Since Jan Weller opened Weller’s Bistro in Layton in August of 2019, my wife and I have dined there more than any other single eatery. Being of German and Austrian descent, I love my schnitzel, sauerbraten, spätzle and such. But my wife and I also both love the warm hospitality and friendly smiles that Weller’s offers; it’s a place where the owners and staff know many regular customers by name. 

This summer Jan and his partner Jessica Wolford opened a second Weller’s Bistro location, this one at The Monarch in Ogden in the space that was previously home to WB’s Eatery. This was great news for Weller’s Bistro fans since the Layton location – which is on the small side and seats 45- frequently has a waitlist for tables during busy hours. The new Ogden restaurant has a larger capacity of 70, so you shouldn’t typically have to wait to be seated. You’ll usually find Jessica in Ogden as manager/owner, while Jan spends most of his time at the Layton location and at various sites in his Weller’s Döner Wagon food truck. 

There is plenty of room to roam at the Ogden Weller’s Bistro, which includes a gorgeous downstairs dining room, an upstairs bar with more seating, and a private party/event space. While much of the menu is identical to Layton’s, the Ogden Weller’s does not serve pizza like the Layton location does (thanks to previous occupant Gabor Brothers’ pizza oven), but offers some dishes that aren’t available in Layton, such as the Chicken Döner Kebab ($15) and a Shrimp Scampi ($22) entree. 

Käsespätzle

Each week, both Weller’s locations offer differing lunch, dinner specials, as well as brunch specials on Sundays at the Layton restaurant. One of my favorite dinner specials to watch for is Käsespätzle ($23), which is Weller’s’ homemade spätzle with Black Forest ham, imported Butterkäse, Tilsiter & Gruyere cheeses and topped with crispy fried onions and scallions, served with a side salad. It’s a hearty, delicious dish and I guarantee you’ll have leftovers to bring home given the large portion sizes at Weller’s Bistro.

Pretzel & Dips 

Our favorite shareable starter at Weller’s Bistro is the homemade, jumbo-sized Pretzel ($11.50) served with beer cheese, sweet pickles, and whole grain mustard. It’s a terrific way to begin a meal. Other tempting appetizers include crispy Fried Dill Pickle Spears ($10) with homemade remoulade; the very popular Artichoke Dip ($14) – artichoke hearts with a three-cheese blend, green onions, and toasted baguette; and at the Ogden location: Mushroom Toast ($13) with sauteed Portobello, Shiitake, King Oyster, and Shimeji mushroom medley in a Marsala cream sauce with garlic-butter toast. 

Winter Salad

There are always a couple of soups available at Weller’s – a soup of the day as well as German Onion Soup called Tagessuppe ($6), topped with a crostini and Gruyere cheese. For salads, there is a great Cobb Salad ($13.50) and a Summer Salad in warm weather and Winter Salad when the temps cool down. Like every dish at Weller’s, the salads are very generously portioned. 

My favorite spot to dine at the Ogden Weller’s Bistro is in the upstairs bar, which offers both tables and counter seating. It’s a beautiful addition to the completely renovated space. 

I also recommend enjoying a craft cocktail from the bar at Weller’s. Maybe something like the German Mule ($11.50), Desert Bloom ($11), Bergamot Blossom ($11), or a classic such as an Old Fashioned, Sazerac, Moscow Mule, Mojito or Manhattan. I especially like the uniquely delicious Maracuja Martini ($10.50) made with Alpine Vodka, Alpine Preserve Liqueur, Passion Fruit Puree, Lime and a splash of Cream. 

Pierogi & Sausage Platter

I mentioned that Weller’s runs weekly lunch and dinner specials at both locations. Recently, I enjoyed a terrific dinner special – one that I hope might find its way onto the permanent Weller’s menu. It was a hearty Pierogi and Sausage Platter ($23) featuring Kielbasa and Frankfurter Sausages along with Sauerkraut and three house-made Pierogies. When I asked Jan about those perfect pierogies he told me that he stuffs them with potatoes and a blend of Cheddar and German Tilsiter cheeses. Alongside for dipping was a terrine of Sweet Bavarian Mustard made with apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, juniper berries, whole peppercorns and cloves. He simmers all of that down, strains it and adds Düsseldorf and whole grain mustard to it. It’s a spectacular sausage sensation. Thankfully, most lunch and dinner specials at Weller’s return from time to time and I’ll keep an eye out on social media for the return of this one. 

Das Schnitzel

I’m pretty sure that a dish called Das Schnitzel ($24.50) is the most popular entree at both Weller’s Bistro locations. It is boneless loin of pork pounded thin and coated with breadcrumbs, fried and served with a choice of Lemon Caper Beurre Blanc or Creamy Mushroom Sauce, served with Rotkohl (braised red cabbage) & Bratkartoffeln (roasted potatoes with onions and speck). I love the homemade Spätzle at Weller’s so much that I usually substitute it for the Bratkartoffeln when I order Das Schnitzel. 

Chili Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Although Jan Weller hails from Germany and his bistros both feature German fare, there is plenty on the menu that isn’t specifically German. My wife, for example, loves the fish entree Chili Glazed Mahi-Mahi ($22). It’s a perfectly cooked Mahi-Mahi fillet topped with a scrumptious chili glaze and served with a vegetable of the day – often green beans – and rice with dill. There is also Shrimp Scampi ($22) on the Ogden menu, a tasty plate of sauteed garlic shrimp in a tangy lemon Chardonnay sauce, served on a bed of linguine and topped with Parmesan cheese, served with a side salad and choice of dressing. 

Reuben Sandwich 

Weller’s has a nice selection of sandwiches and brats too, including a Burger ($15), the aforementioned Chicken Döner Kebab ($15), Bratwurst Plate ($23), Currywurst & Pommes ($15), German Dip Sandwich ($16), and my favorite: Reuben Sandwich ($15.50). It’s one of the best Reuben’s in the Beehive: hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, jalapeño sauerkraut, and Russian dressing on marbled rye with a choice of side dish.

Apfelstrudel

As mentioned, portions are large at Weller’s Bistro but you really should try to make room for dessert because the Apfelstrudel aka Apple Strudel ($8.50) is delightful. It’s a house-made apple strudel with vanilla custard sauce, berry coulis, whipped cream and golden raisins. There is also Bienenstich ($9.50) for dessert: a layered yeast cake with vanilla custard filling topped with candied almonds. 

I am very happy for Jan and Jessica that years of hard work and friendly hospitality in Layton has led to the opening of Weller’s Bistro in Ogden. It’s a well-deserved success story and besides, who wouldn’t want more Weller’s to love? 

Photos by Ted Scheffler & Courtesy Weller’s Bistro

Culinary quote of the week: “A wurst a day keeps the sadness away.” – German Saying