GaultMillau: Top Restaurants in Zurich and Bern
A neon sign in Bern, Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. In between: five award-winning restaurants.
Everything you need to know at a glance
With their GaultMillau-rated restaurants, Zurich and Bern are among Switzerland’s most exciting culinary destinations. In Zurich, the “Aurora” impresses with creative bistro cuisine, the “Freddy” serves as a platform for up-and-coming young chefs with a rotating menu, and the “Studio Bellerive” offers bold, exquisitely crafted dishes by Chef Norbert Kiraly.
In Bern, “Darling” in the Breitenrain district focuses on honest, ingredient-driven cuisine with a bold minimalist approach, while “Frohsinn” in the Old Town serves as a wine bar and bistro for relaxed evenings with a curated wine list and seasonal sharing plates. With the American Express Platinum Card, you receive a credit at participating GaultMillau restaurants.
Zurich: The City in Three Courses
In Zurich, you can enjoy dining in an unusually authentic way. On Bahnhofstrasse, at Lochergut, and on Lake Zurich:
Business Lunch at “Aurora”
At “Aurora,” right next to the Rennweg tram stop on Zurich’s bustling Bahnhofstrasse, the two owners, Stefan Persterer and Michael Oberperfler, celebrate warm hospitality, while Chef Dennis Mazza and his team cook in a straightforward yet imaginative style.
The highlights on the menu include Tom Kha guinea fowl, Thai duck salad, and venison head sausages. True to the motto: upscale, but not pretentious. The homemade tortellini also have a large following. At lunchtime, there are three business lunch options to choose from, changing weekly.
The “Aurora” is also a partner of the renowned champagne house Krug. As part of the Krug Ambassades, this top-tier restaurant serves Grand Cuvée by the glass. The establishment also features a lively bar on the ground floor and a large terrace.
The Joy of Discovery at "Freddy"
The former “Kin” at Zurich’s Lochergut is now called “Freddy” and serves as a platform for young, up-and-coming chefs. A glimpse of the lineup so far: Dianer Ding and Jonathan Barnes from “Dian Dian Mian” with their Chinese biang-biang noodles, or young chef Jana Heinichen (formerly of “Gül” and “Verena”) with her take on Vietnamese classics.
The wine list, carefully curated by host Rico Jauch, eschews big names in favor of hand-selected wines from small vineyards in Switzerland and neighboring regions. A young team handles service at “Freddy” with ease. When you’re there, you feel like you’re visiting friends—only with rotating chefs and an ever-changing menu.
A special evening at “Studio Bellerive”
Norbert Kiralys’ dishes at “Studio Bellerive” are impressive. Take, for example, the burrata mousse on a bed of pistachio and pine nut crumble, garnished with slices of chestnut, apple, and orange. Or the poached char with shaved and marinated fennel, skillfully complemented by cucumber, caviar as a salty element, and a saffron-yellow, clear bouillabaisse broth.
One of the best dishes of the evening? A very juicy guinea fowl breast, beneath whose skin—breaded with panko and herbs—a delicate poultry farce is hidden. Three sides are served with the bird: a sandwich made of puffed goose skin and foie gras, a potato croquette, and a mascarpone tortellino.
Bern: Two New Favorite Spots in the Federal Capital
A newcomer in the Breitenrain district and a wine bar in the Old Town—these are two very different restaurants in Bern, both of which are definitely worth a visit:
A quiet dinner at “Darling”
Outside, a red neon sign above the entrance guides you through the Breitenrain district to the restaurant three blocks away. Inside, subdued lighting, lots of wood, and muted colors. From the very beginning, host Christoph Schürch has shaped his restaurant with a clear philosophy: a commitment to simplicity, pride in the ingredients, and no frills that distract from the essentials.
Since the spring of 2026, a newcomer has been at the helm: Till Keller joined “Darling” shortly after completing his apprenticeship at “Mille Sens,” first as sous-chef, now as head chef. He cooks with a calmness that stands out because he knows what to leave out.
A prime example: Mezzelune in Brodo. The homemade pasta dough is thin and firm, and the filling of tomato and toasted bread is clever and surprisingly complex. Swiss classics like Suure Mocke are also spot-on: organic beef, marinated for three weeks in red wine and a touch of vinegar, then braised overnight, served with fabulous beef jus and creamy celery purée.
Aperitif and Sharing at “Frohsinn”
“Frohsinn” defies categorization. Located in the heart of Bern’s Old Town, it is both a wine bar and a bistro, a place where the evening begins with an aperitif and often ends later than planned. The long, narrow room with columns, arched doorways, a caramel-colored leather bench, small black tables, and warm lighting feels elegant but never stuffy.
The same goes for the cuisine: colorful, uncomplicated, made for sharing. Behind “Frohsinn” are twin sisters Julia and Jutta Bärenfaller, along with Süheyla Sahbaz and Dominik Borer. The cooking is seasonal, with a focus on vegetables. The menu changes monthly, and the wine list is extensive and thoughtfully curated.
Which American Express card accompanies you on your culinary journeys?
American Express x GaultMillau: Two Cities and Many Reasons to Return
Zurich and Bern could hardly be more different when it comes to cuisine: here, the urban spectrum ranging from lunch to concept restaurants; there, the quieter, characterful precision. What all five establishments featured here have in common is that they offer more than just good food – namely atmosphere, personality, and plenty of reasons to come back.
With American Express restaurant credit, you have an extra reason to do just that: come back. When you spend at least CHF 250 with your Platinum Card at a participating GaultMillau restaurant, you’ll automatically receive a CHF 40 credit once per quarter for your next visit.
