Small Business Spotlight: Oppenheimer Gasthaus Brings a Taste of Germany to Downtown Alamogordo

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. — Downtown Alamogordo has a new favorite place to slow down. Oppenheimer Gasthaus, at 902 New York Avenue on the corner of 9th Street, serves scratch-made German food, imported German beer on draft, and old-world hospitality in the heart of the historic New York Avenue Business and Cultural Arts District.

The restaurant celebrated its grand opening this spring, and the community showed up in force. And a few weeks back it celebrated its first Octoberfest with a message to customers, the Gasthaus team thans locals for turning out and showing them "lots of love.”

A Guest House in the Heart of Downtown

In German, a Gasthaus (pronounced "gahst-house") is a guest house: a cozy, often family-run inn or tavern where neighbors gather for hearty food, regional beer, and good company. Think part restaurant, part pub.

That is exactly the feel at Oppenheimer Gasthaus. Seating is limited by fire-marshal capacity, and the restaurant embraces European-style communal seating at long wooden tables. You may end up sharing a table with people you have never met, which the staff considers part of the charm.

The Gasthaus is also refreshingly unhurried. There is no table-turnover clock; once you are seated, the table is yours for as long as you like. Every dish is prepared from scratch, never pre-made or microwaved, so the restaurant is upfront that it is not the place for a quick bite. It is the place for a long, relaxed meal.

What's on the Menu

The menu is built around classic German comfort food, and prices are friendly: most sandwiches and sausage plates come in under $14, and schnitzel dinners start at $16.95. Highlights include:

Schnitzel, four ways — pork loin breaded and pan fried. Order it plain ($16.95), as Jagerschnitzel smothered in mushroom gravy ($17.95), Hungarian-style with a zesty sauce ($17.95), or as a Cordon Bleu stuffed with ham and Swiss ($24.95).

Rouladen ($22.95) — thinly sliced beef rolled around bacon, onions, mustard, and pickles.

Sauerbraten ($23.95) — beef marinated for three days in a sweet-and-sour sauce. It is served only on Sundays, so plan ahead. (Our favorite)

Kohlrouladen ($12.50) — two cabbage rolls with pork filling. The staff jokingly calls it "a German burrito."

Goulash over Spätzle ($12.75) — cubed beef chuck simmered in dark beer and spices over soft egg noodles.

Sausages — Currywurst in homemade curry sauce ($9.95), Weisswurst with a pretzel and house mustard ($13.50), a beer brat with sauerkraut on a roll ($8.95), and paprika-spiced Kilometer Sausage ($9.95).

Leberkase — the Bavarian meatloaf served warm on a Kaiser roll ($7.95), or as a Strammer Max on bread with ham and a sunny-side-up egg ($9.75).

Pork soup in a bread bowl ($11).

Starters include the customer-favorite Gurkensalat cucumber salad ($4.50), cheese spätzle ($6.95), and a large Bavarian pretzel ($12). Most entrées come with a choice of sides such as spätzle, sauerkraut, blue cabbage, German potato salad, lingonberries, Obatzda cheese spread, or pommes frites.

Desserts rotate, so ask your server what is available. Past offerings have included Kaesesahne, a light German cheese-cream cake. The restaurant has also shared the tradition of the Lebkuchenherz, the decorated gingerbread hearts sold at German festivals and given as tokens of affection.

A Serious Beer and Wine List

The drink menu is one of the most extensive German selections in southern New Mexico. Weihenstephaner Hefe-Weissbier and Original Lager are on draft in half-liter ($7.50) and full-liter ($15) pours. Bottles include Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen, Bitburger Pils, Warsteiner, Gaffel Kölsch, and Korbinian Doppelbock.

Wine lovers will find German Rieslings by the glass and bottle, including bottles from the celebrated Mosel producer J.J. Prüm, alongside Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Scheurebe, and Dornfelder.

Non-drinkers are covered too, with Bitburger Drive non-alcoholic beer and Spezi, the popular German cola-and-orange soda. Cocktails range from an Aperol Spritz and Hugo Spritz to a house creation called the Alamogordo Sunset.

After a big meal, staff recommend an old German remedy: a $3.50 shot of Underberg, a traditional herbal digestif that comes in a tiny paper-wrapped bottle.

The Story of the Beer Boot

The Gasthaus also enjoys sharing German drinking lore, including the history of the beer boot, or Bierstiefel.

Boot-shaped glass vessels date back in Europe to at least the 1600s, when glassblowers and guilds made them as decorative or ceremonial pieces. The most popular legend comes from World War I: a general promised his troops he would drink beer from his own leather boot if they won a battle. When they did, he kept his word. Glassmakers then began crafting glass boots so the victory toast could be repeated without ruining footwear.

No historical record ties the story to a specific general, battle, or date, so it is best enjoyed as folklore. Over the 20th century, the boot became a fixture of German and Austrian military and fraternity drinking culture. It doubles as a prank: tip it the wrong way and an air pocket in the toe releases a splash of beer onto the drinker's face. Hollywood comedies such as 2006's Beerfest later made the boot famous in America, and today it is a staple of Oktoberfest celebrations and beer halls worldwide.

Let the Light Do the Talking

First-time guests may notice a small light on their table. It is part of a traditional table-service system. Turn it on when you need your server, whether you want another drink, are ready to order, or are eyeing dessert, and the staff will come right over.

The system means no waving down servers and no interruptions asking whether everything is all right just as you take a bite. Guests set the pace of their own meal, which fits the Gasthaus philosophy. As the restaurant puts it: sit back, enjoy your schnitzel, and let the light do the talking.

Five German Words to Know Before You Go

1. Kohlrouladen (KOHL-roo-lah-den) — stuffed cabbage leaves
2. Spätzle (SHPETS-luh) — little egg noodles
3. Schnitzel (SHNIT-sul) — breaded, fried cutlet
4. Sauerkraut (ZOW-er-krowt) — fermented cabbage
5. Prost! (prohst) — "Cheers!"

Part of a Growing Downtown Dining Scene

Oppenheimer Gasthaus joins one of the most diverse dining lineups in the city. The Downtown MainStreet district covers the businesses and storefronts on New York Avenue and White Sands Boulevard from the 800 Block to the 1200 Block, and visitors can eat their way around the world without leaving it:

• Fine dining at Memories
• Burritos at Leticia's
• Breakfast at Our Country Kitchen
• Asian cuisine and sushi at Asian Garden
• Authentic Mexican at La Hacienda
• Sweets and lunch sandwiches at Infinity Sweet
• Formal cakes, pastries, and more at Moni Cakes
• Coffee and more at Inkwell

Independent shops and of course the Flickinger Theater, the Museum, the Zoo and Otero Arts are all within  walking distance and line the way, giving visitors plenty of reasons to linger before or after a meal.

If You Go

• What: Oppenheimer Gasthaus, authentic German cuisine and beer
• Where: 902 New York Avenue, Alamogordo, NM 88310 (corner of 9th and New York)
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 3–9 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Last seating at 8:30 p.m.
• Phone: (575) 348-2853
• Email: oppenheimergasthaus@gmail.com
• Online: oppenheimergasthaus.com, plus Facebook and Instagram
• Good to know: Seating is communal and limited, and every dish is made to order, so plan for a relaxed visit. The restaurant also helps plan birthdays, family gatherings, and other events with customized menus. A 20% gratuity is added for parties of six or more, and gift cards are available in any amount.

Whether you are a schnitzel devotee or just curious about Kohlrouladen, Oppenheimer Gasthaus is worth a long, leisurely stop on your next trip downtown. As they say at the Gasthaus: Prost!

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