Berne Restaurants and Dining

(Berne, Switzerland)

As Switzerland's small but perfectly formed capital, Berne quite rightly has an excellent selection of restaurants on offer, with everything from the very cheapest eats to fine dining. Foodies will be in heaven when staying in Berne, since there is just so much choice and plenty of quality Swiss fare to savour.

Locals in Berne tend to eat their main meal of the day at midday and therefore most restaurants cater for crowds at lunchtime. Daily specials and fixed menus tend to offer the best value at the majority of eateries, so look out for signs saying 'Piatto del Giorno', 'Plat du Jour' or 'Tagesteller'.

Where to Eat

A number of popular beer taverns (Bierstübli) and wine bars (Weinstübli) also now serve cheap meals, and if money is an option, pizzerias are generally an extremely safe and affordable choice. However, many restaurants in Berne are known for being pricey, particularly those who target tourists and are in the most noticeable settings.

Try to look for dining venues where a mixture of both tourists and Berne locals are eating. These restaurants tend to be the safest bets and can be found in places such as the Bärenplatz, Gerberngasse, Kornhausplatz, Lorrainestrasse and Münstergasse, but do choose carefully. The Della Casa on the Schauplatzgasse is especially good, as is the Restaurant Ratskeller on the Gerechtigkeitsgasse, where fine dining is the order of the day and the Berne speciality of thinly sliced veal (Berner Geschnetzeltes) is well worth tasting.