Where to eat in Basel

Where to eat in Basel

1. Eat

   Brötlibar

   The Brötli-Bar at the Stadthof Hotel, Barfüsserplatz, has a large selection of open sandwiches ("Brötli" to the Swiss).

2. Eat

   Café Spitz

   Brasserie Spitz

   Not simply a café - excellent seafood, with a nice terrace overlooking the Rhine. In the summer, there is a special menu with a variety of grilled fish. The outdoor seating area overlooking the Rhine has a reduced (and less expensive) menu.

   Daily 07:00-21:30

3. Eat

   Hirscheneck

   Traditional left-wing, punk-run restaurant. You get a relatively cheap square meal. Always serves vegetarian and vegan food too. Breakfast on Sundays until 16:00.

   Tue-Fri 11:00-00:00, Sat 14:00-01:00, Sun 10:00-00:00

4. Eat

   Lily's Maxim

   "Pan-Asian" bench table restaurant (like Wagamama but with more than noodles). Inexpensive good Asian food, outside terrace in summer. No reservations needed, and they do takeaway.

   Daily 10:00-00:00

5. Eat

   Mensa Universität Basel

   One of the students cafeterias. Serves an inexpensive lunch menu not only to students from Monday to Friday. By no means 'gourmet' food, but you can eat your lunch on the terrace during warm weather.

6. Eat

   Migros

   in Bahnhof SBB, the Swiss train station, a store of the largest grocery store chain in Switzerland, provides sandwiches, tarts, fresh-baked bread, pizza, döner kebab, etc. at very reasonable prices, perfect for picnic lunches on outings. Similar: the Coop shop opposite the station (Centralbahnstrasse). Unlike all other grocery stores in the city, both are open late at night and on Sundays.

7. Eat

   Restaurant BaCell's/Kaffi Biozentrum

   Opened in 2021 (along with the building) to cater for the students enrolled in biology, neuro and life sciences at Basel's university, this cafeteria is a great option for an affordable lunch – the futuristic interior, which is strikingly similar to that of the Roche corporate headquarter in Basel's East, is an added bonus.

   Mon-Fri 11:30-13:30·Fr. 12.50/14.50 (mains)

8. Eat

   SAM'S Pizza Land

   The best American style eat out place. Has a take away counter which serves filling Turkish wraps and pizzas for around Fr. 8

9. Eat Not mapped

   Alter Zoll

   Serves excellent, homemade food for moderate prices (lunch Fr. 17.50, dinner Fr. 20-30). Calm relaxing atmosphere.

   Tue-Thu 16:00-00:00, Fri till 02:00

10. Eat Not mapped

    Blindekuh

    Restaurant in the Dark

    "Blindekuh" is German for "Blind Man's Buff" and you eat in total darkness, with blind staff to guide you. This sharpens your senses to touch, taste and sound. Blindekuh is one of the largest private-sector employers of blind & partially-sighted people.

    Wed-Sat 18:30-23:00

11. Eat Not mapped

    Bodega zum Strauss

    Italian and Spanish dishes in a noisy but friendly atmosphere on the ground floor. Slightly more elegant (reservation recommended) on the upper floor.

    Mon-Sat 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-00:00, Sun 18:00-21:30

12. Eat Not mapped

    Chez Donati

    Reservations needed. Run by Les Trois Rois hotel - see "Sleep", this is heavy but exquisite north Italian fare: the Osso Bucco (braised veal knuckles) are outstanding. Beautiful interior adorned by modern art, some of it by former patrons such as Andy Warhol.

    Tue-Sat 11:30-14:00 & 18:30-22:00

13. Eat Not mapped

    Mister Wong

    Good Asian food, as cheap as Fr. 7–8 to around Fr. 16 for a meal, situated at the Steinenvorstadt (near Barfüsserplatz), at the Centralbahnplatz (by SBB station) and at Gerbergasse. Many vegetarian options. Self-service.

14. Eat Not mapped

    Nooch Barfi

    Asian dishes to suit most tastes, great range of sushi, plenty of vegetarian options, as most dishes can be made with tofu. Very fast cooking.

    Mon-Sat 11:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-22:00

15. Eat Not mapped

    Restaurant Birseckerhof

    Daily changing menu of creative (Italian influenced) food, with great desserts (try the Schoggi Mousse if it's on) and a good wine list.

    Mon-Fri 11:30-14:00 & 18:00-00:00, Sat 18:00-00:00·mid-range going on pricey

16. Eat Not mapped

    Restaurant Kunsthalle

    A Basel classic, divided into the Schluuch or brown-table section, a beer-hall serving rustic fare, casual but not cheap, and the "white" section which is an elegant dining hall, reservations essential. Outside is a beer garden in summer, which in winter becomes a skating rink. At the far end of the garden is the Campari Bar, a cool Italian style bar.

    Mon-Sat 09:00-23:30

17. Eat Not mapped

    Restaurant Stucki Tanja Granditz

    Stucki Bruderholz

    Reservations needed. Fine restaurant in an old manor serving classic French cuisine, well worth coming the extra distance from town.

    Tue-Sat 12.00-14:30 & 18:30-01:00

18. Eat Not mapped

    Restaurant Zum Braunen Mutz

    Great local food such as bratwurst with rosti (around Fr. 20) served in a traditional beer hall.

    Mon-Sat 08:00-00:00, Sun 10:00-00:00

19. Eat Not mapped

    Zum Goldenen Fass

    Trendy place with good food. For an after dinner drink head to the Fassbar next door and fraternize with local hipsters over a few rounds of pinball.

    Tue-Sat 18:30-00:00

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Basel (CC BY-SA 4.0).