Coeur d'Alsace Colmar Vignobles Ouest avec terrasses

Schillinger is a name that resonates particularly strongly in Alsace. First there was Jean, then there was his son Jean-Yves, who, after a period on the New York City restaurant scene (Destinée, Olica), returned home in 2002. Here in this restaurant bordering the Champ-de-Mars Park, he is full of bright ideas. His cuisine embraces one tradition after another with disconcerting ease – Alsace, the United States, Brittany and Japan. Confident in his strengths, he deploys a no-holds-barred approach – as in, for example, his Breton lobster cooked in a Cona coffee maker and served with the claw in a

The Maison des Têtes, a listed Renaissance edifice lavishly decorated with grimacing faces, is as superb as Colmar itself. The restaurant's decor is minimalist, in keeping with Éric Girardin's tasting menu, which showcases the terroir of Alsace. Each dish is the epitome of beauty, flavour and delicately refined aromas. You will be won over by the trout "in three acts" and its hollandaise sauce with herbs, or the pigeon with cabbage, orange and cashew nuts. There is also a brasserie, plus guestrooms that sport a spirit of timeless elegance.

Martin Schongauer, one of the greatest late-15C engravers and painters from the Rhine, had his studio just across from this establishment, whose walls date back to the Renaissance. The chic, cosy interior, by contrast, has a decidedly contemporary vibe. When it comes to the food, Loïc Lefebvre cooks up precise modern cuisine, which is rife with creative twists and, needless to say, evolves with the seasons. Freshness, subtlety and also indulgence are the hallmarks of his Marennes oyster poached with green apple and dill, or his matured Salers beef tenderloin with red wine sauce.

This village house (1683) offers a setting bathed in light, tastefully combining the historical character of the building with more contemporary touches. Tuck into cuisine that includes Alsace recipes (onion tart, sauerkraut, wild boar stew) and more modern dishes. Wines from the Eguisheim vineyard are well represented, and the small terrace is popular in summer.

This building (1707) in the typical style of the region stands on the winegrowing estate of the manager's family. Her husband cooks up delicious classic and regional dishes: goose and duck foie gras with red onion confit; pan-fried veal kidneys with wholegrain mustard and house-made spaetzle; beef millefeuille à la Rossini. Cordial welcome.

Located in a picture postcard wine-growing village, this inn, helmed by a young couple, strives to uphold Alsace traditions by way of no-nonsense, gutsy, wholehearted fare and premium local produce: presskopf, snails in garlic and parsley butter, Heimbach arctic char, beef in coarse salt, braised ham hock and choucroute... The ice cream is house made.

In the heart of Colmar's Little Venice, this half-timbered building houses the Le Maréchal hotel as well as its restaurant, which is done out in a very classical style. Try to reserve a table in the blue room with exposed timberwork and a view of the River Lauch. Expect modern cuisine that revisits the classics of the local terroir and gastronomy.