Gasthaus zum Rössel Lichtenau

This "secret garden" opposite the small train station is a secret worth sharing! In his intimate, contemporary restaurant, chef Gilles Leininger demonstrates great ambition, experience and expertise. He crafts delicate cuisine inspired by the market and his inspiration, always using top-quality ingredients, such as wild scallops, quail from the Vosges, game from Alsace, vegetables from a neighbouring farm. His squab and foie gras pie is one of his signature dishes. The other secret of this establishment is its leafy patio to the rear of the building.

This venerable institution (est. 1789) is far from nostalgic as its refurbished, stylish dining room, dotted in contemporary details, and the conservatory leading out onto a patio, illustrate. The food, also free of culinary cobwebs, is fiendishly tailored to modern tastebuds: crispy scallops with wild prawns, cauliflower and orange vinaigrette; squab pigeon, the breast lightly roasted, the thigh confit in fleischnacka… Slick professional service and knockout wine cellar.

With his Weinstube (or "wine tavern"), Christian Beck, son of the owner of the hotel and restaurant Heiligenstein, also located in Neuweier near Baden-Baden, has brought a new layer of culinary enrichment to the village. The cuisine here comprises regional, seasonal and Mediterranean dishes. Vegetarian dishes and small bites are also available. Regional wines are offered. Friendly service in a cosy interior that blends tradition and modernity. The terrace is also lovely.

Sophie and Stéphan Bernhard have made it their mission to indulge the diners of this city since 1998. Now they operate in the Stahlbad, a beautiful 19C building and former spa hotel in the centre of Baden-Baden, and also previously home to a Michelin-starred restaurant. A delightful ground-level conservatory affords views of the verdant surroundings and converts into a covered terrace in summer. The classic French cuisine by the chef-patron, a native Frenchman, is as much in great demand as it ever was. The dishes are ingredient-led, clearly structured and wonderfully harmonious. The front-of-

This interesting dual concept of coffee shop and restaurant is to be found in the picturesque pedestrian area. In the evening, the restaurant serves modern dishes by chef-patron Malte Kuhn and his team – prepared in the "hidden kitchen" behind a sliding wall. They skilfully pare things down to the essentials, making the ingredients the focus, as in, for example, the fantastic char poached in oil, served with a crustacean foam on leaf spinach and accompanied by fine trout caviar. You can also pick individual dishes from the three- to six-course set menu. A vegetarian variation on the set menu o

This winstub-themed inn serves tasty regional specialities, tartes flambées and a sprinkling of more modern recipes. Bucolic terrace on the banks of the River Zorn.

A fun place to eat! This handsome historical half-timbered house has been in the same family since 1750. Sit back in the delightful wood-panelled interior as the cordial front-of-house team brings out really good Baden cuisine, which can also be enjoyed on the terrace in summer. The menu includes dishes such as pikeperch-salmon dumplings, and stuffed guinea fowl breast with a chive cream sauce to whet your appetite. Tip: Sample the tempting little starters and desserts (look for the "Versucherle" sections on the menu)! With some 500 labels, the wine list is excellent. To take home: house-made