2 Best Restaurants in Rive Gauche (Left Bank), Geneva

This Genevois institution serves up regional dishes—sausage and sauerkraut, roast venison and spätzli, and the namesake pigs' feet—in a traditional brasserie setting. The crowd can be noisy, and table service can occasionally be a tad gruff, but locals and tourists keep streaming in. The terrace is great for people-watching.

The "Années Folles" decor—green-and-white tiles, mustard-yellow ceilings, warm wood—and busy waiters in ankle-length aprons channel Paris. Local diners of all stripes come to tuck into hearty portions tartares of beef or fish, filet de boeuf (steak), and heaping platters of seafood. The dining room expands onto a delightful summer terrace at the foot of the Vieille Ville.