Alsatian gourmet specialities
Alsace is a gourmet region - there’s something for every culinary taste! There are so many delicious traditional specialities to discover, whether you’re on the go, enjoying a sit-down meal, sharing with others or on your own!
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Flammekueche
The iconic tarte flambée, also known as the flammekueche, is a simple but tasty speciality that’s fun to share. Have a traditional tarte flambée if you’re after an authentic experience, or have it au gratin to make it extra indulgent. And, if you’re feeling bold, try one with apples and cinnamon! In any case, eat your tarte flambée with your fingers, in a quaint winstub!
Alsatian choucroute garnie
Authentic Alsace, in a dish. Local ingredients simmer gently in an earthenware pot, bringing out good old-fashioned flavours. Like Alsace, choucroute is generous! It’ll fill your plate and your belly!
Kougelhopf
Whether it’s sweet or savoury, baked in a mould or in typical Alsatian pottery, the Kougelhopf is a unique speciality. Served at just about any meal in Alsace, it brings a touch of tradition and pleasure to moments with family or friends.
The pretzel
When you want a little snack, nothing’s better than a pretzel! Both soft and crunchy at the same time, sprinkled with salt or melted Swiss cheese, pretzels will hit the spot.
©Klaudia IgaSavoury specialities
Discover generous dishes that smell so good, your mouth will water:
- A cervelas salad or a Bibeleskas, are ideal to whet your appetite.
- The simplicity of Alsatian pasta, or spaetzle, will appeal to gourmets.
- Baeckeoffe is the go-to comfort food in Alsace.
- Fleischschnacka has the special flavour of grandma’s cooking.
- Munster cheese is served mild and mellow, or sharp, with lots of character.
And then there are all the less-known local specialities, typical recipes worth trying:
- Fried carp, a speciality of the Sundgau area: the Alsatian version of fish and chips.
- Matelote, a speciality of the Ried, is a revisited bouillabaisse, or French fish stew.
Sweet specialities
How about a sweet touch to finish your meal?
- Delicious cheesecake, light as air.
- Rhubarb meringue, fruity and crunchy.
- Lamala, at Easter, a deliciously soft sponge cake in the shape of a lamb.
Christmas treats
At Christmastime, a subtle odour wafts across all of Alsace, of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and other spices. Traditional recipes that’ll take you back to your childhood and its sweet pleasures, a tradition upheld year after year, to make the magic of Christmas come alive. Delicious treats you can share with family and friends throughout the festive season, with a steaming cup of mulled wine.
In Alsace, the Christmas season begins when you make these pretty cookies. Making Alsatian Christmas cookies (bredele), from recipes passed down from generation to generation, is a tradition in Alsatian homes.
This famous brioche in the shape of a little man appeals to young and old alike. Plain or with chocolate chips, manalas are yummy treats!
Just the smell of gingerbread, a sweet delicacy full of character, is enough to bring the magic of Christmas to life. Cinnamon and nutmeg give gingerbread its pretty golden colour, onto which you can spread a delicate slice of foie gras. Or just enjoy it plain!
