AWARD-WINNING EATS AND DRINKS BEYOND THE RESORTS
Two up-and-coming chefs and a bartender are blazing a new trail for F&B in Switzerland.
1. MAISON MANESSE
Awarded one Michelin star and the Green Star (given to restaurants with outstanding sustainable practices), Maison Manesse’s urban vibe pulls hip folks. Chef de Cuisine Benjamin Plsek brings a laid-back approach to fine dining. Menus change frequently, but always include ingredients sourced from local farms. The tasting menu comprises four or six courses, and there’s a choice between Everything, Vegetarian or Plant-based. The wine list is a comprehensive Euro-centric tome skewed towards French and Swiss producers.
2. RESTAURANT LUCIDE
Restaurant Lucide is located right by Lake Lucerne. The floor-toceiling glass windows mean that every table has a spectacular view of the lake. Lucide earned 16 GaultMillau points for the second consecutive year in 2022. It's all thanks to Chef Michele Meier, who joined
Lucide in 2019 and was named GaultMillau Switzerland’s female Chef of the Year 2021.
Meier believes the next generation of chefs is bolder and less constrained by rules. Today, younger chefs are marketing themselves through social media and value work-life balance. Her predictions for 2022 include vegan and vegetarian dishes, the provenance and quality of produce, and sustainability.
3. WIDDER BAR
The always-packed Widder Bar, which is on the 50 Best Discovery list, is located at the Widder Hotel in Zurich’s historic old town. Whatever your drink of choice, the Widder Bar has it – there are 1,000 bottles of spirits from the rare to the everyday. With 12 whisky flights and a Rarities list that includes bottlings dating back to the 1950s and special editions bottled exclusively for the Widder Hotel, its whisky selection is impressive.
Named best bartender in Switzerland at the World Class Competition by
Diageo in 2021,
Matteo Moscatelli’s experimental cocktails have been winning critics over. As a member of the next generation, he thinks bartenders now need to learn about global trends and incorporate sustainability into their work. A growing trend for low-ABV cocktails and an easy-going bar experience is taking the mixologist experience out of the picture, he shares.