Where to eat and drink in Geneva right now

When you think of Geneva, three things commonly come to mind: watches, chocolate and banking. Now, it’s time to add gastronomy – because this city’s food scene has become more daring and diverse.

Beyond the classic fondue joints, which remain cast-iron bearers of Swiss tradition, there are a surprising number of expats cooking up dishes never before served in this medieval, French-speaking canton, which takes full agricultural advantage of its position between Lake Geneva and the Jura mountains. In one weekend, you can sit down for a Lebanese feast at Balila, tuck into lamb madras at Indian Rasoi or eat African doro wat with your hands at Nyala Barka.

Whatever you choose, Geneva is coming into its own as a foodie hotspot. The challenge is being able to fit it all in (stretchy pants encouraged). Here are my 10 personal favorites.

interior of Le Restaurant in Geneva, Switzerland — **Left:** See and be seen seated at a posh banquette inside Le Restaurant. **Right:** Delight in your very own Swiss mocha chocolate clock, topped with a paper-thin crispy cookie dial. Le Restaurant

chocolate clock at Le Restaurant in Geneva, Switzerland — **Left:** See and be seen seated at a posh banquette inside Le Restaurant. **Right:** Delight in your very own Swiss mocha chocolate clock, topped with a paper-thin crispy cookie dial. Le Restaurant

1. Eat the clock at F.P. Journe’s Le Restaurant

For an experience emblematic of Geneva itself, book a long, wine-fueled business lunch at François-Paul Journe's Le Restaurant. The watchmaker teamed up with French chef Dominique Gauthier to create a bistro as refined and well-executed as his timepieces. Even the white frosted hands on the dial of their signature Swiss chocolate clock dessert reflect the time of your seating.

How to get it: Le Restaurant opened last November on rue du Rhône and was awarded a Michelin star within a year. Book a table online and rub elbows with the upper echelon of watchmakers and their collectors, regardless of what’s on your wrist.

Hummus at Balila restaurant in Geneva, Switzerland — Signature hummus at Balila. Longemalle Collection Hotels

2. Order everything to share at Balila

Framed through beautiful arched windows overlooking Place Longemalle, Balila is serving up bold, family-style Lebanese feasts. Fill your table with deep bowls of silky hummus with pine nuts circling pools of olive oil as the scent of moutabal (roasted eggplant and tahini) fills your nose while you reach for a second helping of spicy batata harra, which takes fried potatoes to another place with red peppers, coriander, garlic and chili. It’s all brought to you by chef Charles-Benoît Mollard, who trained in Lebanon with chef Hussein Hadid. And it shows.

How to get it: Book a table online via the modern bijoux Hôtel Longemalle, where you’ll find Balila upstairs on the second floor. There’s no need to pre-pay for a prix fixe menu; just order à la carte with guidance from your server.

Les Armures in Geneva, Switzerland — **Left:** Try to get the corner table at Les Armures. **Right:** Geneva's oldest cafe is famous for its fondue pots. Les Armures

3. Deep dive into a pot of fondue at Les Armures

Walking into Les Armures is like going back in time. Located between the 12th-century Tavel House and the Old Arsenal, the oldest cafe in Geneva is still going strong for a reason. Think vacherin and Gruyère cheese fondue in cherry red pots, bubbling and steaming from every charming candlelit table inside what feels like a wood-carved ski chalet from the 17th century. Come in from the cold and get elbow-deep into the best fondue you’ve likely ever eaten. I’m not sure what they did to my fondue paysanne with mushrooms and bacon, but I still salivate thinking about it.

How to get it: There’s usually a wait for a table, reservation or not, but it’s worth it. Also, walk here. Geneva is a small, walkable city, and part of the charm of Les Armures is working up a pre-dinner appetite traversing its beautiful bridges.

La Bonbonnière in Geneva, Switzerland
Making a chocolate watch — Making a chocolate watch at La Bonbonnière. Jennifer Leigh Parker for Lonely Planet

4. Make your own Swiss chocolate at La Bonbonnière

As long as you don't take amateur chocolate making too seriously, you're going to have a ball learning how to temper and shape chocolate into whimsical figurines, as instructed by the chocolatiers of La Bonbonnière, Geneva's century-old chocolate factory. As I can't spring for a real Breguet this year, an edible watch was the perfect substitute.

How to get it: The Bonbonnière factory is located on Rue Pierre-Fatio. Private workshops are surprisingly affordable and can be booked online here.

No lunchtime plans? Try Breitling Kitchen's lobster brioche with a view of the lake. Breitling Kitchen

5. Peep the supercars at Breitling Kitchen

Breitling Kitchen is a particularly hip version of the luxury watch brand boutique-restaurant hybrid. It doesn’t hurt that it’s located right next to the Four Seasons hotel overlooking the lake, with the latest Maseratis and Porsches cruising along the quay. But the vibe is chill, window shopping is acceptable, and it’s a great spot for alfresco lunch or after-work cocktails. Get the lobster brioche with celeriac and spring onions.

How to get it: Walk-ins are welcome, but if you want to ensure a table inside this buzzworthy spot, book a table online before you go.

**Left:** The bar inside Kiosque des Bastions is set in a beautiful art deco atrium. **Right:** Just as beautiful as the space are the restaurant's plant-forward plates. Le Kiosque des Bastions

Plant-forward plates at Kiosque des Bastions — **Left:** The bar inside Kiosque des Bastions is set in a beautiful art deco atrium. **Right:** Just as beautiful as the space are the restaurant's plant-forward plates. Le Kiosque des Bastions

6. Photograph your lunch at Kiosque des Bastions

Le Kiosque des Bastions, the brasserie encased in the art deco atrium inside the Parc Des Bastions, is far more than just a kiosk. With friendly, well-trained staff and an Insta-worthy menu, it attracts bons vivants looking to eat light and clean (think tuna tartare or beet and feta carpaccio) in a leafy green setting.

How to get it: This spot is a stone's throw from the picturesque Promenade de la Treille and the Plainpalais, which hosts the biggest flea and farmers markets in Geneva. Make an afternoon of it, and keep your camera ready.

Martini at Bar 37 in Geneva, Switzerland — Martinis at Bar 37 are always a good idea. The Woodward Hotel

7. Dress up for cocktails at 37 Bar

Inside the fabulous Woodward Hotel, which was awarded three Michelin keys this year, you’ll find the new ‘37 Bar’, a Pierre-Yves Rochon-designed cocktail bar and piano lounge that’s all dressed up for the holidays and playing live music nightly. The mixologists are on point, the red velvet furnishings are festive, and on a clear night, the views across the moonlit lake and its sleek sailboats are simply stunning.

How to get it: Follow 37 Bar’s Instagram for details on the music programming. Don’t be intimidated by the fanciness of the hotel – it’s first come, first served at this bar.

Mash potatoes at L’Atelier Joel Robuchon in Geneva, Switzerland — Mashed potatoes at L’Atelier Joel Robuchon. The Woodward Hotel

8. Nurture your love of butter at L’Atelier Joel Robuchon

I’ve been obsessed with the mashed potatoes at L’Atelier Joel Robuchon ever since I first tasted them as a student in Paris circa 2009. And I was delighted to find them still irresistibly butter-laden at this Geneva outpost, where chef Olivier Jean is keeping Robuchon’s legend alive. Beyond spuds, it’s the kind of place to splurge on a tasting menu, which is theatrically presented to 36 diners seated around an open kitchen counter, a.k.a ringside seats to the Michelin-starred show.

How to get it: You don’t need to be a hotel guest to snag a reservation, but don’t be late. Seatings, run like a Swiss watch, are from 7pm to 9:30pm.

Café des Négociants in Geneva, Switzerland — Head to Geneva's 'Old Carouge' district for pan-fried frog thighs at Café des Négociants. Café des Négociants

9. Try frog thighs at Café des Négociants

Locals rave about Geneva's 'Old Carouge' district, which still evokes Sardinian charm (the area was once ruled by the Kingdom of Sardinia). Visit every artisan workshop, boutique, and cafe you can – but make a point to eat at Café des Négociants on the Place du Marché. Here, you can order pan-fried frog thighs in garlic and fresh parsley and top it off with roast doe in chestnut sauce. Where else, pray-tell, can you do that?

How to get it: Book a table at this old-school establishment just by picking up the phone. As for the dress code? Jeans fit right in.

Domaine de Châteauview in Geneva, Switzerland — **Left:** Just 6 miles from Geneva's center, drive to Domaine de Chateauvieux for their Michelin-star dishes, like smoked beef filet with crunchy sweet onion and aged sherry jus. **Right:** The wine list is both extensive and, yes, expensive. Domaine de Châteauvieux

10. Test your somm skills at Domaine de Châteauvieux

Domaine de Châteauvieux earned its Michelin-star stripes by combining French techniques with the best local ingredients sourced from the surrounding countryside and Jura mountains. These are rendered beautifully in the restaurant’s ‘hunting menus’ featuring things like braised hare, wild boar and roast pheasant. For wine pairings, you can either try to tackle the eye-wateringly extensive (and expensive) selection of international wines in the farmhouse cellar, or let the sommelier be your guide.

How to get it: Drive 10km (6 miles) from the center of Geneva and find yourself in Satigny, one of Switzerland's main wine-growing regions, where Domaine de Châteauview holds court among serious oenophiles. The wine alone is a reason to pre-book a table.