Restaurant Girardin - La Maison des Têtes

Rating: 15.5
Author: Gault&Millau

68000 COLMAR

15.5/20
Remarkable Restaurant

BOOK

13 PHOTOS

Chef: Éric Girardin
Cooking: French | Gastronomic | Local
Services: Access for people with disabilities | Accomodation | Children's Menu | Pets allowed | Takeaway
Style: Romantic

Budget (€)

Indicative price per person (excl. drinks)

135 to 155

Gault&Millau's review 2026

The Maison des Têtes, a historic landmark in old Colmar built in 1609, famous for its Renaissance facade with one hundred and six grimacing masks, has been remarkably renovated by the Girardin family, a couple of refined aesthetes who moved here from Strasbourg ten years ago. Past and present come together in this listed building, set around a charming cobbled courtyard planted with trees and shrubs. In the intimate dining room, with its vaulted ceiling, designer lighting and round, well-spaced tables, everything is white, but what really shines through is Éric Girardin's kitchen. This self-taught chef, formerly a sommelier, creates a fine, precise cuisine with a unique five- or seven-course menu. Foie gras is prepared with finesse and precision, in the spirit of berawecka, a dried pear bread. The chef knows how to work fish very well, such as trout, which is treated with care, soft in the middle, very crispy on top and surrounded by a creamy herb sabayon. Presented as a fillet cut lengthwise, venison is accompanied by two textures of salsify, a pinot noir jus and, above all, a cocoa nib fray. The choice of desserts - chestnut or hazelnut - are fine and gourmet, and thanks to the citrus fruits, provide a fresh finish to the meal. There's plenty of attention to detail throughout the meal, right down to the large box of petits fours served as a final bouquet. Axel Wanner, a sommelier of excellent advice, comments on the extensive wine list, proposing both classic and discovery choices. The experience is appreciated for its homogeneity, in keeping with the fine clientele that the place has built up over the years.