after I read your question I asked a friend who was born in Baden-Baden and has still family there....

The funny thing is - her recommendation concerning a restaurant..... was Italian cuisine *g*

On the Fremersberg (a hill) where you can only get via bus or walking (with nice views to the Rhine valley she says) seems to be a nice italian restaurant.

As her family rarely goes to restaurants in Baden-Baden she had no further suggestions for special restaurants.

Local dishes: In the afternoon take a plum cake ("Zwetschgenkuchen") to a cup of coffee or tea. Main dishes could be "Rehrücken" (deer meat) with "Rotkohl" (red cabbage) and "Schupfnudeln" (something like italian Gnocchi in a different shape but very special for the south west of Germany) - or any other combination with Schupf-nudeln e.g.

hth Baerbel, near Stuttgart