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For years Geneva's restaurants dished up menus heavily reliant on French, German, and northern Italian fare. Increasingly, there's a more international spin to the city's dining scene with Japanese, Peruvian, Indian, and Nordic cuisine popping up with fanfare. Tapas-style grazing menus have become as common as those offering fiv
For years Geneva's restaurants dished up menus heavily reliant on French, German, and northern Italian fare. Increasingly, there's a more international spin to the city's dining scene with Japanese, Peruvian, Indian, and Nordic cuisine popping up with fanfare. Tapas-sty
For years Geneva's restaurants dished up menus heavily reliant on French, German, and northern Italian fare. Increasingl
For years Geneva's restaurants dished up menus heavily reliant on French, German, and northern Italian fare. Increasingly, there's a more international spin to the city's dining scene with Japanese, Peruvian, Indian, and Nordic cuisine popping up with fanfare. Tapas-style grazing menus have become as common as those offering five-course meals, and signature restaurants run by well-known chefs as prevalent as casual burger joints.
Although dress-code days are gone, casual elegance is the rule of thumb. Hours for meals generally remain noon to 2 pm and 7 to 9:30 or 10 pm; pubs, bars, and clubs satisfy hungry night owls. And yes, after the stores close on Saturday afternoon, Geneva's city center is virtually dormant—and most, but by no means all, restaurants close. That's because the Genevois spend their weekends eating at country inns and village cafés.
Geneva restaurants (and bars and clubs) are all nonsmoking. Some are now charging for the carafe d'eau (tap water). Since it is not local custom to take small children to better restaurants, amenities (and welcome) may be poor if you arrive with babies in tow. Tipping? Local diners may leave the change as a gesture when they leave, but tipping for exceptional service is up to the customer and is still the exception, not the rule.
Sunlight streaming through large windows, impeccable service, and seasonal Italian fare make this corner bistro a bright addition to the Genevois dining scene. Diners of all stripes choose between dark maroon banquettes and cherry-color chairs for plates of homemade pastas and hearty Italian classics. The Italian-heavy cellar includes nearly 30 wines by the glass every season. There's a wraparound sidewalk terrace surrounded by large shrubs for added privacy on the busy street.
Low ceilings, whitewashed beams, and a worn zinc bar give context to simple regional dishes like cassoulet, émincé de veau (veal strips in a cream sauce), filets de perches, and the namesake pigs' feet (served grilled or stuffed)—the selection varies. The crowd can be noisy, and table service can occasionally be a tad gruff, but locals and tourists keep streaming in, not least because it's one of the few places in town that serves meals straight through from noon to 10 pm. The terrace is great for people-watching.
4 pl. du Bourg-de-Four, Geneva, Geneva, 1204, Switzerland
It's hard to get more Genevois than this: diners reflect the city's mix of locals, tourists, expats, and politicians. The menu specializes in local favorites like filets de perches, longeole sausage, and game in season. The dining room transfers to the sidewalk in summer, and the kitchen closes late for Geneva—at 10 pm.
A robust Swiss menu has made this Vieille Ville institution a magnet for local street sweepers, foreign heads of state, and everyone in between. Before tucking into a fondue or raclette (melted cheese served with small potatoes in their skins, pickled pearl onions, and gherkins), order a starter of air-dried meat cut paper thin—a specialty of the canton of Grisons. Other choices include Schübling (sausage) or veal strips in cream sauce: both come with sinfully delicious Rösti, a buttery cake of grated potatoes. The kitchen serves until 11:30 pm (11 on Sunday), and in season you can sit outdoors and soak up the Old Town's historic vibe.
1 rue du Puits-St-Pierre, Geneva, Geneva, 1204, Switzerland
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