Strasbourg’s 10 most beautiful terraces (our favorites)

Map of our favorite terraces

1. Le Lavoir and la Côte Flottante (Halles)

Vacation atmosphere and relaxation on the water. An ephemeral floating terrace, the Lavoir drops anchor every summer on Quai St Jean from mid-June to mid-September. A guinguette atmosphere, with large tables and wooden benches on the ground or on the platform.

Plates or small dishes to share, we let ourselves be lulled by the waves and the music, enjoying the view of the Ill by the light of the loupiotes and the sound of ice cubes. It’s a refreshing place to be, especially with the evening breeze. There are plenty of seats and service is at the bar, so you may have to be patient. 500m further on, the smell of grilled meats tickles the nostrils!

Le Lavoir also has a little brother moored on Quai Kléber (same team at the helm). It’s the Côte Flottante, for lovers of barbaque (don’t worry, there’s veg too) and it’s open from midday (no reservations)!

2. Captain Bretzel (Danube, Esplanade)

Both a pier and a floating terrace, Captain Bretzel is located in theDanube eco-neighborhood – between Esplanade and Neudorf – at the foot of the Elithis and Black Swans towers and just a few meters from the Môle Malraux. It’s a little neighborhood terrace that I like, because by the water the perspective is immediately different.

What I like is the dockland feel, between buildings, restored port warehouses and marina. It has a false air of the Elsass Riviera , with its white furniture and banquettes… It’s a little rocky with the swirl of electric boats, but it’s still a nice, secluded spot to sip a St Germain with a planchette.

In winter, heated (and privatized) igloos replace the benches. And instead of a platter of oysters, you’ll be served a candlelit Savoyard fondue. The terrace is open 7/7.

3. Citadelle Lighthouse (Citadelle, Port du Rhin)

Open most of the year, the Phare Citadelle lights up the neighborhood and our summer evenings. Bite into a knack, share a tarte flambée, drink pints by the pool, meet a moustachioed tattooed man and contemplate the sunset – you can do it all at the same time!

Think lemongrass cream because it’s a bit mosquito coast some nights. Big wooden tables and benches, a construction crane, wasteland, über-cool Berlin-style ambience– that’s just to set the scene. The “tiers-lieu“, housed in two former port halls near the marina, regularly organizes events, DJ-sets and garage sales on Sundays.

On weekends, it’s brunch time for family and friends. Bar and restaurant, you can sit down at midday and order the menu of the day. Even though it’s in the south-east of the city, it’s still accessible.

And from June to September, the Batorama shuttle can take you there, departing from the town center at the Cathédrale pier (for the return journey, take streetcar D to the Citadelle stop). Open Wednesday to Sunday. Closed in winter.

4. Place Benjamin Zix (Petite France)

It may be invaded by tourists (at least as many as Strasbourgers), at the golden hour or at dusk, but the magic still works…Place Benjamin Zix remains a must-see and one of the city’s prettiest (and most popular) terraces, right in the heart of Petite France and postcard Strasbourg.

On the banks of the Ill canal, opposite the Maison des Tanneurs, overlooking the swing bridge and half-timbered houses, the setting is idyllic. The terrace is that of the restaurant La Corde à Linge, whose specialty is the plate of spätzle, the little Alsatian pasta. You can also try Fleischkiechle (meat cakes) or Waedele (knuckle of ham), or simply have a drink.

Highly touristy, the only problem is that it’s sometimes hard to find a table. The advantage is that it’s open 7/7 (except in December, when the wooden chalets of the Christmas market replace the chairs and parasols).

5. Quai de la Bruche (Petite France)

I don’ t necessarily approve of restaurants for their cuisine, but I have to admit that this is one of the prettiest terraces in Petite France… People come here to enjoy the fresh breeze and relax in the shade of the town’s oldest plane tree (1667).

In the evening, under the light of the multicolored loupiotes, it’s even prettier, with a guinguette atmosphere on the banks of the Ill canal. For an afternoon break to watch the ballet of the bateaux-mouches, or for an aperitif with a tarte flambée, it’s a must!

6. Abattoir Café (Petite France)

L’Abattoir Café is a café-brasserie located just opposite Lock B in Petite France. Perfect for a happy hour after a visit to the MAMC! Passing through the bar, you reach the inner courtyard and a large, unobtrusive terrace . The little extra is a pergola with folding slats for protection from the rain or shade.

The terrace is planted with vegetation, which is also pleasant when you’re looking to cool off. The atmosphere is relaxed and their tartes flambées are really quite good (tried and tested).

7. L’Art Café at the Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain (Petite France)

When it comes to rooftops, the choice is really limited in Strasbourg, which is a shame. But one of the best views of Petite France and the Ponts Couverts (and the Cathedral) can be had from the panoramic terrace of the Art Café, the restaurant-café of the Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain.

You can combine the visit with a coffee and a slice of pie, but you don’t have to pay the entrance fee to enjoy the view. The café is open to everyone, not just museum visitors– just take the escalator. You can book a table with colleagues for the daily menu, or with friends for Sunday brunch (all-you-can-eat buffet).

The terrace is large, shady and above all quiet. With large bay windows and concrete slabs, the setting is modern and designer. With Mimmo Paladino’s bronze horse above you. The café-restaurant and terrace are open during museum opening hours (closed on Mondays).

8. Le Wagon Souk (Railway station)

The Wagon Souk is tucked away behind the station, but you don’t have to get on a train to go on a trip. Old bottle crates used as table and chair legs, pallets and salvaged furniture, to give you an idea… With greenery everywhere, colorful shade cloths and hammocks, you’re in relax mode. The atmosphere at Le Wagon is guinguette!

The outdoor area is really big, with a lovely terrace, bar and covered stage. Le Wagon Souk sees itself as a multicultural third place of solidarity. With its thrift shop, plant dispensary, activities for kids and creative workshops, garage sale and fun music program with open-air electro and afrobeat nights, it’s a lively, colorful place that’s not too heady.

African cuisine is on the menu, with Club Mafé for lunch during the week and brunch at weekends. The community canteen and café-bar offer free, solidarity-based pricing. The Wagon Souk is open all year round.

9. Cour du Corbeau (Downtown)

It’s both a secret address and a charming historic setting. Enjoy a pastry, a gourmet coffee or a cocktail in the courtyard of an old half-timbered house dating back to the 16th century? And what’s more, out of sight, in a quiet, central location? It can be done!

The courtyard of the Hôtel du Corbeau is accessible to non-residents, and it’s quite possible to make a foray into it. Tucked away in the backyard of a 4* hotel, one of the oldest in Europe, the terrace is truly enchanting…

Cobblestones, old stone, half-timbering, balustrades and geranium-flowered passageways – it’s hard to get more typical. For a moment, you almost forget you’re in the center of town.

10. Brasserie Kooma and People Hostel (Krutenau)

Three terraces for the price of one ! Kooma is a new café dedicated to organic and sustainable food, which has opened its doors in the Manufacture des Tabacs. The former cigar-making workshop – listed as a historic monument – has been rehabilitated into a large, ultra-modern, industrial-style building complex to preserve the spirit of the place.

It’s well hidden, and you have to step through one of the two porches and into the immense inner courtyard to discover the full extent of the project. Kooma is a farmers’ store, an organic grocery store, a pub and a brasserie all rolled into one. So you can eat, shop, socialize or take part in events.

And to chill out, you can either sit on the terrace of the brasserie, or go through the pub, climb upstairs and find yourself on the rooftop. Daily menu, brunch, afternoon tea, you can come from noon to midnight, it’s a little hidden away, not too crowded, and there’s every chance you’ll find room in the afternoon (after a stroll in the Neustadt, for example) for a break, a dessert or an early evening aperitif.

Located in the Krutenau student district, it’s frequented by students and free-lancers who come here to work, since in the same courtyard and right next door you’ll also find the terrace of the People Hostel, a youth hostel (with bar and restaurant) that organizes quite a few events. The interior is absolutely gorgeous and the food is great!