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For those craving a delectable Bouchée à la reine, here are the top ten spots to find one according to our readers!
To get straight to the point: the Bouchée is not an original Luxembourgish invention but, as the name reveals, comes from France. Yet over time, the dish has grown close to people's hearts in Luxembourg. Certain meals consistently rank at the top of popularity, and the Bouchée à la reine – otherwise known as Vol au vent – is one such speciality. It has become a culinary icon, found not only on restaurant and bistro menus but also in family kitchens, at small and large celebrations, and often in canteens.
For many, the Bouchée à la reine is more than puff pastry filled with chicken, mushrooms, and sauce, although that alone would suffice. It is a dish tied to childhood memories, to grandmothers, to comfort, and to moments shared with family and friends. It is rightly so an important part of Luxembourg's food culture.
The dish's roots date back to the 18th century at the royal court of Versailles. Marie Leszczynska, wife of Louis XV, is said to have inspired chef Nicolas Stohrer to create a pastry that perfectly combined refinement with comfort. Originally conceived as Puits d'Amour, the recipe evolved into a crispy puff pastry crust filled with chicken, mushrooms, quenelles, truffles, or sweetbreads, all in a creamy sauce that still delights many today.
In Luxembourg, the Bouchée à la reine has developed its own tradition. Whether in a brasserie, a bistro or at home, it is considered a classic known and loved by almost everyone. Over time, restaurants have created their own versions: some with regional ingredients, others with a modern twist, and many remaining loyal to traditional recipes passed down through generations. As so often, nearly everyone has their own idea of how the pastry should be prepared.
We asked, and you answered. Here are your top 10 places to enjoy a Bouchée à la Reine in Luxembourg.
All restaurants that made it into the Top 10 will receive a sticker recognising them as one of the country’s best. Around 1,800 people took part in the survey.
Readers' Choice: Top 10 Bouchée à la reine in Luxembourg
Rank 1: Restaurant Victoria at Berdorfer Eck
Opening: 1 April 2023
Address: 53 Rue d'Echternach, 6550 Berdorf
Contact:26 78 42 99
Secret to a good Bouchée: The roasted aromas of the mushrooms
For many, including owner Christophe Prosperi, the Bouchée à la reine is a typical Luxembourgish dish, even if it originally comes from France. It is a meal people grow up with, often served on a cosy Sunday at their grandmother's or mother's table. Sunday remains the day when most customers order it, something Prosperi finds nostalgically "beautiful".
Most guests at Victoria vum Berdorfer Eck are Luxembourgers with fond childhood memories of the dish. Many of the restaurant’s plates, especially the Bouchée à la Reine, are intentionally kept classic, without "fuss", says Prosperi. Other dishes, like the Cordon Bleu or tasting menus, are more elaborate, but the Bouchée remains traditional.
For the chef, mushrooms are key. Although some prefer the dish without them, Prosperi insists: "A Bouchée à la reine without mushrooms is not a Bouchée à la reine." Packed with glutamic acid, mushrooms give the dish its umami flavour. To bring this out, they are slowly fried until dark, giving the Bouchée its distinctive taste. The chicken broth rounds off the dish perfectly and keeps customers coming back.
In 2015, an architecture firm took over and completely renovated the historic building, which had been bombed in the Second World War before later serving as a hotel and supermarket. At the end of 2022, Prosperi decided to turn it into a restaurant. After previously running Siegfried in Limpertsberg, he wanted his next venture to be a 'woman', naming it Victoria.
Congratulations to Prosperi and Victoria vum Berdorfer Eck for claiming first place. Anyone craving a truly good Bouchée in Luxembourg should not miss the Berdorfer Eck.
Rank 2: Restaurant Klein
Opening: 2012
Address: 10 Letzebuergerstrooss, 5752 Frisange
Contact:23 66 84 06
Secret to a good Bouchée: A good, homemade stock / beurre manié
For 13 years, Restaurant Klein has stood proudly at the corner of Luxembourg Street in Frisange. Speaking to chef and owner Alain Magini, his passion for his work is unmistakable. When we visited him and his wife at lunchtime, every table was occupied. Even midweek, the restaurant has no shortage of guests, many of whom come for his Bouchée.
Magini insists the dish must be made by hand – otherwise, he says, it’s not worth making. A homemade stock from chicken bones and meat, combined with beurre manié (a butter-flour mixture), forms the base for the creamy white sauce. Fresh mushrooms are also a must.
Many of his customers are Luxembourgers who grew up with the dish and appreciate the nostalgia it brings. Magini's Bouchée, which earned him second place, is a classic he plans to keep on his menu indefinitely.
Rank 3: Bistro-Brasserie Koeppchen
Opening: 1907 (taken over in 2014)
Address: 9 Berreggaass, 5485 Wormeldange-Haut
Contact: 76 00 46
Secret to a good Bouchée: Homemade broth / No cream, but a good splash of wine
At Koeppchen in Wormeldange, owner Metty Krack clearly pours his heart into the business. The family-run restaurant has been around for 120 years and remains a local institution. The newest generation took over in 2014, modernising the concept while preserving its traditional charm.
Krack acknowledges that the Bouchée à la reine is not a Luxembourgish invention, but says it has since been "adopted". Its success lies in being entirely homemade – a sentiment echoed by every chef in the ranking. A good soup chicken and strong broth are essential, forming the base for the sauce and infusing the chicken with flavour. Cream has no place in the dish, he stresses, though a splash of Moselle wine is indispensable.
Krack notes that the dish is most often ordered by Luxembourgers, though many non-Luxembourgish guests also visit. Understandably so, he says, as Luxembourgers grow up with the dish. "The customer simply knows what a Bouchée should taste like," he adds.
Rank 4: Brasserie Um Schëff
Address: 20 Quai de la Moselle, 5553 Remich
Contact:26 37 87 58
Rank 5: Restaurant Reed
Address: 25A Bd Royal, 2449 Ville-Haute Luxembourg
Contact:691 313 064
Rank 6: Restaurant Am Kraeltgen
Address: 3 Peiter Vun Uespelt-Strooss, 5710 Aspelt Frisange
Contact:26 67 27 93
Rank 7: Restaurant Beim Lentz
Address: 2 Rue de l'Eau, 1449 Ville-Haute Luxembourg
Contact:26 20 00 28
Rank 8: Restaurant Lentze Parc
Address: 212 Rue de Luxembourg, 8077 Helfent Bertrange
Contact:26 38 92 93
Rank 9: Restaurant De Bräiläffel
Address: 2 Rue du Moulin, 8380 Kleinbettingen Steinfort
Contact:39 01 98 1
Rank 10: Restaurant Beim Kohn
Address: 12 Rue Victor Hugo, 5671 Altwies Mondorf-les-Bains
Contact:23 66 81 03
