The Best Restaurants in Basel
In the magnificent Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois, the Cheval Blanc delights with French haute cuisine full of clarity and finesse - refined with Mediterranean and Asian nuances. The cuisine is of the highest calibre - a gastronomic royal experience.
Every gourmet should be familiar with legendary chef Tanja Grandits' colourful, aromatic cuisine. A visit to her restaurant is good for the soul - sophisticated yet not complicated dishes, attentive service and an elegant ambience make for the perfect fine dining experience.
Everything here revolves around vegetables - fresh, regional, seasonal. Meat and fish? Only as a delicate addition. Everything is sourced directly from the local farmers. And it's all very uncomplicated: no stiff dress code, just a relaxed lounge feeling with gourmet cuisine.
Head chef Michael Baader has been cooking at the highest level for years. His cuisine is based on French gastronomic art and flavours from all over the world. It has a touch of fusion, but you can still recognise its classic roots. Great wine list with 450 items.
The brasserie at the famous Les Trois Rois hotel is always the perfect place for a sophisticated dinner or a delicious business lunch. In an elegant atmosphere with a view of the Rhine, you will be spoilt with perfectly prepared classic dishes and exquisite wines.
The Ackermannshof combines historical architecture with award-winning cuisine. The dishes are well thought out and creatively composed without being overloaded. The quiet inner courtyard and the carefully designed restaurant create a fitting setting.
Because the real "Chez Donati" is being renovated, a temporary location has been created on Barfüsserplatz - above the "Brötlibar", which still provides uncomplicated snacks. Things are dignified here. Tables set in white, uniformed waiters. It would be unimaginable for anyone to sit around unobserved for even a minute. Regulars are greeted with a handshake and no one has to wait for wine recommendations. We start with Ferrari rosé, fine Bürli and good olive oil. The menu is dominated by classics. Gazpacho with San Marzano tomatoes, Parma ham with melon, sea bream for two. Our vitello tonnato is impeccably seasoned, the sauce is easily enough to soak the bread in. Seppie e piselli are almost a creative flight of fancy: The mixture of finely chopped and meticulously cooked strips of cuttlefish and peas is expertly seasoned and the epitome of a summery Italian dish. The maître does not advise against the requested Vermentino, but recommends an Apulian blend of Fiano and Chardonnay from Pietrabianca, while at the next table, despite the mild outside temperatures, a bottle of strong red wine is opened. That's right, why wait for winter with Amarone and Vino Nobile? The menu is well-stocked anyway, and the wines by the glass range from Lageder's Pinot Grigio to Prunotto's Barbaresco. The highlight of the Donati spectacle, however, is the dessert trolley, which you can let yourself be tempted by. We try strawberries and tiramisu, the first aromatic, the second quite sweet. Just like it used to be.
There are no main or side dishes at the Roter Bär: all plates are the same size, perfect for combining. Seasonal rarities are masterfully arranged - every consistency, every flavour a highlight. Here you can taste precision and playfulness at the same time.
The former Basel remand centre is now an elegant venue. French cuisine is served, refined classics are perfectly executed and the kitchen team respects traditions, but is not afraid to add a modern touch here and there.
The Atelier does not offer a gastronomic experience, but excellent cuisine based on solid craftsmanship and good regional produce. You eat in a modern and uncomplicated ambience, characterised by a lively atmosphere. Fantastic wine list.
With its narrow façade, it is easy to overlook, but inside, modern cuisine awaits in a purist ambience. Creative dishes are served as four- or six-course menus - well thought out and harmonious. In addition to wine, there are also recommended non-alcoholic accompaniments.
The idyllic terrace on the Kleinbasel Rhine promenade is well-known, but a visit to the "Krafft" is also worthwhile in bad weather. Guests have been coming here since the 19th century and the establishment has retained much of its historical splendor. Once seated, the friendly service staff bring an antique trolley with a selection of aperitif drinks to the table. A warm sourdough roll with flavored butter is served with the glass of champagne. The menu is quite small, offering classic French cuisine with modern touches, including two grand pièces: a côte de boeuf and a sole meunière. Adventurous guests can also choose a three- or four-course surprise menu. We order a starter and a main course and start with a beef tartare, strongly seasoned with egg yolk, Gruyère and pickles as well as leek with vinaigrette and hard-boiled egg. Both taste classic and down-to-earth. For the main course, we are served steamed sea bass with a ragout of green asparagus, morels and cabbage stalks and white asparagus with tarragon beurre-blanc and two poached eggs. We are also satisfied here, there is nothing to complain about in terms of the craftsmanship and the portions are also very good. We therefore have to skip the selection from the cheese trolley, but manage to share a dessert: A crème anglaise with rhubarb and strawberry ice cream. It's a simple finale that brings back childhood memories and we really like it. It was a harmonious evening at the "Krafft" restaurant, which will make fans of classic cuisine happy.
Puro is located on the first floor of the Mövenpick Hotel. The cuisine combines South America and Asia and is often cooked with products from the region. Ceviche, sushi and meat from the robata grill come as individualistic plates or to share. Pleasant atmosphere and attentive service.
In the time-honoured Hasenburg on Schneidergässlein, classic meat dishes take centre stage: the sausage trilogy with rösti, the sour veal liver or the magnificent Hohrückensteak from the Freilandsäuli. In the parlour or beer garden, local wines accompany the hearty cuisine.
Lots of wood, little noise, no meat. At Lauch, the cooking is plant-based, but without dogma - sometimes fermented, sometimes fried, sometimes raw. The ingredients are sourced locally, of course, and the glass is sometimes filled with naturally cloudy beer. If you like things calm, thoughtful and different, this is the place for you.
The beautiful tiled stove in the centre of the hall of Basel's oldest guild house tells a lot of history. The cuisine, dominated by classics such as cordon bleu or Egliknusperli, impresses with market-fresh business lunches at lunchtime or the gourmet menu option in the evening.
Cooking according to the from-nose-to-tail principle: not only fillet is served here, but also less noble cuts - especially display from our own hunt, which is served in autumn. Despite all the love for meat, vegetarians are also catered for.
In spring, Les Trois Rois unveiled the newly renovated front building of the hotel. Star architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron personally oversaw the project - including the conversion of the former ballroom on the mezzanine floor, which is now home to the hotel's third restaurant, the "Banks". Its centerpiece is an oval bar, above which hangs an art installation by Gerda Steiner and Jörg Lenzlinger consisting of countless elements. If you eat alone at the bar, you can easily entertain yourself for an evening by looking at it. Contemporary Asian-European-Peruvian fusion cuisine is served in the form of sharing plates. Head chef Kevin Bornschein previously worked at "Matsuhisa" in Munich, and you can tell from the dishes. There was a variety of different flavors and textures: a carrot in kataifi batter with tahini, red lentils and spices, a first-class sea bass ceviche, whose leche de tigre could have used a little more zing for our taste, but this was balanced out by a very well-seasoned wagyu tataki served at the same time. There was nothing wrong with the execution and presentation of the dishes; the miso salmon was also perfectly cooked, as was the grilled fillet with chimichurri. One dish that should definitely remain on the menu was the "Banks Carbonara" - udon noodles with hour egg and nori, served at the table. For dessert, the fine matcha tiramisu was a winner. The rather high-priced drinks menu offers many exciting wines, some sakes and a good selection of non-alcoholic beverages.
At Rubino you can taste the region: fresh, sustainable, seasonal. A new menu (two to five courses) surprises every day - whether meat, fish or vegetarian. Everything is fresh from the farm, prepared with love. Cuisine that tastes good and does you good. Plus a lovingly curated wine list.
In this self-proclaimed "Spunte with style", less is more. The kitchen team buys much of its produce directly from the producers, and the from-nose-to-tail principle is a matter of course here. That's why the menu is small, but fine.