Brasserie l’Excelsior

• Address: 50 Rue Henri-Poincaré, 54000 Nancy, France
• Phone: 03 83 35 24 57
• Website

Official History

A living symbol of the great cafés of the Belle Époque, the brasserie inaugurated during the 1911 carnival stands as a timeless witness to France’s cultural and gastronomic heritage.

When L’Excelsior opened its doors in 1911, founded by Louis Moreau, a brewer from Vézelise, L’Est Républicain immediately celebrated “the opening of a new and splendid public establishment,” predicting for it “a brilliant and fruitful career.”

More than just a restaurant, it was conceived as a grand showcase for the Vézelise brewery. Located in the vibrant station district, the Excelsior soon became much more than a stop for travelers in search of rest and refinement: it established itself from the outset as one of the finest achievements of the Nancy School, uniting art and industry. Its Art Nouveau façade, designed by Lucien Weissemburger and Alexandre Mienville, opened through vast bay windows onto a majestic dining hall.

Inside, artistry reigned supreme. The celebrated glassmaker Jacques Gruber designed ten stained-glass windows set in copper frames, adorned with cabochons and foliage motifs—pines, ginkgo, and ferns—emblems of the era. These themes flowed into mosaics on the floor by Pèlerin and continued in sculpted ferns adorning the ceiling, crafted by Galetier and Burtin. The warm glow of solid Cuban mahogany furniture from the Ateliers Majorelle, paired with tamarind wood paneling, filled the space. Three hundred points of light—chandeliers and copper sconces by Daum—bathed the dining room in a soft ivory radiance. A few years later, the spirit of Art Deco found its place with a staircase inspired by the ironwork of Jean Prouvé.

Though threatened by the upheavals of the World Wars and later urban redevelopment, the Excelsior survived—thanks in part to the decisive intervention of Maurice Rheims in the 1970s.

Today, more than a century later, the Excelsior still shines as one of the most exquisite embodiments of French heritage, where history, artistry, and gastronomy meet in perfect harmony.

Remarks

• Outstanding food and service.
• The Choucroute Strasbourgeoise paired beautifully with the Riesling—an absolute highlight.
• I would gladly return without hesitation.