207 Best Restaurants in Switzerland

Just past Spreuerbrücke on Luzerne's largest historic square, with views of the river and the glitzy Chateau Gütsch, this brasserie-style café-bar-restaurant arranges seasonal ingredients into dishes such as pulled beef with rucola and burrata or pumpkin spaghetti with chestnuts and pesto. The menu changes regularly, but it’s always one of the best places in town for homemade cake.

This popular establishment has been feeding travelers since 1931 in what was originally built as a farmhouse in 1858, now containing a beautifully contrived collection of 17th-century antiques, leaded glass, and an old-world style—everything pleasantly burnished by more than 90 years of service. The standing menu includes specialties from around the country: sliced calf liver with Rösti, cheese croquettes with tomato sauce, and chocolate mousse. In warm weather you can enjoy your meal in the outdoor seating area, which spills out onto the pedestrian-only zone.

Across from the waterfront east of the town center, this unashamedly nouvelle restaurant serves innovative Franco-Italian cuisine that's absolutely top quality. You can have an aperitif on the lakefront terrace before sitting down to a meal in a chic environment with warm terra-cotta tiles and dark-wood furniture. There are meal plans to suit every wallet, from the moderately priced business lunch to the lavish five-course menu de dégustation (sampling menu). 

For a candlelit, romantic Swiss meal with a truly spectacular view, take the funicular up to the restaurant at the Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl. The rustic-chic setting and expansive terrace provide perfect outlooks to the lakes and mountains as you dine on local and seasonal specialties. Though there's a large selection of meat and game dishes (in season), fish-lovers and vegetarians will also find satisfying choices. Bring your appetite, because the portions are large and the food is hearty. The large wine list includes lots of fine choices from Graubünden vineyards.

Cavernous ceilings and broadly spaced tables illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows characterize this restaurant, a few blocks from the lake. Executive chef Tarik Lange’s innovative take on regional flavors includes dishes like the secret cut of beef with whisper-thin sweet potato fries, or shellfish bisque with ginger and pineapple, followed by the house cheesecake with sea buckthorn. Pair your meal with a wine from the 3,000-strong cellar. The lamplit and leafy outdoor seating is charming on balmy evenings, when you’ll mingle with businesspeople enjoying after-work drinks.

In the late 1600s, postal workers traveling the Oberland needed a place to eat and swap horses, and they found what they needed in this lumbering wood chalet, one of the oldest buildings in the area. Today the Amacher family taps into its 10 generations of experience running the place to serve outstanding Swiss specialties: Don't miss what could arguably be the country's best suure mocke, a tangy braised-meat dish that's marinated in wine and vinegar for two weeks, or opt for one of their traditional fondues, Röstis, or Swiss meat dishes. More than half the guests are locals who gather among the thick, lumpy walls of plastered river rock to sample about 30 wines, many of which are Swiss. Yummy desserts like apple pies and meringues are hard to pass up.

Chef Franck Giovannini is winning hearts—and stomachs—with his fresh twist on haute cuisine. The three-Michelin-star restaurant has seen a string of legendary chefs at its helm, but Giovannini is propelling it to even higher accolades and upholding the restaurant's well-earned reputation as one of the best in Switzerland. It's a quick drive west from Lausanne to this understated manse. The service is spectacular, the staff is friendly, and the food is absolutely stellar. Giovannini creates imaginative combinations of flavors plus stunningly refined presentations. For these finely orchestrated prix-fixe menus the ingredients are key—lamb raised in the Pyrenees, cardoons (an artichokelike vegetable) grown in the village. Pace yourself, making sure to leave time and room for selections from the immense cheese cart or celestial desserts. Reserve as far ahead as possible—lunch may be your only option.

The inviting restaurant inside Boutique Hotel Glacier has prime views of the Eiger mountain and puts a contemporary twist on seasonal and local ingredients. Choose from a three-, five-, or seven-course fish, meat, or vegan menu, with beautifully presented dishes using Alpine sturgeon, veal, Grindelwald honey, elderflower, and other regional products. Wine, a passion of the hotel’s owner, is a huge part of the experience, with more than 150 wines—many organic and biodynamic—available by the glass; pair wines or juices with your tasting menu for a memorably delicious experience.

With a covered terrace overlooking the River Aare and a chef known as the "Ravioli King,"  this historic kitchen makes a worthy stop for house-made pasta, coq au vin, or Wiener schnitzel, along with an extensive choice of Swiss wines. Three- or five-course surprise menus let you taste the chef's signature dishes at fairly gentle prices for Switzerland. The history of zum Zähringer dates back to the time when Badgasse (Bath Street) was Bern's red-light district, and the inn on the corner was a favorite with Giacomo Casanova.

Tidy, bright, and modern, this second-floor restaurant may lack the historic feel of some of its neighbors, but it features remarkable cooking from a well-regarded chef. Look for locally sourced dishes such as white fish and root vegetables marinated in honey, or lamb shanks with chanterelle mushrooms, seasonal vegetables, and bread dumplings. The café draws local families at lunch; business executives choose the slightly more formal dining room.

This overflowing tearoom with exquisite pastries, run today by the third generation of the Taillens family, is a landmark beloved by locals and visitors alike and a must-stop before or after an activity-packed day. Light meals—salads, soups, and sandwiches—keep service clipping along at a fast pace; peruse the dessert cases for decadent concoctions of chocolate, fruit, sugar, and whipped cream.

The menu, inspired by Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, sees cold-weather ingredients like truffles, cream, and polenta transition to tomatoes, basil, and fennel as the weather warms up. Meat lovers should consider the classic "Bollito misto" dish served with a green sauce. The wine cellar, visible through glass doors off the dining room, ranges all over Italy. Meanwhile, the stunning stone-walled basement regularly hosts events like family-style dinners and wine tastings.

This bustling and spacious all-day brasserie with pinstripe room dividers and a sunny terrace has been a go-to since 1910 when it opened in Helvetiaplatz. It's versatile enough for any occasion, from a birthday party to a quiet Sunday supper. The menu is heavy on Swiss comfort classics—beef tartare with buttered toast and crispy cordon bleu oozing melted Emmental cheese, for example. Seasonal fare is never overlooked: the fall menu might include chestnut penne with mushroom cream and pumpkin risotto with port fig. Several plant-based options such as warm lentil salad with parsley roots ensure vegans won’t be stuck with pasta again.

Dating back to 1789, this cozy and central local favorite offers three delightful settings: a small Stübli (Swiss pub) full of waxed and weathered wood, a graceful tile-stove dining room with antiques, and a private garden thick with wisteria and luxuriant trees. Specialties include hearty dishes such as beef with white asparagus, and buttered Rösti with goat cheese.

Zum Goldenen Fass (the Golden Barrel) bills itself as "radically seasonal and totally regional," with the emphasis on the unique rather than the traditional. Come not for tablecloths or thick menus—you won’t find them—but instead for the focus on local, natural, and sustainable products. Their preparation methods include smoking, drying, fermenting, and preserving, so that you can partake of seasonal produce year-round. Other than the homemade meatballs and famous fish-and-chips, expect a regularly changing menu and an excellent wine list.

Under painted vaults and wood-paneled walls that climb to restored century-old murals depicting gallivanting cherubs, businesspeople, workers, and shoppers share crowded tables around a stucco marble pillar to feast on generous hot dishes and a great selection of sausages. The Leberknödl (liver dumplings) are tasty, and the perch, a local specialty, is breaded and baked and comes with tartar sauce and steamed potatoes. The Öpfelküchli (fried apple slices rolled in cinnamon and sugar) are tender and sweet. The bustle and clatter provide a lively, sociable experience, and you'll more than likely get to know your neighbor.

This charming retro-style eatery, part of the bed-and-breakfast of the same name, serves up eggs, smoothie bowls, and sandwiches for breakfast and lunch at a lovely location along the Aare River. You can also swing by for cake and coffee, or order wine or local craft beer with snacks throughout the day.

The 450-year-old cellar underneath the Adler Hotel on the edge of Appenzell town is the place for fondue in the winter. Carved-wood-paneled walls, a dark medieval room, and ancient glassed-over cobblestones are a bit chilly and museumlike, but the friendly service and excellent local wine list will warm you right back up.

This friendly, glassed-in coffee bar serves fresh croissants from 7 am (9 am on Sunday), sandwiches throughout the day, and wine or beer to a sidewalk crowd come nightfall.

This carved-wood-and-shingle 17th-century landmark attracts both locals and travelers with its two restaurants: The Bistro serves old-style Swiss cuisine—try the felchen (a kind of whitefish) from nearby Lake Brienz or the Wiener schnitzel—while the Gourmetstübli, a showcase for chef Richard Stöckli's renowned international fare, features four- to seven-course menus that may include fish and mussels in a saffron-pepper sauce or an Alp cheese ravioli with brown butter foam. The established wine cellar offers Swiss and international wines; should you have a few too many glasses, there is always the option of staying over, as the Alpenblick is also a hotel, with rooms spread over two chalets. The place is in Wilderswil, 2 km (1 mile) south of Interlaken.

It doesn't get more Swiss than this: the ingredients, the recipes, the wines, and the decor are all Helvetian (and though traditional, there's a youthful vibe). Enjoy seasonal dishes such as veal meat loaf with mushroom cream sauce, or organic trout with herbs and garlic; the owners' devotion to local ingredients means the menu often changes. The interior is elegantly casual, with wainscoting and etched-glass windows, linen tablecloths, a mounted chamois head, and paintings of the Matterhorn and other well-known landmarks. 

A beer hall at heart, this restaurant brews lager, amber, and wheat varieties in copper vats behind the bar. Filling dishes like flammkuchen, cordon bleu, Weisswurst, and warm pretzels filled with ham pair perfectly with the house brews. There are also a few vegetarian dishes. Don't miss the outdoor beer garden overlooking the Altstadt. The kitchen stays open from 11 am to at least 11 pm every day of the year.

The menu at this culinary landmark is based on market-fresh ingredients and may include such ample fare as a triumvirate of fillets (beef, veal, lamb) with fresh vegetables and potatoes, but can also be more inventive, in the form of veal Provençal. Vegetarians are asked to please contact the restaurant in advance so something special can be prepared. The enormous wine list will complement any meal. Rubbing shoulders with the town's cathedral, the renovated historic property entices with a castellated exterior, turreted and hued in pink. Inside, things get more stolid, with most of the action taking place in the main Rôtisserie room—a large chamber replete with cross-vaulted ceilings and modern chandeliers.

Set on one of Sion's Old Town cobblestone streets, this congenial bistro is bustling around noon, when locals take their midday meal accompanied by a glass of Dôle (a Pinot Noir and Gamay blend unique to Valais) or bière valaisanne. Top billing on the menu goes to Valais beef and seafood, but traditional dishes such as civet de chevreuil (venison stew) with Spätzle may appear during hunting season; for dessert, try wonderfully aromatic Mara strawberries (in season).

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.

Set amid Gruyères's most historic buildings, the exterior of this medieval structure welcomes guests with cheerful flower boxes and green-and-white-stripe awnings. Inside, a warm woody interior with raftered ceiling and smooth stone floors offers an appealing setting in which to enjoy traditional dishes such as a moitié-moitié (half Gruyère, half Vacherin Fribourgeois) fondue. The definitely worth-trying signature dish is called Soupe du Chalet, and is a meal unto itself. Sit in the section called "the veranda" to enjoy great views with your meal.

The Auberge de Luins is beloved by locals and tourists alike—there is often a cluster of villagers gathered at the community table debating the quality of the latest vintage or regional politics.

This Italian eatery, just steps from Nyon's château, serves straightforward fare, well-priced plats du jour, and specialty items like shrimp and vegetables on a pillow of saffron cream. An expansive terrace lets diners study the château; in winter, broad windows reveal the comings and goings on the municipal plaza. In fall, the menu expands to include an assortment of game and locally picked mushrooms.

Meat is the name of the game at this deli-inspired restaurant with private booths and terrazzo floors, where grass-fed game is sourced directly from Swiss butchers and farmers. Classics include leberkäese (meat loaf), homemade pâtés, gelatinous terrines, aspics, air-cured mountain meat, and steak pies. Vegans can always expect one or two dishes on the rotating menu to keep the whole table happy.

On the shores of Lake Geneva, this gourmet French restaurant is the epitome of elegance and refinement. The tasting menu features an array of artistically plated small dishes that is perfectly paired with the robust wine list. Be sure to save room for the selection of cheeses displayed in a rolling, table-side cart.