A Foodie Weekend in Strasbourg

At the weekend I was very happy, to finally travel after two years to another country with my husband. Due to a mix of the pandemic and his work, it’s been a long time since we could travel together, and aside from a small holiday last year in Berlin, we’ve stayed in Frankfurt. Our destination? Not a flight back to England, or a long haul flight to Asia, but a short trip to Strasbourg, 3 km over the German border. Small steps are better than no steps!

Strasbourg is, of course, beautiful, with a beautiful area along the river (like in the picture above), an impressive Cathedral, the Notre Dame and winding streets and charming buildings, however I will only concentrate on the food options here. If you want a nice, all-round travel guide, I recommend this top blog post from Black Dots White Spots.

Normally, before I travel, I would research lots, searching out the best restaurants, cafés or simply, the local foods we have to try. This time, however, I found it quite difficult to find recommendations online for eating out in Strasbourg. Maybe because the city is quite small, or maybe because it’s not such a famous tourist destination? No idea. However as soon as I asked friends and acquaintances if they’d been and could recommend anywhere, I realised that Strasbourg had much more culinary delights to offer than appears at first glance.

Aside from French bakeries and pâtisseries, which of course are highly recommended, Strasbourg has not only 6 Michelin star restaurants, but also a large amount of high-quality (and relatively good value) possibilities for a fulfilling foodie weekend!

Umaï Ramen – Japanese Food

What I ate: vegetarian Gyoza as starter and Karaage Mazesoba (noodles without soup with fried chicken)
Rating: You immediately feel relaxed at Umaï. The restaurant is very light and open, and with wooden furniture and friendly staff, the whole place feels nice and laid back. The Gyozawas very soft and tender, but had the very important crispy edge. I only regret not ordering two portions! The noodles, arriving in a beautiful bowl, were a treat for the eyes. Everything was beautifully cooked, and tasted fresh and tasty (especially the soy egg), however I wish there was a sauce or something to give it a little more flavour. Or to be more honest, I wish I’d ordered the same ramen that my husband had, who was on cloud 9 with his choice. Umaï has lots to offer when you fancy Japanese food in Strasbourg!

L’Etabli – Bar und Restaurant

What I ate: Crown beef with chimichurri sauce, roasted pumpkin, and burnt onion.
Rating:: The Place To Be. L’Etabli is a very cool place to spend a lovely evening. There is a chilled atmosphere, helped by the many plants inside, and cool music drifting out the big open doors. Friends meet here for big sharing plates, and drink beer well into the night. We were very happy to sit outside due to the lovely weather, and I can only imagine how nice it is to sit here in the summer with a view of the large square in front. The food was unbelievably good, and I was really happy that L’Etabli focus on the local and seasonal ingredients. L’Etabli is a restaurant I could happily visit in any city – high quality and region food, a fantastic wine menu, and a really cool atmosphere. One of my favourites from the weekend!

Utopie – French food

What I ate: pretty much everything thanks to the six-course menu here. We started with a leek in lemon mayonnaise, a white bean and garlic soup (that I can’t stop thinking about), fish with celeriac, duck with sweet potato, and to end, carrot cake, and a pear and cream crunch.
Rating: Unbelievable. One of the best eating experiences I’ve ever had. We were so unbelievably lucky to get such a last minute reservation, only because someone else had cancelled. The surprise menu changes depending on what is fresh and seasonal, and changes often. You could order a certain wine, or you could let yourself be surprised and with every course receive a guided wine pairing (we chose this option and left very merry indeed!). As well as the wine, we received a full introduction to each course from the nicest waiter, who showed so much enthusiasm for the food and wine in the restaurant. The restaurant was very small and intimate, and I felt as though I was at a dinner party in his living room. Everything was perfect at Utopie, I couldn’t choose a favourite part, and enjoyed every moment of the 3 hours we were there. I would very happily travel back to Strasbourg just to Utopie experience this dinner again.

Strasbourg Pastry and Desserts

Sébastien – Patisserie

As you can probably imagine, Strasbourg has many patisseries, however I chose this place due to its position near the river Sébastien . It was also very full here, which always leaves me with a good impression. Inside there was a large and diverse choice of delicacies, with very friendly staff. I decided on a lemon meringue, and also snapped up two raspberry financiers for later. Everything was the highest quality, and naturally, very delicious.

Au pain de mon Grand-Père – Bakery

Before we left Strasbourg, I wanted to buy a couple of baked goods to bring back with me on the train. My husband didn’t quite realise how much that meant… The bakery is small, but has an impressive choice of bread. To get my two baguettes, two pain aux raisin, and a big pain de campagne, I had to wait around 15 minutes in a long queue, but it was totally worth it! The aroma from the bakery was magical, and the lady who was serving me was very patient and friendly despite my terrible French and the long queue behind me. As you can see in this picture, I was very happy with my decision, and I ate all the good stuff before I remembered to take a photo. For me, there’s nothing nicer than sinking my teeth into fresh, warm bread.

Strasbourg was a total surprise to me. I had expected a beautiful city, but not that the food scene would be so rich and diverse. There is so much to explore here that I am excited to discover even more on my next trip.