denisea

We will spend a day in Strasbourg visiting the Christmas markets soon and I am wondering what Fodorites consider a MUST in Strasbourg. It could be a site not to be missed, a food that has to be sampled, seasonal libation, something we have to be sure to take home with us, whatever. Since it has taken so long for us to finally get to Strasbourg, we want to "get it right" and not miss the best stuff. Tell us what we have to do, see taste, buy in Strasbourg!

tjhome1

Just a day - that's such a short time. We stayed 4 nights this year in the summer and loved eating in L'Epicerie, a cute, cheap, little café tucked down a side street. As the Christmas market will be wonderful in itself that would be my must do.

jamikins

We had lunch at this restaurant that specialises in cheese dishes...amazing

http://www.fromagerie-tourrette.com/.../le-restaurant

Cowboy1968

Try the Flammekueche.. you should find many stands on the Christmas market which make them.

denisea

Good start...thanks. I know, I know only one day.....hopefully we will make it back to Alsace another time to see more of the region.

Oooooh, jamikins....cheese. Speaking my language! And Cowboy, Flammekueche will definitely be sampled!

My husband loves seasonal brews and particularly dark brews likes porters and stouts, some IPAs....beer suggestions would be great.

dulciusexasperis

Well Flammekueche is a local dish but if there is any one dish that could be said to be the quintessential Alsatian dish it would have to be Choucroute garnie.
https://www.google.ca/#q=choucroute&undefined=undefined

As for where, Le Tire-Bouchon is an authentic Winstub and serves what many would say is the best choucroute in Strasbourg, which pretty much means the best in the world.
http://www.letirebouchon.fr/fr/index.php

Your husband should forgo a beer with choucroute although it is not an absolute nono. In Alsace the traditional pairing for Choucroute garni is one of two locally produced wines, either Gewürztraminer or Riesling. While I am a big fan of Gewurzt, I think a Reisling better matches the acidity of the sauerkraut.

A local Strasbourg Fashionista of some repute (Laure Munsch) refers to the Tire-Bouchon as, "An authentic winstub, the Tire-Bouchon a skip an a hop from the cathedral. It’s the anti tourist trap where all the Strasbourgeois in the know go!"

dulciusexasperis

Forgot to say, Laure Munsch suggests the Tire-Bouchon for the 'best choucroute in Strasbourg' which is why I mentioned her.

kerouac

I agree that a full Alsatian sauerkraut is a must, <b>especially</b> for people who think that they do not like sauerkraut. It is an absolutely different experience in Alsace. I went to a wedding in Strasbourg once, and the fabulous catered meal for 50 guests was... sauerkraut. Even in Alsace, it was considered to be a daring choice for a wedding, but everybody absolutely loved it, even the guests from Guatemala and Vietnam.

dulciusexasperis

If you love Strasbourg and decide to stay a night or more, my personal suggestion is the Hotel Cathedrale right opposite the Cathedral itself. http://www.hotel-cathedrale.fr/accueil/

One day seems like a crime to me. ;-)

hetismij2

Only go for the choucroute garni if you are seriously hungry .

kerouac

And don't bother with an hors d'œuvre.

StCirq

I have always enjoyed visiting http://www.strissel.fr/

(it may be considered a tourist trap - I'm not savvy enough about Strasbourg to know - but I've been several times and thought it was delightful)

mvor

Here are some highlights from our Christmas trip to Strasbourg last year:

Crépes from the <b>Bertani</b> Crêpe Stand on Place Brogile. I could never find their hours but it’s worth seeking out this small kiosk adjacent to the Christkindelsmärik.

A second vote for<b> La Cloche a Fromage</b> - 27 Rue Coopers
http://www.fromagerie-tourrette.com/.../le-restaurant
12am lunch + dinner 19h daily. If you like cheese you must eat here or visit their shop (#32) across the road. Incredible selection and lovely service, reservations a must. We ate here twice and wished we’d eaten here on another of our six nights.

<b>Pains Westermann</b> - 1 rue Goldsmiths (fancy shopping street). 7-17h
We bought our Bûche de Noël here as well as other goodies which rivaled, or surpassed, what we ate in Paris the following week.

The markets tend to bleed together but we really enjoyed the food markets:
Les savers alsaciennes, Place des Meuniers (great cheese, wine, jam, etc.) and the market at Place Austerlitz, (wine, foie gras and baked goods).

grandmere

The cathedral with its astronomical clock is a must see, IMO. The clock performs only once a day, at 12:30 pm. I've always been there while still on "daylight time" so don't know if that affects the timing of the clock or not.

We had a good choucroute garni dinner at a restaurant recommended by our hotel this past Oct. (I had suggested the famous Kammerzell, and they said that is has become very touristy). Cafe Pont au Corbeau, a short walk from the cathedral area.

Happy travels!

grandmere

Re buying: the inexpensive, "typique du region" wine glasses with the green stems are fun to bring home and use when serving Riesling or Gewurtztraminer. Also there are shops which sell the beautiful pottery from the various areas of Alsace. I especially like the blue/grey salt-glazed pottery from Betschdorff; Soufflenheim pottery is more colorful and pretty, also.

grandmere

Make that "typique de la region" Duh.

denisea

No problem grandmere...have been cringing all day as I have your in my title rather than you're! Double duh!!

Michael

It's fondue season, even if not Aslation. For that, go to http://www.fromagerie-tourrette.com/.../le-restaurant

If into porcelain, the bishop's palace has a large collection of Alsatian porcelain.

Michael

Correction: Alsatian. I seem to have dyslexic fingers.

denisea

Thanks--have emailed for a table at La Cloche au Fromage. it does look like something we would both like.