Hôtel Restaurant Au Coucou

In a pedestrian street of historic Mulhouse, welcome to a 16C building that is a something of a culinary landmark with the locals. Chef Jean-Michel Feger has been rolling out Mediterranean-inspired cuisine here since 2001. Think mouth-watering, technically polished, modern dishes with a distinct Italian twang: saffron-spiked creamy risotto, squid, broad beans and spicy ventricina. In fine weather, soak up la dolce vita and enjoy your meal alfresco on the patio of the small courtyard. Pleasant, unstarched service.

The tree mentioned in the name of this restaurant could well be a genealogical one, so closely is its history bound up with that of the Koenig family. Now run by the fifth generation of this family, the restaurant serves specialities from Alsace, which are accompanied by good regional wines.

This restaurant's incredible decoration (inside and out) was created by painter and decorative artist François Zenner, an amateur naturalist with a passion for plants. Also passionate about his work, and very much influenced by his years with Bernard Loiseau, chef Laurent Haller is never at a loss for ideas when it comes to sharing his love of good food. He likes to revisit the great classics of French cuisine and creates surf and turf combinations. His menu, a veritable ode to the market and its often local produce (veal from Rixheim, split peas from Petit-landau…), changes every month.

This family-run establishment with its pleasant, recently renovated contemporary interior continues to fete local produce and tradition (think: Alsace head cheese, frogs' legs, chicken cordon bleu with bargkass)… but the younger generation is coaxing it into the modern era with more contemporary recipes and presentation. Expect flavour, indulgence and attentive service! Well-maintained guestrooms make this the perfect place to stay, too.

The young couple at the head of this dinky establishment in the heart of Mulhouse rustles up a concise menu of enticingly entitled dishes. The food is colourful, inventive and scattered with Mediterranean notes: “our version” of vitello tonnato; gilt-head seabream, spaghetti alle vongole and an emulsion of cockles; tagliata of beef, baby potatoes, rocket salad, Kalamata olives and shavings of parmesan. Enticing wine list.

Michèle Brouet is a figure on the local gastronomy scene. Her restaurant is the reflection of her generosity and cheer, as is the atmosphere, which is welcoming with its various random objects and bouquets of flowers. Good food and good times are on the menu!

This inviting coaching inn (from 1850) not far from Mulhouse occupies an imposing traditional Alsace building in the centre of the village. In a pretty dining room with a new decor, the food now leans more towards bistronomy but is still built around seasonal ingredients: spiced sauerkraut fritter, pulled wild boar and radish pickles; venison bourguignon, sweet potato purée; apple and buckwheat dessert.