meal, the vehicle was fully charged thanks to the fast charger, and one or two regional specialties ended up in the shopping basket. Once again, the app had a great recommendation at the ready, without which we would possibly have headed for the obligatory farthest corner of a rest stop or a car showroom to load up. But that’s how we ended up at a true oasis called H-Albzeit.

Original Swabian place of pleasure

If you leave the A8 between Ulm and Stattgart at the Merklingen exit, your gaze will inevitably fall on an architectural highlight. On closer inspection, the modern building, which quotes a traditional barn, turns out to be an attractive location for resting and relaxing. Over a drink or a meal with regional ingredients. And if you want, you can stock up on travel provisions or all kinds of delicacies for home. “H-Albzeit” – the name of this inspiring mixture of market hall and restaurant could not be better chosen, as it expresses the connection with the culinary region of the Swabian Alb and at the same time invites you to take a “half-time break” on your travel trip.

charge

Not a minute’s walk away, just opposite the H-Albzeit, is an Aral pulse HyperCharger with a charging power of max. 300 KW. This fast-charging option is ideal for e-drivers who have less time with them or who want to get as many range kilometers as possible during their short stay in the oasis of pleasure.

Plans are already underway for the company’s own charging stations in the H-Albzeit parking lot, so it will soon also be possible to “fill up” with electricity right outside the door, not as quickly, but probably at a cheaper rate.

dine

For the culinary offer, Swabian specialties have been relaunched and partly interpreted in a modern way. Thus, in addition to the classic dishes such as lentils and spaetzle, Maultaschen and Zwiebelrostbraten, there is also a “Vegan Swabian” with lentil patties or “Kartoffeltaschen” with chili lentil dip.

The regional specialties of the Swabian cuisine are prepared on site

Everything is prepared on site, from fresh high-quality ingredients. Local suppliers such as Keltenhof (salad), Alb Leisa, meat and sausage from the butcher Failenschmid stand for quality of raw materials and contribute to the taste experience of the dishes.

Destination

The initiative for the project came from the country bakery “BeckaBeck”, which is also the operator of the “H-Albzeit”. The idea behind it: the treasures of the Swabian Alb were to be brought “nüber” to the A8 in order to create a place of deceleration and enjoyment for guests at this high-frequency location. At the gateway to the biosphere area, a symbol of tradition with a modern character was created. In the exchange with the partner, the “Konzeptwerkstatt Merge”, it was quickly clear that the entire design should be based on a Swabian barn. With the best craftsmen from the region, this project was finally brought to success.

Domestic woods create a homey atmosphere despite the size of the H-Albzeit

Swabian accents were also set inside and areas defined that illustrate life in the past and today. Among other things, there is the “Gute Stube” with a cozy fireplace and the “Waschküche”, where old washing drums hang from the ceiling. Guests should feel comfortable while staying and enjoying the Swabian specialties and take the feeling of the Swabian Alb with them.

Our H-Albzeit is the gateway to the Swabian Alb, where gourmets and friends of good taste meet
Heiner Beck, initiator and operator

A second focus of the concept, in addition to the good food, is a “marketplace” in the entrance area where local products are offered. These are private labels from long-standing partners, all of them family businesses that live and love the theme of enjoyment just as BeckaBeck does.

In the market hall, traveling guests will find many a delicacy to take home with them

They all stand for high-quality products and share the same values and ideas. The Becks’ would like to make special mention of their partner Ludwig Failenschmid and his family, whose butcher’s counter enriches the “H-Albzeit” in a very special way with its high-quality products.