Most impressive in Mulhouse are the many Maghreb restaurants
Tom
Mulhouse, in the short time I spent there, was a pretty little town surrounded by god-awful suburbs and industrial estates.
I'd go to Mulhouse again, just to have another look at the town centre. And whilst there I'd stay for lunch. I wouldn't be going there just for the lunch, nor am I likely to go there for dinner (unless for something really unique and good).
As I don't have a car, my limits for food are usually St Louis, Weil-am-Rhein and occasionally Lorrach (but the latter only for lunch).
If I had a car, it wouldn't change the above much. I may hit Lorrach for dinner and I'd travel further afield (eg Colmar, Freiburg) for top class dining.
Pouletburg too.
Tom
FWIW we very rarely eat out in France, as the vast majority of local restaurants are not particularly brilliant. So generally we only go out just for a change or if we can't be bothered cooking and don't just want a take-away pizza from the local village bakery (which are very good).
We do love to cook, and are quite accomplished at it, so there's really only a couple of places we might ever go to to get food that's significantly better than, or different to, what we could do ourselves.
Actually, only one springs to mind that we've used in recent years - the Cheval Blanc at Feldbach Really very good, and often seems to attract cross-border diners.
To the group, please allow me to offer a few places in Alsace that we have been to that are at the top of our list (we have a big list). These are the restaurants that we actually plan weekends around:
Strasburg - Vince'Stub - Seriously the best meal value there is on earth.
Colmar - Brasserie Heydel - You never know whats on special...but it will be special.
Itterswiller - Arnold La Winstub - The finest Alsatian I'v had yet. Their Baeckeoffe will make you cry.
Riquewihr - La Grenouille - The other restaurant owners in town eat here.
So thats it...go to one of these places and enjoy.
A bigger attraction for me would be access from public transport. French food without French wine is just a missed opportunity, but I don't like driving after even one glass. It's not much better going as a couple, with one person stuck with at least a carafe and the other on mineral water.
However, given what passes for public transport in the Alsace, finding a place which is practical by bus and train for a weeknight evening or Sunday meal will be a challenge. Mulhouse/Colmar is probably the best bet in that regard.