To anyone visiting Strasbourg, it quickly becomes apparent that the city is not typically French. The architecture, the names of Strasbourg\u2019s restaurants and neighbourhoods, even the grape varieties used to make Alsace wines \u2013 all have a lot of Germanic influence. A quick glance at the history explains why: after centuries as part of the Holy Roman Empire, the city became French, then changed hands between France and Germany several times, finally returning to France at the end of the Second World War.<\/p>\n
Strasbourg\u2019s neighbourhoods are a case in point: the UNESCO-listed Grande \u00cele, ringed by the River Ill, sounds French enough, but its southwest corner is home to Petite France \u2013 a chocolate-box-worthy neighbourhood of timber-framed houses and dainty bridges and canals, whose name makes it sound like it\u2019s not part of France at all. Southeast across the water is the Germanic-sounding neighbourhood of Krutenau, which buzzes with bohemian life (I loved it, even if I was bringing up the average age by about 20 years). North of the city centre is the suburb of Schiltigheim, famous for its brewing history. (More about where to stay below!)<\/p>\n
Alsace food and wine specialities<\/h2>\n
Whether German or French, Strasbourg\u2019s food is unmistakeably Alsace \u2013 which generally means rich, hearty and comforting. As Mr Foodie pointed out, Strasbourg might be a city best visited in winter! Culinary specialities include jambonneau<\/em> (pork knuckle) with choucroute<\/em> (sauerkraut), cheesy sp\u00e4tzle <\/em>(often made with Munster cheese), tarte flamb\u00e9e<\/em> (also known as flammekueche<\/em> \u2013 a sort of Alsatian pizza) and onion quiche, as well as more French preparations of duck (foie gras de canard, magret de canard<\/em>) and giant portions of veal cordon bleu.<\/p>\n With all that rich food, you might expect full-bodied red wines. But Alsace wines are overwhelmingly white: this is Riesling country, with perfumed Muscat and Gewurztraminer as well as reliable Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc offering a counterpoint to all the heavy cuisine. Red wine drinkers will, however, find plenty of Pinot Noir \u2013 both light\/fresh and fuller\/oaked. And don\u2019t miss the Cr\u00e9mant d\u2019Alsace for some excellent traditional-method sparkling wines, too.<\/p>\n With choucroute<\/em>, tarte flamb\u00e9e<\/em> and plenty of Riesling on the menu, you\u2019ll want to arrive in Strasbourg hungry. Below are a few trip essentials to get you started:<\/p>\n There are any number of Strasbourg restaurants for classic Alsace cuisine. I\u2019ve therefore picked a handful of representative examples that I thought were particularly good, plus a couple of wild cards (because you might be craving something lighter after a few days of sp\u00e4tzle<\/em>!).<\/p>\n A winstub<\/em> (tavern) so quaint and traditional you could be in your Alsatian aunt\u2019s living room, Chez Tante Liesel<\/a> is the epitome of classic Alsace food in Petite France. Net curtains and kitsch ornaments abound, while wine is served in porcelain pichets<\/em> poured into tiny, long-stemmed wine glasses. We ordered the jambonneau<\/em> (pork knuckle) smothered in beer sauce and served with crispy roast potatoes, plus the kaesespaetzele <\/em>baked in a creamy Munster-based sauce (with a piquant little salad on the side). I could\u2019ve bathed in that cheese sauce, especially accompanied by several tiny glasses of Alsace Pinot Blanc.<\/p>\n Munster kaesespaetzele at Chez Tante Liesel<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A small Strasbourg chain, Binchstub<\/a> has three branches \u2013 all pretty central, but with varying types of indoor and outdoor space \u2013 known for serving up Alsace\u2019s favourite shareable snack: tarte flamb\u00e9e<\/em> or flammekueche. <\/em>We went to Binchstub Broglie, and tried two of their famous tartes flamb\u00e9es<\/em>: Munster with lardons (we became a bit obsessed with Munster while in Alsace) and fondue with garlic, dried beef and rocket. The tarte bases were parchment thin, crisp and nutty, while the toppings were rich and decadent. And no, the presence of a few green leaves could not make us feel any healthier about the fact that we were essentially eating a fondue pizza!<\/p>\n Fondue tarte flamb\u00e9e at Binchstub Broglie<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If I learned anything about Alsace food in my first few days in Strasbourg, it\u2019s that portions are big and a single dish is extremely filling. Enter Les Chauvins<\/a>, which specialises in tapas-sized portions of Alsatian dishes. What a great solution!<\/p>\n Fleischschn\u00e4cke at Les Chauvins<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Allowing us to work our way through four dishes instead of two, we tried the duo of duck (rillettes<\/em> plus smoked duck sausage with pickles), goat\u2019s cheese quiche, fleischschn\u00e4cke<\/em> and parmentier<\/em>. Let\u2019s come back to those last two as I didn\u2019t know what they were either: fleischschn\u00e4cke <\/em>are sort of like savoury Swiss rolls: a sausage meat filling, rolled in between layers of dough and then sliced into snail-shaped cross-sections. Ours came with a light beef broth and horseradish cream sauce. I\u2019d never eaten anything like it, but I was hooked. Meanwhile, Les Chauvins\u2019 parmentier<\/em> came in tiny white oven dishes, layered up with spiced boudin noir<\/em> (black pudding) on the bottom and butternut squash pur\u00e9e on the top, served with dried slices of apple. Rather like a miniature, Christmassy version of shepherd\u2019s pie \u2013 delish. Wash down with a pichet<\/em> of Pinot Noir for best results.<\/p>\n While I wouldn\u2019t recommend the northern suburb of Schiltigheim as a holiday destination, it does have a brewing history that could be of interest to beer lovers. Fischerstub<\/a> is a historic beerhall next to the former Fischer brewery, serving Fischer beers \u2013 I tried the blonde and amber, both tasty. To soak up all that booze, your best bet is to order their famously large cordon bleu: veal escalope, stuffed with ham and cheese, breaded and fried \u2013 served with or without a creamy mushroom sauce. The venue itself is huge (encompassing three sizeable dining rooms) but it still gets packed out with local beer-and-cordon-bleu devotees.<\/p>\n Fischerstub beerhall in front of the old Fischer brewery<\/p>\n<\/div>\n At lunchtime, you might be looking for something lighter than all the hearty Alsace cuisine I\u2019ve described so far. And while crepes and galettes are technically from Brittany, there are generally good examples to be found across France. Le Moulin du Diable<\/a> is slightly south of Petite France, and is a small, cosy creperie serving up just that. I got the galette compl\u00e8te<\/em>: a savoury pancake made from naturally gluten-free buckwheat flour, filled with ham, Emmental and a fried egg. It hit the spot at lunchtime, paired with cidre poir\u00e9<\/em>: a lightly sparkling, dry pear cider at 3% alcohol. Hair of the dog, anyone?<\/p>\n Galette compl\u00e8te at Le Moulin du Diable<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When I travel, I focus on the local food as much as possible. But after a few days of choucroute<\/em> and flammekueche<\/em>, you may be ready for something different. Asian cuisines are well represented in Strasbourg, and I\u2019d read good things about both Japanese restaurant HiBiKi (alas I couldn\u2019t get a table!) and Dim Sum Sam. The latter is down in Krutenau, a neighbourhood well worth a visit in its own right, especially for the evening buzz. I guess Dim Sum Sam<\/a> is what you\u2019d call Asian fusion, as it runs the gamut between Cantonese har kau<\/em> and siu mai<\/em>, steamed Vietnamese crepes, Chinese bao buns, Thai salads and stir-fried dishes. All were fantastically fresh and flavourful, and went a treat with the natural orange wine (the only part of the meal from Alsace!) that we ordered alongside.<\/p>\n Dim Sum Sam\u2019s decorative interior<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Understandably in a region known for its wines, Strasbourg has plenty of wine bars to choose from. While all of my picks serve at least a handful of local wines, some pour wines from the rest of France as well.<\/p>\n On Grand Rue, Un Cantalou \u00e0 Strasbourg<\/a> served some of the best wines we drank in the city \u2013 it was just a shame about that attitude that came with them. I started with an excellent Cr\u00e9mant d\u2019Alsace Brut Nature: a sparkling wine made in the same method as Champagne, but with no sugar added during the dosage<\/em> stage. I followed it up with an Alsace white blend of five different grapes (a few of the Pinots, plus Muscat and more) that was zesty, aromatic, yet full-bodied. Unfortunately I can\u2019t tell you what it was because the server ran away with the bottle, having no desire to talk to us whatsoever. Alas.<\/p>\n Cr\u00e9mant d\u2019Alsace: the region\u2019s excellent sparkling wine<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Also bang in the centre of town is Royal 26<\/a>, with a less interesting wine list but much more affable service. A glass of wine (try the Ginglinger Riesling) comes with small bowls of olives and crisps, plus pleasant people-watching from the pavement terrace.<\/p>\n I puzzled about why this wine bar on a barge is called Ill<\/em> Vino, and not just Il<\/em> Vino, for days before I discovered that said barge is floating on the River Ill (duh!). That little mystery cleared up, Ill Vino<\/a> is an atmospheric, waterside spot for a sunset tipple, and the food looked good too (although we only stopped by for wine). It would also make an amazing location for a private party.<\/p>\n \u201cOrange is the new white\u201d at Jaja<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Specialising in natural wines, Jaja<\/a> is down in Krutenau \u2013 that hip neighbourhood I mentioned before. Inside, it\u2019s relatively small, but Jaja has a sprawling terrace that runs right into a game of boules<\/em> (incidentally, the boules<\/em> players were the only other people we saw who were over 40!). Although natural wines can be a little hit and miss, I think Alsace tends to do them particularly well. After (another) Cr\u00e9mant d\u2019Alsace, I fell for the \u201cOrange is the new white\u201d by Alsace biodynamic producer Kleinknecht \u2013 a perfumed blend led by Gewurztraminer and Muscat that spends three weeks on the grape skins. A perfect early-autumn aperitif, with or without snacks.<\/p>\n When in Alsace, it\u2019s worth the trip 70 kilometres south to visit the picturesque town of Colmar. Not only is Colmar often called the capital of Alsace wine, its compact old town is like a mini-Strasbourg: all colourful, gingerbread houses and leafy canals (one quarter is even called Petite Venise, and has a lot in common with Petite France in Strasbourg).<\/p>\n Colmar\u2019s restaurant scene is similar to Strasbourg\u2019s, dominated by classic Alsace cuisine. Widely reputed to serve some of the best food in Colmar, Wistub Brenner<\/a> delivers an upscale version, expertly executed and with excellent wines to match. We loved the foie gras de canard<\/em>, which came with an onion compote and sweet balsamic glaze, followed by the choucroute garnie<\/em>: a pile of sauerkraut laden with sausages, speck<\/em> and a thick slice of smoked pork (plus mustard for dipping). Their Comtes d\u2019Eguisheim 2016 oaked Pinot Noir was also a highlight of our Colmar visit.<\/p>\n Choucroute garnie at Wistub Brenner in Colmar<\/p>\n<\/div>\n To anyone visiting Strasbourg, it quickly becomes apparent that the city is not typically French. The architecture, the names of Strasbourg\u2019s restaurants and neighbourhoods, even the grape varieties used to make Alsace wines \u2013 all have a lot of Germanic influence. A quick glance at the history explains why: after centuries as part of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7079493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11765],"tags":[1685,30488,2059,12767,50958,9182],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7079492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-amsterdam","tag-bars","tag-foodies","tag-guide","tag-restaurants","tag-strasbourg","tag-wine"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Strasbourg-restaurant-guide-hero-and-Pinterest.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPlanning your trip to Strasbourg<\/h2>\n
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Restaurants in Strasbourg<\/h2>\n
Chez Tante Liesel<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-restaurant-chez-tante-liesel.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBinchstub (x3 locations)<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-restaurant-binchstub-broglie.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRestaurant Les Chauvins<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-restaurant-les-chauvins.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFischerstub<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-restaurant-fischerstub.jpg\")
<\/p>\nLe Moulin du Diable<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-restaurant-moulin-du-diable.jpg\")
<\/p>\nDim Sum Sam<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-restaurant-dim-sum-sam.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWine bars in Strasbourg<\/h2>\n
Un Cantalou \u00e0 Strasbourg<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-wine-bar-un-cantalou.jpg\")
<\/p>\nRoyal 26 Strasbourg<\/h3>\n
Ill Vino<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/strasbourg-wine-bar-jaja.jpg\")
<\/p>\nJaja<\/h3>\n
Day trip from Strasbourg: Colmar<\/h2>\n
Wistub Brenner<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.amsterdamfoodie.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/colmar-restaurant-wistub-brenner.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPlanning a trip to France? Read my foodie guides to <\/em>Bordeaux<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Paris<\/em><\/a> and <\/em>Lille<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"