5 Best Restaurants in Alsace-Lorraine, France

At one of the temples of Alsatian-French haute cuisine, you get a real taste of old Alsace with a nouvelle spin. Founded in the early 1800s, its grand salon is still aglow with skylights, and a spectacular 19th-century painting showing the Strasbourgeoisie at a country fair continues to set the tasteful tone. Chef Romain Brillat heads the team and presents some of the most dazzling dishes around. Drawing inspiration from classic produce such as foie gras, truffles, lobster and seasonal game, Chef Brillat creates sublime dishes that are delightful on the palate and the eye. Not surprisingly, the wine list is extensive.

Marlene Dietrich and Spanish opera star Montserrat Caballé are just two of the famous guests who have feasted at this culinary temple, where the current chef, Marc Haeberlin, marries traditional Alsatian cuisine with contemporary nuances. The kitchen's touch is incredibly light, so you'll have room left for the masterful desserts.

This lovely farmhouse, reconstructed in the Orangerie park, warrants a pilgrimage if you're willing to pay for the finest cooking in Alsace. Chef Eric Westermann focuses on the freshest of local-terroir specialties, supplemented by the best seafood from Brittany. Look for dishes like free-range Alsace chicken with Vosges truffles braised in a traditional Baeckeoffe ceramic dish, or the chef’s signature sautéed frog legs served with schniederspaetle (onion- and potato-filled ravioli). The seasonal desserts are also noteworthy. Two small salons are cozy, but most tables are set in a modern annex made largely of glass and steel.

This slick gastronomic restaurant in the historic center strikes a chord with in-the-know locals. Art-decked walls provide a fitting backdrop for the artful dishes prepared by chef-owner Loïc Lefebvre, who whips up dazzling creations while his partner, Caroline Cordier, ensures that the service is top-notch.

This eatery in La Petite Venise, with a superb trompe l'oeil façade, is a spinoff of Jean-Yves Schillinger's two-star Michelin restaurant in Colmar. The contemporary dining room has leather sofas and stylish furnishings that provide the perfect setting for the chef's traditional-meets-contemporary menu. In summer the waterside terrace is a bonus.