Restaurant Taverne (Hotel Interlaken) – Classy Restaurant Serving Excellent Swiss Cuisine in Switzerland

My very first meal in Switzerland was at Restaurant Taverne, a stylish restaurant in Interlaken. The wife and I had just checked into our hotel and were feeling quite tired. Therefore, we were looking forward to enjoying a nice meal before resting for the night. We decided to check out Restaurant Taverne as it was just a two-minute walk from our hotel. It turned out to be the perfect start to our Swiss adventure!

Restaurant Taverne

Restaurant Taverne is a classy restaurant in Interlaken that serves Swiss specialties, international dishes, and a selection of fine wines. It is known for its great food presentation, akin to fine dining.

It is located inside Hotel Interlaken.

The history of this restaurant can be traced back to the 14th century, when monks and nuns took care of visitors. Today, it is a modern establishment run by the Beutler family.

Menu (Click to enlarge)

Food Menu

Drinks Menu

The menu offers a variety of quality Swiss and international cuisine dishes.

There is also a decent selection of vegetarian dishes, as well as a small assortment of soups, salads, starters, and desserts. There is a kids menu too.

A popular chef-recommended dish is the Slow Cooked Pork Belly – 36 Hours (CHF 29), which is served with smokey honey marinade, pumpkin puree, roasted potatoes and sautéed romano beans.

The Pan-Fried Slices of Veal (CHF 31) is very well reviewed too. It comes with Mushroom Sauce, Rosti, and Vegetables.

The most popular dish is of course the Alp Cheese Fondue (CHF 26)! This classic Swiss specialty is served with bread, baked potatoes and pickles.

There is also a selection of wines and beers, which are extremely reasonably priced.

If you’re visiting during lunch hours, you can consider the lunch set menu (CHF 19.50). It comes with meat or fish, and is paired with soup or fruit juice and salad.

Wonderful Ambience and Attentive Service

Stepping into Restaurant Taverne, I could immediately feel the warm and welcoming vibe of the joint.

It is a cozy tavern-like space with warm lighting, where customers dine under wooden beams surrounded by rustic stone walls.

We were seated at the side of the restaurant, where we could people-watch through the large glass windows while eating.

During summer, customers can choose to dine outdoors beside a beautiful Japanese style Garden.

The staff serving us was quite friendly and answered my questions about the menu items patiently. He spoke good English so I had no problems communicating with him at all.

During our meal, he checked in on us a few times (in a non-intrusive manner) to ensure that we were enjoying our meal.

Swiss Rosti

For my first meal in Switzerland, I was looking forward to try the classic Swiss Rosti, so I asked the waiter if they had any rosti dish.

It turned out that only the Pan-Fried Slices of Veal came with rosti, but I wasn’t really a big fan of veal.

Upon sensing my hesitation, the waiter was really nice and actually said that he could check with the kitchen to see if they could prepare a simple rosti dish for us. Luckily, this was possible, and it only cost CHF 6.50.

This was later billed on our receipt as Zusatz Beilage, which directly translates to “additional side dish”.

Rosti means “crisp and golden”, and this dish was indeed a golden brown colour. The hot shredded potatoes were cooked perfectly. They were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The wife and I both enjoyed this simple but delicious Swiss food very much.

Alp Cheese Fondue

Fondue bread

Baked potatoes

Tastes as good as it looks!

Even more than rosti, the other Swiss specialty that I was really eager to check out was the famous Swiss cheese fondue!

Therefore, I ordered the Alp Cheese Fondue (CHF 26), which is made using cheese, fondue wine, schnapps, cornstarch and garlic. It came with a basket of fondue bread, three baked potatoes, and pickles.

After finding out that it was our first time eating cheese fondue, the waiter proceeded to teach us how to eat it.

It was actually quite simple: we just needed to use the fondue fork to dip the bread and potatoes in the melted cheese, and then put the delicacy in our mouth to enjoy.

The staff also told us to stir the cheese constantly, so that the bottom part of the fondue would not get burnt.

As for the pickles, they were NOT meant for dipping in the fondue. Rather, we were supposed to eat them after the meal to cleanse our palates.

After the quick lesson, I quickly helped myself to the aromatic cheese fondue.

The luscious fondue had a slight tangy fragrance that quickly gave way to a rich savoury-sweet flavour. It had a really thick and luxurious texture, and was perfect for eating with the fondue bread and potatoes.

If you are worried about the fondue having an overly strong cheese smell, you do not have to be concerned at all because the cheese flavour is just a small part of the overall taste. I am not a big cheese fan myself but I still enjoyed this delightful dish very much.

Cuvee Escapade

I had the Cuvee Escapade (CHF 7), which is a local wine. It had a very smooth texture, and was slightly sweet with rich fruity scents.

It felt wonderful to sit by the window and enjoy cheese fondue and wine, while chatting with the wife. This was a lovely way to spend the night.

Conclusion

The wife and I had an awesome relaxing dinner at Restaurant Taverne in Hotel Interlaken. The restaurant had a warm and cozy atmosphere, the food was hearty and delicious, and service was great. The price was a little high, but everything in Switzerland is generally quite expensive. After the dinner we strolled back to our hotel with our tummies well-satisfied.

Restaurant Taverne
What to Order: Alp Cheese Fondue (CHF 26)
Address: Hotel Interlaken, Höheweg 74 Erdgeschoss, 3800 Interlaken, Switzerland
Directions: Six-minute walk from Interlaken Ost train station
Opening hours: Daily 7am to 11pm
Phone: +41 33 826 6868
Menu: https://restauranttaverne.ch/en/menu

This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Ultimate Jungfrau Region Travel Guide. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?