Postcard from Strasbourg

When you’re in Strasbourg, you know you’re in the heart of Europe. There’s the immensity of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, whose intricate Gothic features dominate the city centre, and the charm of those picture-postcard timber-framed buildings. Contrast that with the sleek glass and steel of the European Parliament building fringed by the flags of the 27 EU member states – all reflected in the rivers and canals that are the city’s lifeblood. 

Alsace is a region with a strong sense of self, despite – or perhaps in spite of – its history. It was fought over in a kind of tug-of-war between France and Germany, passing between the two countries no fewer than four times from the start of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871) to the end of the Second World War. The cuisine has a particular rootedness, with a panoply of regional dishes – and there’s no better place to try them than Alsace’s capital, Strasbourg.

The winstub

The first stop on any food-lover’s itinerary ought to be a traditional winstub. Decidedly more gemütlich than chic, the winstub distils all that’s best about Alsatian gastronomy and hospitality. The translation ‘wine tavern’ hardly does it justice. Think dark-wood panelling the colour of a freshly fallen autumn chestnut; red-checked tablecloths and curtains; tables so close you knock elbows with your neighbours.

Think of all the heartiest Alsatian dishes you can name, from baeckeoffe to choucroute, served generously, with warmth. Add a wine list that includes Gewurztraminer, the Pinots Blanc, Gris and Noir, Riesling, Edelzwicker and Sylvaner – served in just-right-for-trying pichet sizes and you get the idea. Chez Yvonne is pretty much that perfect winstub.

We visited Chez Yvonne during the fifth summer heatwave of 2026. Admittedly, these dishes are not the sort of thing everyone craves when the mercury is flirting with 40C, but we rolled up our sleeves, grabbed the mustard and horseradish and dug in. First up, the house special of sauerkraut Strasbourgeoise, with its flotilla of pork products resting on a bed of fermented cabbage.

And, yes, we did also have leberklösschen, flavoursome and impossibly light liver dumplings served with cream sauce and sautéed potatoes. And we brought on the pichets of Sylvaner and chilled Pinot Noir… This gut-busting feast was the best welcome we could have had – even in a heatwave.

Tarte flambée

You’re never more than 100 paces from a tarte flambée in Strasbourg and if you have a good sense of smell, you’ll find it. Also known as flammekueche, it’s a whisper-thin sheet of dough baked according to tradition in a wood-fired oven, and topped with ludicrous amounts of cheese.

Our noses led us to the Broglie branch of Binschstub, where we devoured this gloriously melty Munster-topped tarte, with cumin seeds on the side for sprinkling over. It kept us motoring through our daily 15,000-step forays around the city with just occasional pitstops for doughy, salty bretzels to keep the carb levels up.

Charcuterie

Strasbourg is a charcuterie-lover’s dream, and we found some of the best we’ve ever tasted at a delicatessen/restaurant called Porcus. It’s a city institution with a shop in front and a lunchtime restaurant in a quiet, leafy courtyard at the back.

Our planchette de charcuterie and a summer special, choucroute froide, were piled high with exquisite, hand-crafted delicacies. As we systematically dissected our platefuls, one of the chefs passed by our table. “C’est bien?” he asked us. Très, très bien. Note: skip breakfast and wear your baggiest trousers.

Kougelhopf and gingerbread

Sweet and savoury versions of kougelhopf (or kugelhopf), the region’s emblematic domed brioche baked in a specially shaped mould, abound in Strasbourg. A mini one is just the right size to be scoffed solo at breakfast. We also found a trompe l’oeil version in a winstub called Le Tire-Bouchon made from ice cream.

Another sweet speciality found in bakeries and specialist shops and cafés is the local gingerbread, pain d’épices alsacien, which is less sweet and more aromatic than other versions, and ought to include rye flour.

Modern fare

Not every meal in Strasbourg needs to centre around traditional dishes. On our last night, with a heat alert in the city, we were lucky to nab a table on the outdoor terrace of Foudre Feu in the Krutenau district. The short set menu changes every week and the owners nurture relationships with local farmers and suppliers – including the makers of an Alsatian burrata cheese. Full marks, too, to yellow zucchini that was hollowed out and stuffed with pollock and candied lemon, served with crunchy cubes of polenta. Accomplished cooking.

Natural wines rule here and our favourite (though not local) was a saline-edged Menu Pineau, a relatively rare varietal made by Lise et Bertrand Jousset in Montlouis in the Loire.

Strasbourg is also a brilliant city for cycling, with miles of dedicated cycleways that feel incredibly safe when you’re used to London’s mean streets. We rented bikes and set out for the European Parliament building – our visit scuppered by our failure to bring our passports for entry…

Still, we approved of the quality of the snacks we found at the nearby Parc de l’Orangerie. You can tell a lot about a place by its chosen snacks, and here we found top-quality crisps from Chips de Madrid, tinned sardines, pâté de sanglier and cool white wine that was actually potable – all from a simple park kiosk.

Edible signs of civilisation that are every bit as telling as any cathedral or monument.