What specialities to try at Strasbourg’s Christmas Market?

Discover the gourmet specialties of an Alsatian Christmas

Above all, the Strasbourg Christmas Market is a great way to discover Alsatian cuisine and the region’s typical street-food dishes! But you’ll need a strong stomach to enjoy it all. Sweet or savory, what are the Alsatian culinary specialties to be savored in Strasbourg? What are the must-try dishes? And what gourmet souvenirs can you bring back from your stay in the Christmas Capital? A short inventory if you’re in a strange land…

Another option is to take part in a food tour with me! On the program, 5 or 6 places selected by me to discover gourmet specialties…

What savory foods can you eat at the Strasbourg Christmas Market?

The Bretzel, an Alsatian classic

Even though it’s not a Christmas specialty, it’s hard to miss the mountains of pretzels and the stands dedicated to them! With a plump, soft center and thin, crispier strands that intertwine, this yeast-risen specialty—a true symbol of Alsace—is sprinkled with coarse salt in its plain version, but you can also enjoy it topped with Gruyère cheese, a tarte flambée with bacon, or even one with Munster cheese.

To be enjoyed with a good Christmas beer, of course! You can also find our recipe for home-made pretzels here.

The Baguette flambée, the star “sandwich” of the chalets

A slice of baguette topped with a mixture of fromage blanc, onions, and bacon bits—the baguette flammisch (or flambée) is a fusion of the baguette and the Alsatian tarte flambée (Flammkuech).

A hybrid recipe and a classic favorite at the little chalets of the Strasbourg Christmas Market. Enhanced with Gruyère cheese, mushrooms, or salmon for the gratin, forest-style, and Nordic versions.

Spätzle: Comfort Food with a Cheesy Top

The spaetzle are small Alsatian pasta shapes traditionally enjoyed as a side dish or even as a main course mixed with a generous amount of cheese. But they’re also great as street food!

At the Christmas market, you’ll find them prepared with crème fraîche, served with sautéed mushrooms, in a “munstiflette” style (with Munster cheese), and even with sauerkraut and bacon—a great way to try two specialties in one.

Alsatian Sauerkraut, available for takeout in a container

Is the winstub fully booked? Don’t panic—the must-try Alsatian sauerkraut can also be enjoyed from a takeout container, at a standing table—but always with the perfect balance of charcuterie, bacon, and Alsatian knacks on top!

When it comes to local specialties, we also recommend Cervelas or Waedele (pork shank), which is often braised in beer.

Alsatian Foie Gras, at Doriath

Foie gras production is a long-standing tradition in Alsace. At the Strasbourg Christmas Market, you can sample duck foie gras on the go or in a gourmet sandwich from Maison Doriath, located on Place du Marché aux Poissons.

Don’t forget to take home your own little ballotin or slices of local duck breast for your festive appetizers.

Flammlachs, Flame-Grilled Salmon

It’s well known that Alsace is Southern Norway. Not exactly local, but no less delicious, salmon à la flamme regularly takes pride of place at Christmas markets.

What sweet treats should you try at the market?

Bredele, Alsatian Christmas cookies

Bredele, Winàchtsbredle, or Bredala— in Alsace, there are at least as many varieties and recipes as there are days in the year. Butterbredele (made with butter), Schowebredele (made with almonds), Spritzbredele (piped), Vanillekipferle (vanilla crescents), and coconut macarons, to name just a few of the best-known ones.

To take home plenty of culinary souvenirs from the Strasbourg Christmas Market, stop by the Marché des Délices d’Alsace on the Terrasse Rohan or the Marché des Irréductibles Petits Producteurs d’Alsace on Square Louise Weiss.

And to make bredele like a true Alsatian, you’ll need our indispensable bredele recipe book!

“Le Pain d’épices,” Mireille Oster, or Fortwenger?

Don’t miss those of Mireille Oster, Strasbourg’s gingerbread queen. Mouthfuls, cobblestones, shareable bars: these moist, fragrant creations can be enjoyed in all shapes and sizes. For the holidays or all year round, they can be enjoyed with tea, foie gras or sauerkraut confit. Don’t miss his stand brimming with delicacies. Taste and take home specialties like Le Couque, Pain des Anges and Déclaration d’Amour.

It’s rather dry and far from the best ( my favorite is still the one covered in dark chocolate), and yet…The sugar-glazed gingerbread from Fortwenger, with its vintage St. Nicholas label, is the one that best reminds me of the gingerbread from my childhood—the kind that was handed out to all the schoolchildren on December 6 in a little bag along with a mannele and a clementine. A true Alsatian memory.

To make your own, find our recipe for decorated gingerbread rolls here.

Hutzelbrot and Bärewecke at Mathilde’s

Much easier to eat than to pronounce, Hutzelbrot and Bärewecke are dense breads, generously studded with soft dried fruits (raisins, pears, candied citrus, nuts, etc.) that have been soaked in brandy.

For a taste of the good stuff, stop by Mathilde’s stand, also known for one of Christkindelsmärik’s best mulled wines.

The Mannele, the St. Nicholas Day brioche

This little brioche figure—chubby and delightfully nostalgic—makes its appearance in bakeries starting in mid-November and can be found on small wooden huts throughout the month of December.

With chocolate chips, raisins, sprinkled with streusel, or simply dusted with sugar, the Mannele ( whose spelling and pronunciation vary by region—Team Mannala in the Haut-Rhin, Mannele in the Bas-Rhin), is the iconic pastry of St. Nicholas Day!

Enjoy them with a cup of good hot chocolate, mulled wine, and a clementine to keep with tradition. And if you’d like to make them yourself, check out our mannele recipe here.

Christstollen, the Christmas cake from Germany

This traditional cake comes from our close relatives—and from the city of Dresden, to be precise—but it’s also a staple on Alsatian holiday tables. Richly flavored, the Christstollen is a brioche-style bread filled with candied fruit and raisins, with a marzipan center.

People often forget its religious significance, but its shape and thick layer of powdered sugar represent the Baby Jesus swaddled in his cloths. Be sure to buy only authentic Christstollen bearing the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) seal —not the overused supermarket version.

What to Drink at the Strasbourg Christmas Market?

Some red or white mulled wine, or hot apple or orange juice to wash it all down! La Tribu des Gourmet on the Terrasse du Palais Rohan serves up a delicious white mulled wine. For red mulled wine, try the one at the Chez Mathilde stand.

Among the seasonal beverages, try Bière de Noël (Christmas beer) and bière chaude (warm beer), a little curiosity you’ll find at the Corporation Libre des Artisans Brasseurs d’Alsace stand on Place Broglie.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Specialties at the Strasbourg Christmas Market