Taking a long day for a short poke around the Engadine while it's sunny and there's still plenty of snow. I catch an early morning train from Basel; thinking of visiting Celerina and Zuoz just to stroll around, snap some winter scenery photos (maybe get a few for the 2017 Fodorite Advent Calendar). Any restaurant suggestions for lunch? Want someplace where I can sit down and enjoy a good meal and a glass or two of Graubunden wine. Note: I'm not a fondue fan.

Thanks!

Somehow I'm not too fond of strolling through Celerina. According to the webcams the snow on the nearby slopes (south-facing) is gone, too. Zuoz is a good idea - you could walk up to Hotel Castell and have lunch on their sunny terrace (the view is obstructed by the larch trees, though). Their lunch menu looks ok, with Pinot Noir from Fläsch, so the Grisons wine criterion is fulfilled

http://www.hotelcastell.ch/kulinarik...mata-terrasse/

Get the key for the parish church/chapels at the tourist office, especially San Sebastiaun has some very good frescoes. Btw, Klarer, right on the square, is a very good bakery/pastry shop.

On the other hand, my favourite would be Sils, of course. Nothing better than heading up to Fex Valley. Maybe there's still a place on one of the horse-drawn carriages available? Or walk up through the small Fex river gorge, via Fex-Platta (pretty good restaurant there, Chesa Pool) to Fex Cresta (chapel, restaurants Sonne and Cresta, the latter with yummy blueberry cake , finally to Hotel Fex. I've had lunch on their sunny terrace many times, got sunburned once in March while having heavenly marroni Spätzle and a glass of their excellent Vino rosso della casa (from Sicily). Had fantastic Bündnerfleisch, Salsiz, cheese etc. on other occasions. Gerstensuppe is always delicious, too (and filling!). I am pretty sure they also have Grisons wine. On the walk back follow the street and drop into Hotel Waldhaus, have a coffee and Engadiner Nusstorte in their charming lobby.

Green of envy!

Thanks! Sils looks a little too long for a day trip from Basel. To get to Zuoz, I have to make just one train change. So maybe that. Will check out the Zuoz restaurant rec.

Ok - one more change and 45 minutes longer.

If another place after Zuoz, then better Pontresina than Celerina IMO. And cake and coffee at Puntschella or Kochendörfer's Albris

Stop it Ingo! You're making me hungry!