World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Geneva  - Food and Drink
Food and Drink

Traditional Swiss fondues are a cheesy concoction with a touch of white wine. Unusual varieties, such as tomato and mushroom (bolets) fondue, are worth seeking out, but chocolate fondue is an invention for tourists. Fondue and Lake Geneva's fresh perch are both best accompanied by the reasonably priced local wine, among which Pinot Noir (best served with duck, game and red meats), Pinot Blanc (ideal as an aperitif or with fish, raclette or fondue à la tomate) and Kerner (delicious with smoked salmon) are particularly recommended. Desserts are calorific: creamy Swiss chocolate mousse and spicy strudels and pastries.

Geneva has about 1000 restaurants and plenty of informal bistros and cafés. The top restaurants are all elegant and expensive, mostly serving French cuisine. Thai restaurants are a new talking point. The best restaurants tend to close at weekends, and are always busy during the week, so prior booking is recommended.

Although eating out tends to be expensive (prices range from SFr50-200), the plat du jour at lunchtime or the menu in the evening are usually the best value.

Restaurants

The Chat Botté, at the Hôtel Beau-Rivage, Quai du Mont-Blanc 13 (tel: (022) 716 6920), is one of Geneva's most prestigious bonnes adresses, serving high-quality French cuisine. The tables overlooking the kitchen are particularly popular, as guests try to catch the tricks of the trade through the large windows. The three-course business lunch costs SFr60; dinner costs SFr115/145 for 3/4 courses. A chic Thai restaurant, Le Patara, has also recently opened in this hotel.

The Auberge du Lion d'Or (tel: (022) 736 4432), Place Gautier 5 in the Cologny district - the Beverly Hills of Geneva - is another gastronomic restaurant, with an elegant interior and a summer terrace with a spectacular view onto Lake Geneva. Diners should expect to pay SFr160 for three courses.

Away from the centre, the Michelin-starred Domaine de Châteauvieux - masterminded by chef Philippe Chevrier - lies in the charming village of Peney-Dessus, Satigny (tel: (022) 753 1511). Its interior is both elegant and rustic, with high wooden chairs, a real fire for winter and a terrace for summer. Dinner features 6/7 courses for SFr155/190.

Chef Monsieur Bourgand, of the neighbouring Café de Peney, Route d'Aire-la-Ville 130 (tel: (022) 753 1755), learned his trade from Philippe Chevrier - and it shows. The green-and-yellow-tiled dining room is charming, the service impeccable and French cuisine (from SFr42) uplifting. Still in the countryside, the romantic Auberge de Confignon, Place de l'Église 6, in the village of Confignon (tel: (022) 757 1944), offers inventive French cuisine and beautifully presented dishes for mid-range prices. In summer, you can dine on the terrace with its views of the French mountains. A three-course meal costs SFr52.

For traditional Swiss cuisine and surroundings, try Les Armures, Rue du Puits-St-Pierre 1 (tel: (022) 310 3442), in a fifteenth-century building with beamed interior in the heart of the Old Town. The menu offers mushroom and tomato fondues, fish, meat and pizzas; prices start from SFr50. For good cheese fondue (including that sought-after tomato variety), try Aux Vieux Carouge at Rue Jacques-Dalphin 27 (tel: (022) 342 6498).

A wise budget choice is the Echalotte at Rue des Rois 17 (tel: (022) 320 5999). This typical bistro serves a good meal in the range of SFr50.

Cafés

Geneva has a strong café culture; so much so that the mid-August Fêtes de Genève includes a traditional café waiters' race.

The most enchanting places to hang out are scattered around the pretty Old Town. However, for people-watching, as well as coffee and cakes or even more substantial fare, a good bet is one of the five, 24-hour Mövenpick outlets. Mövenpick Marché is located in the airport and makes for a pleasant first taste of the city, while Mövenpick Fusterie, at the square leading off the Rue du Rhône, has a large terrace and a mirrored interior that are perfect for watching the beautiful people.



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