Lucerne Restaurants and Dining

(Lucerne, Switzerland)

The local Swiss living and working in Lucerne tend to make lunchtime their main meal of the day and subsequently, many of the city's restaurants and eateries are often packed just after midday, with the daily specials (Piatto del Giorno) enticing passers by. However, with so much choice, dining in Lucerne is what you make it.

If you prefer to have a lunchtime snack and eat later in the evening, then plenty of kiosks and bakeries are on hand to sell you freshly made sandwiches and pastries. Most restaurants in Lucerne tend to open for evening dining at around 18:00 or 18:30, often serving traditional Swiss cuisine, which is a blend of French, German and Italian cooking.

What to Eat

Cheesy fondues are always a firm favourite with tourists eating out at restaurants, as are Wurst sausages, thinly sliced veal and potato Röstis, which are served all over Switzerland.

Look out for pear bread, which is a local speciality in Lucerne and is a simple puff-pastry pudding, providing the perfect way to finish a meal.

Where to Eat

Most of the restaurants around Lucerne are far from being cheap, particularly those which tend to cater solely for tourists and should be avoided. A lively culinary stretch can be found on the south-western side of the railway station, along the Waldstätterstrasse.

Restaurants here tend to be modern and suit most pockets. Also check out the dining venues around Lucerne's Burgerstrasse, Europaplatz, Grabenstrasse, Kornmarkt and Unterden, where the Rathaus Bräuerei has become known for its bratwurst sausages.

Also popular in Lucerne are the eateries along the Unter den Egg, where the local dish of vol-au-vents stuffed with mushrooms and meat (Kügelipastetli) is often to be found, particularly within some of the hotels, such as the highly acclaimed restaurant at the Hotel Schiff.