Strasbourg, France — Food and Dining
Restaurants in Strasbourg, France
Restaurants
Recommended restaurants
Au Crocodile
Chef Emile Jung combines his love of haute cuisine and regional cooking at this renowned Strasbourg restaurant. Already awarded two Michelin stars, the restaurant offers superb food, a long and well-chosen wine list, attentive service and a relaxed atmosphere in which to enjoy fine dining. Located near the cathedral and place Kléber, Au Crocodile is elegantly decorated in a classical style with ochre tones.
10 rue de l'Outre
Tel: 03883 21302.
Website: www.au-crocodile.com
Price: $$$$
Buerehiesel
Antoine Westermann has earned a Michelin star for the refined regional cuisine at Buerehiesel, a 17th-century country house at the heart of the Parc de l'Orangerie. The chance to dine in a timber-beamed room - or on the summer terrace - overlooking the lush greenery of the park is one not to be missed. Try dishes such as his ravioli with onions and chervil served with frogs' legs.
4 parc de l'Orangerie
Tel: 03884 55665.
Website: www.buerehiesel.com
Price: $$$$
Hippopotamus
The Hippopotamus chain is a French fast-food eaterie offering sumptuous good-quality steaks, burgers and decent salads and desserts in a young, fun environment. It's perfect for families and groups, with good value set-meal options, including children's menus. This branch is located in the heart of Strasbourg's shopping district, close to the place des Halles.
40-42 rue du Vieux Marché aux Vins
Tel: 03882 38490.
Website: www.hippopotamus.fr
Price: $
L'Alsace à Table
Located near place Kléber, this gorgeously attractive 1920s Parisian brasserie is decorated with paintings, wooden tables and sea scenes. On offer is a good choice of dishes, including fish of the day and chef's suggestions. There is a strong emphasis on traditional Alsatian cuisine, and the house specialty is choucroute aux trois poissons (sauerkraut with three fish). The first floor is tailor-made for business meetings or banquets.
8 rue des Francs-Bourgeois
Tel: 03883 25062.
Website: www.alsace-a-table.fr
Price: $$
Le Violon d'Ingres
Located in the Robertsau district, this plush, richly furnished restaurant attracts businesspeople, locals, and members of the European parliament who enjoy elegant, well-prepared modern French cuisine. Among the set menus is one devoted entirely to seafood. Impeccable service is part and parcel of this establishment's refined, sophisticated atmosphere.
1 rue du Chevalier Robert
Tel: 03883 13950.
Website: www.violondingres.com
Price: $$$
Munsterstub
Near the cathedral, this traditional winstub (pronounced ‘veenshtub' and meaning a wine bar-restaurant serving local specialties) is one of the best places in Strasbourg to try traditional food. The atmosphere is convivial and pub-like, with outdoor seating, wooden beams, ornate brass fittings and old paintings. House specialties include boned pig's trotters stuffed with three meats.
8 place du Marché aux Cochons de Lait
Tel: 03883 21763.
Website: www.strasnet.com/munsterstub.htm
Price: $$
Nightlife
The student population keeps Strasbourg's nightlife vibrant. Many of the regular hotspots are clustered around the cathedral and along rue des Juifs, however, it is worth considering other options - such as an evening tour on a bateau-mouche (pleasure boat) or the son et lumière (lights show) performances at the cathedral in the summer.
Bars stay open until at least 2330 and often until 0400. The legal age to purchase alcohol in France is 16. Dress code and admission requirements are not an issue in Strasbourg.
Bars
The relaxing Académie de la Bière, 17 rue Adolphe Seyboth, is open daily until 0400, serving over 70 varieties of beer (including beer cocktails) in gorgeous, wooded interiors. The Quai des Bières, at the pont du Corbeau, also offers a large choice of beers and cocktails.
Another must is Les Frères Berthom, 18 rue de Tonneliers, with attractive décor, friendly staff, a good variety of beer and excellent cocktails - small wonder it is so popular. Murphy's House, 9 rue des Frères, is an ever-popular Irish pub, although not the only one in the city. It comes complete with Irish beers, Celtic music and British television. Irish Times, 19 rue St Barbe, also has live music, foreign beers on tap and English-speaking staff. They have quiz nights on Wednesdays.
Pub Nelson, 20 rue des Couples, is another anglophile hangout, with a wide choice of beers. The popular Tapas Café, 16 rue de Bain Finkwiller, is an ideal place to sink a jug of Sangria with friends. La Perestroika, 2 rue Thiergarten, is a trendy vodka bar attracting a very mixed crowd. Perennial favorites include the 1950s-style Les Aviateurs, 12 rue des Soeurs, and La Java, 6 rue du Faisans.
Clubs
Le Divan, 6 impasse de l'Ecrevisse (website: www.le-divan.com), with striking décor and on two floors with different ambience, plays Latin music, R 'n B, soul, house, groove and salsa. A mixed crowd dance the night away at Le Chalet, 376 route de la Wantzenau (website: www.strasbourg-by-night.com), with two dance floors, plus karaoke, restaurants and bars in a huge complex. Le Retro, 24 place des Halles (website: www.leretro.com), is a dressy, trendy disco for over-25s only. For a low-budget student vibe try Le Caveau (or K'vo), 1 place de l'Université. Situated under a university canteen, this is about as studenty as it gets.
Live Music
La Salamandre, 3 rue Paul-Janet (website: www.lasalamandre-strasbourg.fr), is a popular venue that hosts around 40 major concerts and shows every year. International stars that have graced the stage include The Stranglers, Les Négresses Vertes, Pulp and Tri Yann. With space for just 500 people and reasonable prices, early booking is essential. In the absence of major performances, check out a wide variety of theme nights, for example salsa, 60s, 80s, student, heavy rock and reggae. Another top venue for live performance, with cabaret, world music and blues is La Laiterie (13 rue du Hohwald; website: www.laiterie.artifact.org).
