Gault&Millau and Michelin are two of the most renowned restaurant guides worldwide, which also play a significant role in Switzerland.
Gault&Millau in Switzerland
Unlike the Michelin Guide, which awards stars, Gault&Millau rates restaurants on a scale of 1 to 20 points, with 20 being the highest score. These ratings are based on criteria such as ingredient quality, dish creativity, technique, and service. Each year, Gault&Millau publishes a new guide highlighting Switzerland's best restaurants. Additionally, the "Chef of the Year" is honored, a prestigious award that recognizes a chef's talent and innovation. Gault&Millau's influence in the Swiss culinary scene is significant, as its ratings are often considered a benchmark for culinary excellence.
Michelin Stars in Switzerland
In Switzerland, Michelin has been awarding stars to outstanding restaurants for decades. The star rating ranges from one to three stars and is only given to restaurants that excel in all evaluation criteria, such as product quality, culinary artistry, taste, innovation, value for money, and consistency of performance. Stars are awarded by anonymous inspectors who visit and evaluate the restaurant multiple times. Switzerland boasts a remarkable number of Michelin-starred restaurants, reflecting the high quality of Swiss gastronomy. Some of the Garden Hotels can also be found in the gourmet guides in 2024.
Schloss Hünigen: 13 Gault&Millau
At Schloss Hünigen, you should feel like God in France, or at least like you're enjoying a mild summer evening in Provence. The cuisine is fresh, regional, sustainable, and always with a nod to Escoffier. This year, for the evaluation, several dishes were ordered and eaten from the bar menu, unlike in previous years when they were from the restaurant's dinner menu. If the bar menu alone scores 13 points, it's hard to imagine how many points the main restaurant menu would achieve. Very fair prices and a service team with infectious warmth.
Villa Carona, Restaurant La Sosta: 14 Gault&Millau
The regional and Italian-Mediterranean cuisine will enchant you. The kitchen team uses only fresh and carefully selected ingredients, mostly sourced from the local area. The Head Waiter knows many stories about the wines and also has some insider tips, quite literally, up his sleeve.
Grandhotel Giessbach, Elisa - Bistro & Terrasse: 14 Gault&Millau, 1 Green Michelin Star
At Elisa - Bistro & Terrasse, you can enjoy honest, delightful food in a relaxed atmosphere with a magnificent view of Lake Brienz. In addition to the well-known Giessbach classics at lunchtime, it also offers a refined à la carte selection in the evening. Central to the evening offering is the "Tour du Domaine" – a sharing and surprise menu that presents the best and most current creations from the estate.
Schloss Wartegg: 14 Gault&Millau, 1 Green Michelin Star
A top-tier organic restaurant. In its own 2500 m² biodynamic castle and ProSpecieRara variety garden, herbs, vegetables, berries, and flowers are cultivated. The cuisine of the castle hotel, nestled amidst lush greenery, with a charming summer terrace and views of Lake Constance, impresses on all levels.
Kräuterhotel Edelweiss, Regina Montium: 16 Gault&Millau, 1 Michelin Star and 1 Green Michelin Star
A wonderful "pure nature" experience at 1550 m altitude! Under the direction of Benedikt Voss, the cooking is thoughtful and technically highly sophisticated, imaginative and subtle, never playful or intrusive. Only Swiss quality products are used, mostly organic, along with over 400 different herbs from their own garden.
Kartause Ittingen: 0 km philosophy
On the approximately 100 hectares of land at Kartause Ittingen, vegetables, herbs, fruits, and grains are grown and delivered directly to the restaurant kitchen. Equally short are the distances to the on-site cheese dairy, meat from their own farm, the vineyards surrounding the former monastery, and their own winery. The '0 km philosophy,' which eliminates transport routes, promises local, seasonal, and authentic enjoyment. There is probably hardly another restaurant in Switzerland supplied with over 200 products from its own farm. This range of homegrown produce brings pure joy; it's freshness and sustainability you can taste.
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Ragaz Castle: Grand Opening of Restaurant Chutnee
Look forward to an exciting blend of Indian cuisine, Tandoori specialties, and popular European dishes at the newly opened restaurant in Ragaz Castle. An Indian evening buffet is offered every first Saturday of the month. Let yourself be carried away on a culinary, exotic journey to India.
Arenenberg: Slow Food Eastern Switzerland
Arenenberg's restaurant is a member of Slow Food Eastern Switzerland. In the kitchen, great importance is placed on regionality and seasonality. Good, clean, and fair products are used, preferably from the immediate vicinity or self-produced. They particularly enjoy serving Thurgau country-style cuisine or recipes from Le Cuisinier Impérial, one of the first French cookbooks, a copy of which was found in the library of Napoleon Castle. This led to lamb croquettes and an almond-pear tart being added to the menu. Also, 'Papillons,' a delicate cookie with walnuts from the farm and honey from Arenenberg's apiary, has already been baked.
