Guida MICHELIN Svizzera 2019

Two new 2 star restaurants for 2019 

The MICHELIN Guide Switzerland 2019 is launched today and Swiss gastronomy has two new shooting stars. With their straightforward and modern style of cooking, Patrick Mahler and his team from restaurant focus in Vitznau have made it straight from zero to 2 stars. The second new addition with 2 stars in Switzerland is the restaurant Pavillon with chef Laurent Eperon, situated at the Zurich-based hotel Baur au Lac.

The MICHELIN Guide Switzerland 2019 lists a total of 128 starred restaurants – more than ever before. The three restaurants recommended with 3 stars in last year’s edition have confirmed their ranking and continue to represent Switzerland’s crème de la crème: the Restaurant de l’Hôtel de Ville in Crissier, Schauenstein in Fürstenau and Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel.

Commenting on this year’s guide, Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN guides, said: “The number of stars this year is proof of the high level and overall quality of Swiss gastronomy. Our inspectors were very pleased to discover, and are very happy to share with our readers, an impressive variety of culinary styles, ranging from classic to modern and from Mediterranean to Asian cuisine”. 

Together with focus and Pavillon, the total number of 2 star restaurants in Switzerland has risen to 20. For the first time, the MICHELIN guide recognises more than 100 restaurants with 1 star, with 105 in total. They are spread all over the country and among them are 21 that have gained a star for the first time. With this geographical spread in mind, foodies only have to travel short distances in order to get to a restaurant recommended by the MICHELIN Guide, and this is a pretty unique feature of the Swiss culinary scene.

This year sees three restaurants with female chefs gaining their first Michelin star: L’Etoile – Nova (Alexandra Ziörjen) in Charmey, Neue Blumenau (Bernadette Lisibach) in Lömmenschwil, and Le Café Suisse (Marie Robert) in Bex.

Among the other restaurants newly distinguished with 1 Michelin star is the K by Tim Raue. It is based at the legendary Hotel Kulm in St. Moritz, heavily influenced by Asian cooking, and run by the well-known chef from Berlin.

Situated above Lake Lucerne and opened in 2018, after 9 years of construction, the Bürgenstock Resort in Obbürgen marks the most spectacular hotel opening of the year in Switzerland. Among its four hotels and multitude of restaurants is Ritzcoffierwhich the Michelin inspectors have immediately distinguished with 1 star.

A premiere in the MICHELIN Guide Switzerland, the restaurant Le Berceau des Sens which belongs to the École hôtelière de Lausanne is awarded 1 Michelin star. It is the first time in Switzerland that the restaurant of a school for hotel and gastronomy management has received such an accolade. The restaurant Belvoirpark, which belongs to another school Hotelfachschule Zürich, receives a Bib Gourmand for its outstanding value-for-money offer. Both awards confirm the excellent level of professional training in Switzerland, which fuels top-level Swiss gastronomy by helping to provide a new generation of well trained, motivated, and mostly young chefs.

Vitznau, based in an idyllic bay of Lake Lucerne, is evolving into a rewarding destination for gourmets. The village, at the foot of the Rigi, now boasts no less than three starred restaurants: focus (2 stars), Sens (1 star), and PRISMA (1 star). And there are more acclaimed restaurants nearby in the surrounding area. 

Around 15 years ago, from 2002-2005, Zurich had no starred restaurants. Now the city boasts three 2 star restaurants and seven 1 star restaurants, three of which have joined the Michelin family in the 2019 edition: Gustav, Ornellaia and 20/20 by Mövenpick.

Still going strong in Swiss gastronomy is the trend dubbed ‘casual fine dining’. The MICHELIN Guide Switzerland 2019 once again lists many terrific establishments where diners can enjoy top-notch cooking in a relaxed, easy-going ambience, a concept that is particularly relished by younger customers.

The number of restaurants awarded a Bib Gourmand increases to a total of 157, including 26 new additions. Marktküche in Zurich is the first vegetarian restaurant in Switzerland in this category. Symbolized by the Michelin Man licking his lips, the Bib Gourmand highlights establishments that prepare simple yet skillful dishes offering good quality and good value. In Switzerland, a three course meal (starter, main, dessert) must be available for a maximum of 70 Swiss Francs 

In Switzerland, the MICHELIN Guide 2019 will go on sale from 8 February. It is available for 33 Swiss Francs (€29.95 in Germany and €30,80 in Austria).