3 Best Restaurants in Magdeburg, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia

If the name didn't clue you in, the checkerboard floor, effigy of Napoleon, and menu of French bistro classics will—this is French bistro dining à la gay Paree. For starters, frog legs sautéed in garlic and wine, escargots in buttery parsley sauce, and baked goat cheese are almost a meal themselves. Followed by dishes like coq au vin, steak-frites, medallions of pork with blue cheese and sautéed grapes, you'll be lucky to have room for that frothy Grand Marnier soufflé or cheese plate for dessert.

Magdeburg's bastion of haute cuisine, this gastronomic restaurant is the city's top choice for elegant dining. The young chef, a part of the esteemed Jeunes Restaurateurs group, scrupulously sources local meat and produce to create dishes with imagination and flair: marinated pork with mango and cranberries, cordon bleu of wild boar with quince and roasted bacon, or whole roasted trout with mixed baby vegetables and celery root purée. Desserts are light and fruit-focused, and the excellent cheese plate is hard to pass up. You'll want to sample the well-chosen wine list covering Europe and the best of Germany.

A good strudel restaurant is a rarity in most parts of the world, so why not apply the "when in Rome" rule and opt for the real deal? Tempting savory combos include spinach and potato, cabbage and mincemeat, salmon and spinachFor sweets, the classic sour cherry, pear, and cheese curd, or apricot are headliners, with or without copious amounts of whipped cream. You'll also find Kaiser-roll sandwiches and organic eggs topped with chives and served in a glass for brunch. Accompany your meal with a good cup of coffee, organic juice, beer, or wine.