Restaurant in Colmar, France
Michelin-recognised modern cuisine at mid-range prices.
Bord'eau holds back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition (2024 and 2025) and a 4.4 Google rating across 509 reviews, making it Colmar's strongest case for Michelin-acknowledged modern cuisine at a mid-range price. It sits in the Petite Venise district and is easier to book — and significantly cheaper — than JY'S or L'Atelier du Peintre. A sound choice for a special occasion dinner without the starred-restaurant spend.
Bord'eau is worth booking if you want Michelin-recognised modern cuisine in central Colmar at a mid-range price point. Two consecutive Michelin Plate recognitions (2024 and 2025) signal consistent kitchen execution, and a Google rating of 4.4 across 509 reviews confirms that's not a one-off. At €€ pricing, it sits well below the cost of a comparable meal at JY'S or L'Atelier du Peintre, which makes it the most accessible Michelin-acknowledged table in Colmar right now. Book it for a date, a low-key celebration, or when you want something a clear step above bistro cooking without committing to a full tasting-menu spend.
Bord'eau sits at 17 Rue de la Poissonnerie, a street that runs through Colmar's Petite Venise district, where the canals narrow and the timber-framed houses lean close overhead. In that context, a restaurant earning back-to-back Michelin Plate recognition across 2024 and 2025 without announcing itself with the price tag of a grand institution is worth paying attention to. The Michelin Plate is not a star, but it is a deliberate signal: inspectors considered this kitchen worth noting for quality cooking. That credibility, combined with the €€ price band, is the core reason to visit.
Modern cuisine in an Alsatian canal-side setting sounds like a formula, but the 509 Google reviews averaging 4.4 suggest the kitchen earns that positioning consistently. For a special occasion, that track record across a meaningful volume of feedback matters more than a handful of enthusiastic reviews at a newer address. If you are planning a celebration dinner in Colmar and want Michelin-acknowledged cooking without the formality or the price of a starred room, Bord'eau is the practical answer.
The address itself provides useful context for the experience. Rue de la Poissonnerie — the old fish market street — sits at the heart of the most photographed part of Colmar. Arriving in the evening, when the canal light shifts and the street quiets, is meaningfully better than a hurried lunch. If this is a milestone dinner, time it for that window. For context on what else the neighbourhood offers around a meal, see our full Colmar restaurants guide, our full Colmar bars guide, and our full Colmar experiences guide.
On the question of counter or bar seating: Bord'eau's database record does not confirm a chef's counter, so this cannot be stated with certainty. What the Michelin Plate recognition does imply is a kitchen operating with enough precision that proximity to the pass, if available, would reward a solo diner or a pair willing to eat at the bar. If counter seating exists, request it specifically when booking. Watching service at this level in a compact, canal-side room adds something that a standard table does not , it is the difference between attending a meal and being inside one. For confirmed seating configurations, contact the restaurant directly.
For comparison at this price level, Alsace has a deep bench. Flocons de Sel in Megève and Arpège in Paris represent what the French modern cuisine format looks like at its most ambitious. Bord'eau is not competing at that altitude, nor is it priced as if it were. What it offers is competent, Michelin-noticed modern cooking in one of France's most visited market towns, at a price that does not require you to plan the visit around the bill. That is a meaningful position in a city where the tourist-facing competition frequently trades on location rather than kitchen quality.
Within Alsace's broader dining conversation, the region's relationship with French modern cuisine is well established. Maison Lameloise in Chagny and Troisgros in Ouches anchor the category at the highest level. Bord'eau sits several tiers below that in recognition and price, but the gap in ambition between a Michelin Plate kitchen and a tourist-trap restaurant in the same district is significant. Choosing it over an unremarkable brasserie in the same postcode is the right call.
Solo diners are well served here at this price point, particularly if counter or bar seating is available. For groups celebrating an anniversary or birthday, the location and Michelin credibility provide the occasion context without requiring the full commitment of a tasting menu at a starred address. For wine, Alsace's own producers are the natural pairing given the region's riesling and pinot gris; see our full Colmar wineries guide if you want to extend the visit. If you are planning a longer stay, our full Colmar hotels guide covers where to base yourself nearby.
See the comparison section below for Bord'eau against its closest peers in Colmar.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bord'eau | Modern Cuisine | €€ | Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | Easy | — |
| JY'S | Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| L'Atelier du Peintre | Modern Cuisine | €€€ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Wistub Brenner | Alsatian | €€ | Unknown | — | |
| Lucas et Chris | Traditional Cuisine | €€ | Unknown | — | |
| La Maison des Têtes | French Provincial | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
Yes, at a mid-range price point (€€), Bord'eau offers Michelin Plate recognition two years running — that combination is good value by Colmar standards. You are getting a credentialled modern cuisine kitchen without the premium pricing of a Michelin-starred room. For the same money elsewhere in Colmar, Wistub Brenner gives you traditional Alsatian fare but no Michelin recognition.
Two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) suggest the kitchen executes consistently, which is the main argument for committing to a tasting menu format. At €€ pricing, the per-course cost is unlikely to feel steep. That said, specific menu details are not confirmed in available data, so confirm the current format directly with the restaurant before booking.
Colmar's Petite Venise district, where Bord'eau sits on Rue de la Poissonnerie, is a walkable, low-pressure neighbourhood that suits solo visitors well. Nothing in the venue profile suggests it is designed around large-group formats. Contact the restaurant ahead of time to confirm seating options, as bar or counter availability is not documented.
No dress code is specified in the venue data. Given the Michelin Plate recognition and modern cuisine positioning, business casual is a reasonable baseline — neat but not formal. Colmar restaurants in this category rarely enforce strict dress rules, but arriving underdressed relative to the room can feel uncomfortable at a recognised table.
Bar or counter seating is not confirmed in the available venue data. Do not assume walk-in bar access. Call or email ahead to ask about informal seating options, particularly if you are visiting without a full reservation.
JY'S holds a Michelin star and sits above Bord'eau on credentials if budget allows. L'Atelier du Peintre is the closest peer in modern cuisine positioning. Wistub Brenner is the right call if you want traditional Alsatian rather than contemporary cooking. La Maison des Têtes offers a grander setting at a higher price. Lucas et Chris is worth considering if you want something more relaxed.
Michelin Plate recognition two years in a row gives Bord'eau enough credibility to anchor a celebratory dinner without the cost of a starred room. The Petite Venise location on Rue de la Poissonnerie adds a strong visual backdrop for an occasion meal. If the event demands a more elaborate setting, La Maison des Têtes has the grander room; if it demands a Michelin star, book JY'S.
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