Il Cortile

The story

Il Cortile: Michelin-Starred Italian Mediterranean in Mulhouse, France

A Stage for Great Cooking

In the historic heart of Mulhouse, just south of Alsace, Il Cortile invites you to reset your bearings and embark on a journey to Italy. The phrase “La grande cuisine est un spectacle” sets the tone: this is a dining experience built on precision, flair, and a deep respect for Italian tradition. The restaurant describes its cooking as “composed cuisine” – variations on the central theme of Italian taste, executed with a Michelin-starred mastery.

An Atmosphere of Contrasts

The setting shifts with the seasons. In summer, a remarkable terrace surrounded by the city’s last remaining ramparts becomes a lush, verdant stage for lunch and dinner. When the weather cools, the dining room envelops guests in a hushed, intimate ambiance – every detail designed for pleasure. With wheelchair access and air conditioning, Il Cortile is as comfortable as it is elegant.

Recognised Excellence

This Italian-Mediterranean restaurant earned its first Michelin star in 2025, a testament to its gentle yet precise expression of the sunny South – what the team calls “une expression douce et maitrisée du sud gourmand.” The award is woven into every plate, but never flaunted: the star simply confirms what the balance of flavours and textures already tells you.

The Menus: Three Paths to Pleasure

Il Cortile offers three fixed-price programmes, each a complete arc of antipasto, primo, secondo, and dolce. Avanti (€39, lunch only Tuesday through Friday) is a nimble introduction: choices like sedano tonnato with prawns, mezze maniche with datterino tomatoes and smoked scamorza, or tagliata di vitello infused with sage milk and served with crisp polenta. Dolce Vita (€98) expands the journey with a warm octopus salad, spaghetti alle vongole, grilled scallops with celery and Piedmont hazelnuts, and a limoncello baba. The flagship Cortile menu (€128) is a full tasting: pan-seared foie gras with strawberry and rhubarb, lobster tagliatelle with morels, Simmental beef fillet with lard di Colonnata and Chianti-braised shallots, then a chocolate guanaja biscuit with candied orange.

Each menu reflects a kitchen that lets Italy speak through Alsatian ingredients – a dialogue between the Mediterranean and the foothills of the Vosges.