Sanctuary on Green

Koehn Sculptors’ Sanctuary on Green is a Bavarian inspired cafe and unique gift shop featuring creations from the Koehn studio and around the world. Tucked away behind lots of greenery on Green Road (just across from Notre Dame College), if you don’t know it’s there you will drive right past it. Look for the brightly colored wind ornaments and the sign for Koehn Sculptors.

The Bavarian tea studio hours are 11:30 am – 3:30 pm every day. Reservations are strongly recommended, and their lunch seatings are at 11:30 and 1:30.

The attention to detail here is amazing. Glasses of water are served with lemon slices tucked in squeezers shaped like a bird. I was so taken with the idea that I bought several for myself in their gift shop. The teas are served with hour glass timers indicating exactly when you can enjoy your tea after the proper brewing process. Each tea has its own specific brewing time, and it really makes a difference.

In nice weather it features a gorgeous patio overlooking the wetlands and is truly a sanctuary from the hectic surroundings. The owners lived in Germany for many years, and Mr. Koehn (the sculptor) is German.

They have a whole house water filtration system that filters all of the water used for drinking and cooking and even the water used for cleaning and watering the garden. They also practice vegan composting and gardening. They compost all of the kitchen scraps and waste as well as the coffee and tea grounds/leaves and filters, which are then tilled into the garden, which is located near the sculptor studio/overflow parking area.

They have an unbelievable selection of teas (an entire menu is dedicated to the various teas and the descriptions). They feature over 80 teas, (all are available hot and iced, and all micro-brewed). The coffee is from Crooked River Coffee Company and locally roasted in 5 lb batches specifically for Sanctuary on Green.  Each cup, press & pot is freshly ground and individually micro-brewed. Because each cup is micro-brewed, they do not offer free refills.  If you would like more than one cup, they suggest ordering a 3-cup pot. The iced coffee is cold-brewed overnight, which makes it less bitter. You can really taste the difference.

I absolutely swear by the hot chocolate, which is made from fresh whole or skim milk with Dutch cocoa and sugar and served in a Bodum press pot. It is served with a small bowl of marshmallows or fresh whipped cream on the side. Divine on a cold day!

The food is a little pricey, but considering the food is organic, as homegrown as possible, and super healthy you let it slide. They grow their own produce, herbs and garnishes in their garden. They personally select their produce and meats (hormone/antibiotic/nitrate-free) from Whole Foods in University Heights, and Farmer Jones and Old Country Sausage in Maple Heights.

If you are looking for macrobiotic, gluten-free or vegan entrees, this is the place to go! The bread is freshly baked on premises, and you can tell. The cream soups are divine and are made with fresh cream and/or milk. My favorite is the cream of asparagus soup, made with fresh asparagus and cream. One of my friends raves about the pumpkin soup as being the best he’s ever had.

The menu has a decidedly German bent to it. It is so hard to find quark here in the States, so I was thrilled to see Ammergauer Quark Brot on the menu. Quark is a very mild fresh, low-fat farmer’s cheese. The quark is served with fresh organic herbs on buttered wood-fired German bread. The open-faced sandwich is garnished with fresh herbs, vegetables, German pickle and a spicy asparagus spear and served with sides of sweet/sour cucumber and carrot apple salads. Let me just tell you that the salads are unlike anything you will ever taste here in the U.S. The carrot apple salad is my favorite, but both are absolutely delicious and the reason I keep going back. One of my friends has hated cabbage and sauerkraut his entire life, but almost licked his plate clean the first time he tried the Blaukraut (red cabbage). He now orders it every time he goes. If given the choice, you must give it a try.

The entrees tend to change with the season. Although they cater to herbivores, carnivores won’t be disappointed either. The Weisswurst and chicken schnitzel seem to be staples on the menu. I’m not a fan of Weisswurst in general, but the chicken schnitzel is lovely. If you are there in the spring and see something called the Sunshine Plate (or something similar to that) with a stuffed hibiscus blossom and deviled egg you must absolutely order it. I swooned and wished there were several stuffed hibiscus blossoms on my plate. I also wish I had taken a photo, because the presentation was delightful. The last time I was here I ordered the salmon special. It was served with the ubiquitous cucumber and carrot salads as well as some ruby quinoa salad and a bed of lettuce topped with fresh asparagus and avocado. Wow, was it absolutely delicious.

If you are used to food dripping in oil or heavy seasonings you may be disappointed with Sanctuary on Green. My tea group loved the teas, but were decidedly ambivalent about the food. However, if you appreciate fresh ingredients or are gluten-free or a vegetarian or vegan you will be in heaven.

The desserts are also fresh, but they run out of the strudels quickly. I suggest ordering it at the beginning of the meal to be set aside if you have your heart set on strudel. Again, the desserts are very German. This means that they are not very sweet. Many Americans are surprised by this and need to adjust their palates. My all-time favorite German dessert is Rote Grütze. Their version features “forest berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries) tossed in a delicious red wine/agave/acai sauce served with homemade vanilla sauce or vanilla bean ice cream.” Don’t order it expecting something really sweet. But if you like fresh berries you will be quite happy with it. The chocolate covered popcorn (one of the daily specials) was also a huge hit at our table.

Afterwards browse through the gift shop or the gardens, which feature many whimsical sculpted creations from both stone and wood. The tea house closes down for about a month at some point in preparation for Christmas and goes all out with the decorating. The seating inside is just as charming as outside on the patio. Be sure to call beforehand to make sure they are open and can accommodate you at one of their lunch seatings.

Contact info:

Sanctuary on Green
1936 S Green Rd
South Euclid, OH 44121
(216) 691-1936