Alsace has one of the most distinctive food cultures in France, shaped by centuries on the border between French and German traditions. In Colmar that means hearty dishes, aromatic white wines and a lot of pork, cabbage and cream, served in places that range from timber-framed taverns to elegant dining rooms. Here is how to eat well without overthinking it.
The dishes to order
Start with tarte flambée, called flammekueche locally: a thin, crisp base spread with cream, onions and bacon, baked in a very hot oven and shared at the table. Choucroute garnie is the great regional dish, sauerkraut piled with sausages, smoked pork and potatoes. Baeckeoffe is a slow-cooked casserole of meats and potatoes baked in white wine, traditionally prepared by households and left at the baker's oven. Look also for spaetzle, small egg dumplings that accompany many main courses, and for foie gras, a speciality of the region. Fish such as trout and pike-perch appear on menus near the rivers. Munster, the pungent washed-rind cheese from the Vosges valley of the same name, is served at the end of a meal, often with cumin or a boiled potato.
Sweet things
Kougelhopf is a fluted yeast cake with raisins and almonds, eaten at breakfast or with coffee. Bredele, the small spiced biscuits of Christmas, appear in bakery windows well beyond the festive season. Tarte aux quetsches uses local plums, and gingerbread, known as pain d'épices, is sold in shops across the old town. During the Christmas markets, hot chocolate, mulled wine and bretzels with butter are everywhere, and the gourmet market is a good place for a sit-down snack.
Where to eat
Restaurants on the canals of Petite Venise are scenic and priced accordingly. Walk a street or two back, toward the covered market and the old-town squares, and you will find winstubs, the traditional taverns with wooden tables and short menus, and bistros where locals eat. Lunch is the best value, since many places offer a set menu at midday, and dinner tables fill quickly at weekends and during the Christmas season, so book ahead. The covered market near Petite Venise is a good stop for cheese, charcuterie and bread if you want a picnic for a vineyard walk. Smaller villages on the Wine Route also have farm inns and family restaurants, often cheaper and quieter than the headline towns.
Understanding Alsace wine
Unlike many French regions, Alsace labels its wines by grape variety, which makes choosing easy. Riesling is dry, mineral and long-lived, and the usual partner for choucroute and fish. Gewurztraminer is aromatic, with lychee and rose notes, and suits spicy dishes and strong cheeses. Pinot Gris is fuller and rounder, good with foie gras and pork. Muscat is light and fragrant, popular as an aperitif. Pinot Noir gives the region's reds and rosés, and Crémant d'Alsace is the sparkling wine, made in the traditional method and excellent value. Edelzwicker is a blend, often simple and refreshing. Grand cru on a label means the grapes came from one of the region's classified slopes, usually a sign of more concentration and ageing potential.
How to taste
The villages are the place for tasting. Many growers open their cellars without appointments, pour a few wines, and expect you to buy a bottle if you enjoyed them. A small-group Wine Route tour includes tastings and removes the problem of driving, and the Museum of Alsatian Wines in Colmar offers an introduction with a tasting for a modest fee. Ask for a dry Riesling and a Pinot Gris side by side to taste the difference, and spit if you are driving. Eaux-de-vie, fruit brandies such as mirabelle and kirsch, are usually offered at the end of a meal and deserve a small glass.
A simple eating plan
Breakfast on kougelhopf and coffee from a bakery, lunch on tarte flambée in a winstub, an afternoon tasting in a village, and dinner on choucroute or baeckeoffe with a glass of Riesling. Add chocolate at Choco Story if the weather turns, and finish with Munster and a little eau-de-vie. Book dinner ahead at weekends, ask about vegetarian options early, since traditional menus are meat-heavy, and leave room for dessert. If you are travelling with children, ask for a plain dish such as sausage and potatoes or half a tarte flambée, and remember that many kitchens close between lunch and dinner, so plan a snack from a bakery or the covered market if you are hungry in the afternoon.
