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Every Monday, you’ll find this mobile restaurant set up in front of the Museum of Communication, and on Fridays, on Mühleplatz square in the Matte neighbourhood. Tharanga, or Tängi, as the regulars call her, is a native Singhalese and creates incredible ayurvedic dishes. Since starting the business, she has expanded the range of options available at the food truck, and you can also get everything to go at her restaurant near Monbijoubrücke bridge. The tasty dishes can be ordered with meat, vegetarian, vegan, or even as a kids meal. Our tip: bring your own reusable container and get 1 franc off your meal, plus the feeling of having done a good deed for the planet.
Tängi Curry
To our great joy, the popular Bernese pop-up bar is here to stay. At the beginning of each week, the kitchen crew decides what will be served for lunch on which day – in other words, the menu changes daily. One day, it might be a basil risotto with feta, another day, a poke bowl – whatever it is, it’s always freshly prepared and vibrant. And there’s always a vegetarian and a vegan version of the day’s creation. Additionally, Malso regularly hosts cool events such as Saturday brunches or speed dating. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and sit down among the plants and colourful cushions to relax, have a drink, eat, chat, and enjoy.
To Malso Lokal
Be it for concerts, plays, or its legendary flea market – the Kulturzentrum Reitschule (Reitschule cultural centre) on Schützenmatte is a popular event location. Its restaurant is also well worth a visit: The Sous le Pont offers fresh, regional, and mainly organic meals made from fairly produced ingredients – and the prices are more than fair, too. The delicious soup starters, for example, only cost a few francs. And the varying main courses always include vegetarian and vegan options as well as generous pasta dishes. And on Sundays, the “Souli”, as regulars like to call it, offers a hearty hangover breakfast.
To Sous le Pont
If you think that falafel is boring, you’ve clearly never been to Pittaria. Its delicious food, always freshly prepared, has earned it a large fan base. Good thing then that there’s not just one, but two Pittarias in Bern: follow the enticing oriental scent to Falkenplatz square in the Länggasse neighbourhood or the courtyard of the PROGR cultural centre to discover the flavourful delicacies that the Palestine cuisine has to offer. They include Pittaria’s famous chickpea falafel as well as deep-fried halloumi cheese made from cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk, served in warm pita bread or on a plate with yummy salads. Traditional meat dishes such as shish kebab, chicken or fish are also on the menu.
To Pittaria
“Freshly prepared yesterday” – its motto has won Ässbar loads of regulars within a very short amount of time. The principle is as simple as it is sustainable: Bread, sandwiches and pastries from the day before – all perfectly fine baked goods from local bakeries and pastry shops – are sold at a reduced price. Whatever Ässbar’s partners can’t sell, goes to the small shop on Marktgasse street in Bern’s Old City the next morning. This means that the assortment varies from day to day and you never know what will await you. And if you want to combine your visit with vegetable shopping for dinner, simply pop into “Gmüesgarte” next door.
To the Ässbar
Gastronomically speaking, Eigerplatz square is home to a healthy helping of Italianità: the two Italian restaurants Da Rina and Da Nino stand just a few metres apart and boast a culinary repertoire that every nonna would deem “buonissimo”. They each have their own charm and specialities. We guess deciding which one has the better pizza or cozier atmosphere is a matter of personal taste – many find the pizza dough at Da Nino the best in town, others prefer a morning visit to Da Rina for their “cornetti ripieni”, an Italian breakfast classic.
The iconic Tramway owes its reputation not only to its laid-back, down-to-earth charm, but also to a dish for which it is famous far and wide: their cordon bleu made from Swiss pork and served with fries, which comes at the unbeatable price of 29.80. And its size is unbeatable, too, so make sure you arrive with an appetite! If you’re eating at Tramway, make sure to leave enough time for a digestive walk, because the other dishes, which include breaded schnitzel, hamburgers, or open-face grilled cheeses, also come in generous portions. Speaking of cheese: Tramway also has its own fondue blend. Be it summer or winter, the delicious, savoury speciality is served at under 20 francs per person.
To the Tramway
There’s always something fun going on at Heitere Fahne, whether it’s weekly pizza nights on Wednesdays, long Sunday brunches with “Züpfe” (traditional plaited bread) straight from the oven, or concerts to melt your heart or have you bust some moves on the dance floor. The cultural events are usually accompanied by food, with everything being very reasonably priced. A three-course meal, for example, will cost you a mere 30 francs. And it’s not just inexpensive, but also sustainable: the owners use only organic and regionally sourced ingredients. So, off you go to Heitere Fahne, where the motto is: “Come together, eat, indulge, enjoy”.
To the Heitere Fahne
There’s a little piece of Valais on Bern’s Zeughausgasse street: the restaurant Lötschberg AOC, where wine lovers can enjoy the finest wines from our neighbouring canton and from all over Switzerland. Best accompanied, of course, by a genuine Swiss raclette or fondue. The ambiance is not, as one might expect, rustic and traditional, but rather an urban, modern interpretation of the chalet style, attracting everything from tourists to homesick Valaisans. Many of the menu’s cheese and sausage products with the AOP and IGP quality labels can also be purchased directly at the restaurant. And late risers, take note: on Sundays, brunch is served until 4 p.m.!
To the Lötschberg
Since the spring of 2018, Emrah Tüysüz and Marion Ingold of Falafingo have been creating delicious Anatolian dishes from börek to baklava, delighting guests with their excellent Turkish coffee and warm hospitality. Be it a traditional Anatolian breakfast, falafel, or a halloumi sandwich, everything is prepared with love. And just like its food, Falafingo’s oriental interior is cheerful, colourful and vibrant. You’ll find it easy to spend the entire day in one of its cozy spots, sipping tea and watching the hustle and bustle of the neighbourhood.
To Falafingo
In tune with its name, La Chouette (“the owl”) is a popular place for night owls: on Saturdays, you can come here all night and indulge on crêpes until 6:00 a.m. During the day, too, the small, pretty place by Bollwerk is full of fans of authentic French crêpe culture – it’s worth booking a table in advance. On the menu, sweet classics with sugar and cinnamon or maple syrup are joined by modern creations with honey and ginger or vegan chocolate. When it comes to the savoury options, the seasonal specials are always a big success: the "Mexicaine" with minced meat is a favourite among “Chouette repeat offenders”.
To La Chouette
Prepare for Kurdish hospitality in the heart of the Länggasse neighbourhood: The owner of Ali Baba always has a smile on his face and serves delicacies that seem to have sprung straight out of the tales of 1001 Nights. From creamy hummus to spicy cevapcici and flaky spinach börek – Ali Baba’s lunch buffet has everything we love about oriental cuisine! And good news for vegetarians and vegans: there are many delicious creations that don’t contain any animal products. Naturally, drinks are also served in style: the small appetizer plates are accompanied by raki and aromatic tea in small, ornate cups.
To Ali Baba
There’s a small gem hidden in a former garage on Brunngasse street for anyone who can’t get enough of authentic Chinese cuisine. Although “hidden” might not be the right word, seen as Tong Fong is a popular place for connoisseurs and fans to get yummy takeout wok dishes at lunchtime. But small it is indeed, there really are only a few seats. Luckily, the magnificent “Pläfe”, as locals call the Minster terrace, is just around the corner. Sit on one of the park benches or the green lawn and enjoy the sweet-and-sour chicken or the spicy noodles with vegetables along with the best view of the Matte neighbourhood, the Aare river, and the Alps.
To the Tong Fong
Whether a large selection at the buffet, typical dishes à la carte, or a quick takeout meal: Soriya on Rathausgasse street is a must for fans of a diverse, sweet-sour-savoury-spicy Asian cuisine. Everything is prepared fresh and with authentic Asian spices and herbs. The orange duck regularly gets rave reviews from guests – some even swear it’s the best in town. Soriya also has a great selection of starters and salads, ranging from dim sum and gyoza to the delicious Thai papaya salad, som tam (if you can take a little heat, you’ll love the spicy version).
To Soriya
The small, no-frills place on Rathausgasse street may be simple, but guests don’t flock to “LoStuzz”, as they like to call it, for the decor. They come for the pasta, e basta! It’s also available as takeout. From the dough to the fillings to the sauces, everything is “fatto in casa”, homemade, as befits a traditional Italian restaurant. Its name comes from its legendary “stuzzichini”, different yummy dishes that are ordered as hors d’oeuvres or a quick snack. But there is always room for pasta afterwards!
To Lo Stuzzichino
Last but not least: The 3dosha in the Breitenrain neighbourhood is all about Ayurveda, the traditional, holistic Indian art of healing. Indeed, all services offered by this family-run business are holistic: A massage parlour and nutrition counselling are just as much a part of 3dosha as the widely popular and well-known vegetarian restaurant. At lunch and dinnertime, guests are lured to the buffet by the intense, aromatic scents of treats such as samosas, different vegetable dishes and other South Indian-Sri Lankan specialities. Our recommendation: rose or ginger water is the perfect drink to accompany your meal.
To the 3DOSHA AYURVEDA