Basel

One of Switzerland's underrated tourist destinations, Basel has a beautiful medieval old town centre, a fascinating carnival, and several world class art museums built by architects like Renzo Piano, Mario Botta and Herzog & De Meuron. Basel is also rich in architecture old and new, with a Romanesque Münster (cathedral), a Renaissance Rathaus (town hall), and various examples of high quality contemporary architecture, including more buildings by Herzog & De Meuron, Richard Meier, Diener & Diener, and various others.

See: 14
Do: 13
Eat: 19
Drink: 13
Buy: 14

19 places match

Eat

Brötlibar

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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

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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 18:00-00:00mid-range going on pricey

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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

Eat Not mapped