Le XX Bar à Vins: the safe bet of the Krutenau
The wine bar Krutenau regulars recommend without hesitating: Alsace by the glass, a warm room and absolutely no showing off.
The verdict
In a Krutenau where new concepts open every season, Le XX plays the opposite hand: a classic, warm wine bar where you drink Alsace by the glass without ceremony. It is the safe bet of the quarter, the one you send a visiting friend to when they want to understand the local grapes without booking a tasting menu.
What to drink
A list turned towards Alsace, poured by the glass at the usual neighbourhood prices, with the advice that goes with it. This is where you move from an entry level gewurztraminer (perfumed, off-dry white) to a riesling with a sense of place (dry, mineral white) or a serious pinot noir, the one red the region grows. Cheese and charcuterie boards to go with them.
Visiting tip
The quarter is made for a crawl: start here for the Alsatian wine lesson, carry on to Rouge for the natural bottles, and finish at Le Purgatoire for the chapel setting. Three addresses less than five minutes' walk apart.
Frequently asked questions
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Camille Roth
Born in Schiltigheim, Camille spent ten years working in Strasbourg kitchens before swapping the apron for a notebook. She writes about winstubs, the city's newer tables and Alsatian produce. Her rule: never recommend an address she would not send her own parents to.
