Top Acclaimed Bernese Restaurants: GaultMillau, Guide Michelin & Co.

Be it traditional Swiss dishes, ingenious nouvelle cuisine, French classics, or Mediterranean specialities – in and around Bern, foodies will find everything their gourmet hearts desire.

Casa Novo

Casa Novo, a family-owned restaurant, is the go-to place for fans of Mediterranean-inspired market cuisine: inside the sandstone building on Läuferplatz square, Jesús Novo and his son Dominik Novo make Mediterranean dining dreams come true. The restaurant’s pretty terrace on the banks of the Aare River is almost like a movie backdrop, so it comes as no surprise that, in the summer, the 80 outdoor seats are just as popular as the freshly caught fish on the menu. Chef Tobias Steiner’s philosophy is to serve modern Mediterranean dishes made from regional products, which have been lauded by the GaultMillau gastronomic guide. The icing on the cake: the in-house wine cellar with over 100 treasures from cava to dessert wine, perfect for accompanying the delicious tapas. Our recommendation: Go for a little after-dinner walk across Untertorbrücke (Untertor bridge), the city’s oldest bridge, located just a few steps from Casa Novo.

Vámonos!

Wein & Sein

Oh, to indulge on delicious food and fine wine … Whether you’re enjoying a 6-course meal or a relaxed aperitif platter, seated in the historic vaulted cellar or outside on Münstergasse alley – Wein & Sein in Bern’s Old City (15 GaultMillau points and a Michelin star) is a place for connoisseurs and gourmets. The menu contains only a few keywords - you won’t find out how the regional ingredients are prepared, combined and arranged until the food is served. It goes without saying that it is always accompanied by the right wine. But it doesn’t end there: Wein & Sein also offers exclusive gin, rum, and whiskey specialities.

Bon appétit et santé!

Bellevue Palace

What would a grand hotel be without the great classics of French cuisine? Duck breast with oranges, ravioles d'escargots and a cheese selection for dessert are staples on the menu at the Bellevue Palace’s brasserie VUE (awarded GaultMillau points). Chef de cuisine Gregor Zimmermann likes to add his personal touch to the classics, focusing on specific products and savoir faire. The Brasserie VUE also focuses on seasonal dishes and regionally sourced ingredients wherever possible. Unique: Despite first-class gourmet cuisine, the atmosphere at Brasserie VUE is casual and relaxed – so you can leave your tie and chic deux-piece at home. Would you like to spend a mellow fall evening on the Bellevue’s terrace, enjoying a cool glass of white wine, and a view of the Aare River and the Alps?

French. Urban. Chic.

Brasserie Obstberg

The newly renovated Brasserie Obstberg lies hidden away in the Bernese Obstberg neighbourhood. It unites the chic of an urban brasserie, the down-to-earth attitude of a country inn, and the relaxed flair of a neighbourhood bistro – a wonderful place for lovers of French cuisine (GaultMillau thinks so, too). One thing’s for certain: many a guest would gladly make their way there from Paris to enjoy the classics tournedos de boeuf, coq aux vin or tarte Tatin and the delicious seasonal dishes created by chef Pascal Cueni. We recommend taking bus no. 12 to get to Brasserie Obstberg: it is just a stone’s throw away from the stop “Tavelweg”.

To the insider’s tip

Huayuan

Gourmets flock to the Fischermätteli neighbourhood to indulge in exotic delicacies at Huayuan. If you love traditional Chinese and East Asian cuisine or if you’ve been dying to try it, you’ve come to the right place – and the GaultMillau critics would agree, having awarded the restaurant 13 points. The dishes are lovingly prepared by chefs Xiuhan und Liangfu Wang and have been delighting guests for years. From Hot Pot and fermented eggs to miso soup, Peking duck and dumplings: at Huayuan, fans of authentic Chinese cuisine are in for a treat!

Off to the Fischermätteli neighbourhood

Süder

Süder is for everyone: business partners like to meet here for lunch, couples for a romantic dinner, and groups for celebrations. The relaxed, GaultMillau-lauded restaurant is located in a historic building just a short walk from Eigerplatz square and offers fresh, seasonal cuisine. Chef Kevin Künzler deliberately keeps the selection on the menu small, instead adding "a little more care, more love, more commitment and a dash of magic," to use the words of Süder. This "dash of magic" has made dishes such as the beef tartar "Süder" a house classic and keeps the lunch and dinner menus interesting and surprising. Also magical: the large garden, where hosts Renate Fankhauser and Martin Moser serve their food in the warm summer months.

Restaurant Süder

moment

Moments to remember: Make sure to bring your imagination to dinner, because at “moment” on Gerechtigkeitsgasse alley, you’re only told the three main ingredients of the different dishes, leaving plenty of room for speculation and anticipation. And people seem to enjoy what is hidden behind compositions such as "pike - radish - buttermilk" or "celery - sugar loaf - bergamot": early reservations are recommended, even at lunchtime, when simple and fresh dishes are on the menu. The meat, fish and vegetables used are produced in Switzerland, most of it in the Bern region. And the wine menu lists an exquisite selection of natural wines, in keeping with the terroir cuisine. Host Sven Stauffer and his young team have long caught the attention of the GaultMillau scouts, who have awarded the restaurant points.

Enjoy the moment

Steinhalle

Markus Arnold is truly a force to be reckoned with in the culinary scene: When he was the chef at Meridiano, GaultMillau named him the rising star of 2012. He then went on to bring authentic Vietnamese street food and Japanese dishes beyond sushi to Bern with his pop-up eateries "Mister Mori" and "Brother Frank". The Lucerne native has since settled down again and is now at Steinhalle near the Museum of History, where he smartly combines a lunch menu of ramen soups, bowls, and burgers with seasonal casual dining menus in the evening. This dual concept is hugely popular: diners are pouring in, GaultMillau is celebrating Arnold’s comeback to top gastronomy by awarding points, and the restaurant has one star in the 2020 and the 2022 Guide Michelin.

Just a stone’s throw away

Schweizerhof Bern Hotel: Jack’s Brasserie

Jack’s Brasserie without its Wiener Schnitzel would be like Bern without the Minster – unthinkable. GaultMillau has even named it the best schnitzel in all of Switzerland! The many regulars would be happy to confirm. At the restaurant in the Schweizerhof Bern hotel, top quality is the top priority: The duck liver comes from animal-friendly farming in Appenzell, the tartar is made from organic beef, the vegetarian and vegan options are always seasonal. No wonder, then, that Jack’s Brasserie was awarded 14 GaultMillau points. We also commend it for its initiative against food waste: Guests who aren’t able to finish their meal can take the food home in a recyclable box. Each box supports the association "United Against Waste".

Off to Jack’s

Veranda

Built as a silk merchant’s residence over 150 years ago, the elegant villa later housed French ambassadors and, after a few annexes were added, a pension, a hotel, and an old people’s home. The Veranda, located in the carefully renovated main building, has been part of the house’s history since 2001 and offers fresh, predominantly organic cuisine lauded by GaultMillau. Chef Max Zwahlen focuses on regional dishes and products with a Mediterranean influence, but also likes to draw inspiration from recipes and spices from all over the world. In the summer, the food is served on the cosy terrace and under the plane trees in the spacious garden.

Garden gourmet

Mille Sens

In the passage of the Schweizerhof hotel lies the realm of Domingo S. Domingo. The chef of the Mille Sens is considered a master of flavours, textures, and colors. At lunchtime, the menu includes bowl creations and healthy, market-fresh dishes from which guests can put together their own personal meal. In the evening, the chef with Filipino roots serves up a signature dish, the "Domingo pur Menu", where a Bernese Wagyu empanada is combined with tamarind sauce or a Cru Sauvage chocolate slice with Kafir fior di latte, for example. The Tavolata, with its many different starters and main courses as well as cheese and dessert variations to share, is just as much a treat for the senses.

Sensory delights

Essort

What is a restaurant other than a place where you eat? “Essort” means “eating place”, and the philosophy behind this eatery is just as simple as its name: the dishes are not attributed to a specific cuisine, but rather celebrate the "art of simplicity". The ingenious, refined combinations are inspired by the Mediterranean, the Middle East and everywhere in between. Authentic and simple. The menu changes daily and varies depending on the season. What they do have year-round are their homemade ice creams and sorbets. How about a scoop of almond sorbet? Or some baked apple ice cream? Or would you prefer a refreshing elderflower sorbet?

THE place to eat

Haberbüni

A small slice of heaven on the outskirts of Bern: The Haberbüni, located in an old farmhouse in the Liebefeld neighbourhood, has been known to gourmets for a long time. Be it under the trees in the garden or below the wooden beams inside the old farmhouse – every guest feels welcome and relaxed here. "Haberä, schlemmä, schwelgä” (eat, indulge, enjoy) is the motto of the restaurant that has been awarded GaultMillau points. The evening menu contains seasonal 4-, 6- or 8-course meals, and at lunchtime, the Haberbüni serves Mediterranean classics and regionally inspired treats. There are tried-and-tested favourites like beef tartar or veal tripe in tomato sauce, but also seasonal dishes such as mushroom consommé or different venison varieties.

«Go haberä»

zur Gedult

It may be small, but the restaurant “Zur Gedult” in the lower part of Burgdorf’s Old City has a unique charm, with its relaxed, cozy atmosphere and delicious food. In the kitchen of the city’s oldest restaurant (the house was built in 1716), chef Lukas Kiener creates wonderful compositions with a great eye for detail. The tartar, for example, is far more than your average everyday tartar – it’s combined with egg yolk, roasted capers and marinated onions and thus turned into a delicious culinary experience. The experts are equally impressed and have awarded the restaurant both GaultMillau points and a Michelin star. And in September 2019, Lukas Kiener was named GaultMillaus “Chef of the month”.

Dine at zur Gedult

Moosegg

It’s not just the unique panoramic view of the Emmental valley’s rolling hills that make a trip to Moosegg worth your while: At almost 1,000 metres above sea level, you will also find the Moosegg restaurant, which attracts gourmets from near and far with its modern country cuisine. Chef Daniel Lehmann and his team use recipes and products from the area and combine them with international influences. Lehmann knows most of the producers, traders, and vintners personally, which results in a seasonally changing Moosegg menu that has been awarded points by GaultMillau and a Bib Gourmand in the Guide Michelin. A special highlight: the wine menu is a whopping 90 pages long and guaranteed to make any wine lover’s heart skip a beat.

Excellence in the Emmental

Romantikhotel Bären Dürrenroth

Rooms with whirlpools, a sauna area and massages: As a member of the association of romantic hotels, the Bären in Dürrenroth has a number of treats to offer those looking for a relaxing timeout. This also includes the corresponding culinary wellbeing, of course, which can be enjoyed in several comfortable salons in the traditional Emmental house. Chef Torsten Bolz serves up classics with a ingenious twist – poppy seed gnocchi and purple carrots with Emmental beef filet in truffle sauce, or sea bass with aronia berry sauce, for example. But you’ll also find a hearty "Buure Bratwurst" (farm-style sausage) with rösti and onion sauce or a juicy Cordon Bleu at the GaultMillau-lauded restaurant. And to top it off, popular with guests of all ages: the yummy homemade ice creams and sorbets.

Time for two

L’Auberge Langenthal

The boutique hotel L’Auberge, located in a stately villa in the centre of Langenthal, celebrates gourmet cuisine highlights that have long since disappeared from many fine-dining menus: if ordered in advance and for two or more people, there’s whole duck or sea bass for dinner; for four or more guests, there’s filet Wellington or the "Offal Feast" with liver, kidneys and spleen. The trip to the Oberaargau region is also worthwhile for the other creations of chef Andri Casanova (awarded points by GaultMillau) – his homemade ravioli and the Angus beef tartar are famous far beyond the village borders. You can also put together your own multi-course menu to suit your mood. By the way: there are 17 individually furnished rooms in case you feel like prolonging your stay.

To L’AUBERGE

Schloss Hünigen (Hünigen Castle): Rosarium

Hünigen Castle is a popular venue for weddings and family celebrations, and one reason is the legendary garden with its 3,500 roses. Another reason is the castle restaurant under chef Eiline Hirsiger, which is adequately named "Rosarium". Feast on a delicious meal in the restaurant that has been awarded GaultMillau points – whether you’re getting married or not. There’s a rich lunch buffet on weekdays, and in the evening, you can choose between "à la carte" and the multi-course "Menu du Château". There’s also a weekly Sunday brunch with hot and cold dishes that you can enjoy it outside amidst the fragrant rose bushes when the weather is nice.

Regal dining experience

Stadthaus Burgdorf: La Pendule

The Stadthaus Burdorf is known as the "Rütli of the Canton of Bern” among the locals, as it was here that the canton’s first democratic constitution was drafted around 1830. After a gentle renovation, the historic building and former town hall now houses a hotel with 18 rooms as well as the restaurant La Pendule. Chef Christian Bolliger uses market-fresh ingredients to create three-course bistro menus and four-course gourmet menus; à la carte options include a club sandwich with chicken breast and homemade ravioli. There are also enticing Swiss products to discover, such as salmon from Alpine breeding in Lostallo or calf’s cheeks. La Pendule’s cuisine has been awarded GaultMillau points.

Où la vie est belle

Casino Bern

In Adrian Bürki’s kitchen, local ingredients are transformed into exquisite compositions inspired by the Mediterranean and French cuisine. The unique dishes, such as the wild boar belly, slow cooked for 36 hours, or the glazed cauliflower in beurre noisette, take guests to new culinary heights. And with over 600 fine wines to choose from, you’re sure to find the right one to accompany your meal. If you can’t wait until dinner and want to start your day with a gourmet experience, find a spot in the Bistrobar for a delicious breakfast. Casino Bern takes its guests on a culinary journey full of variety and indulgence!

Make your taste buds sing

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