Food · Interlaken · Switzerland
What to eat in Interlaken
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Interlaken, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rectilinium, CC0
Quick answer
Start with Rösti, Cheese fondue and Cheese toast. Huts and restaurants on hiking routes serve rösti, soup and cheese plates on terraces facing the Eiger; they are often better value than summit restaurants. Prices are high, so make lunch your main meal; many restaurants offer a cheaper daily menu at midday.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Rösti
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Service is included in Swiss prices.
- Food experiences
- 3
9 foods to try
Dish · Vegetarian
1.Rösti
Grated potatoes fried in butter until crisp, often topped with a fried egg, bacon or melted cheese. In mountain restaurants it is a full meal for hikers.
Where: Mountain restaurants at First, Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg, and traditional restaurants in Interlaken.
Dish · Vegetarian
2.Cheese fondue (Fondue)
A pot of melted cheese with white wine and kirsch, eaten with bread cubes on long forks; best on a cold evening after a day in the snow.
Where: Restaurants in Interlaken, Grindelwald and Wengen; some offer fondue in chalets or mountain huts in winter.
Dish · Vegetarian
3.Cheese toast (Käseschnitte)
Bread soaked in white wine, covered with Alpine cheese and baked until bubbling, sometimes with ham or a fried egg on top.
Where: Mountain huts and village restaurants across the Jungfrau region.
Dish
4.Bernese platter (Berner Platte)
A generous spread of smoked pork, sausages, bacon and beef served over sauerkraut, green beans and potatoes, the classic feast dish of the canton of Bern.
Where: Traditional restaurants in Interlaken and Thun, especially in autumn and winter.
Snack · Vegetarian
5.Bernese Alpine cheese (Berner Alpkäse and Hobelkäse)
Hard cheese made in summer on high pastures; aged Hobelkäse is shaved into thin curls and eaten with bread, often with a glass of wine.
Where: Dairies and alp huts along hiking trails, village cheese shops and supermarkets.
Dessert · Vegetarian
6.Meringues with cream (Meringues mit Nidle)
Crisp meringue shells served with thick whipped cream. Meiringen, east of Lake Brienz, claims to be the birthplace of the meringue.
Where: Cafés and confiseries in Interlaken, Brienz and Meiringen.
Bakery · Vegetarian
7.Braided Sunday bread (Zopf)
A soft, buttery plaited white loaf, traditionally baked for Sunday breakfast and eaten with butter and jam.
Where: Hotel breakfast buffets and every bakery, especially at weekends.
Dish
8.Lake whitefish (Felchen)
Mild whitefish from Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, usually pan-fried with butter and herbs or served as fillets with potatoes.
Where: Lakeside restaurants in Brienz, Iseltwald, Spiez and Thun; ask whether it is local.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Local beer (Rugenbräu)
Interlaken's own brewery in Matten produces lagers and seasonal beers that are poured across the region.
Where: Bars and restaurants in Interlaken and mountain huts in the Jungfrau region.
Food experiences
Lunch at a mountain hut
Huts and restaurants on hiking routes serve rösti, soup and cheese plates on terraces facing the Eiger; they are often better value than summit restaurants.
Cheese straight from the alp
In summer some alp dairies on trails above Grindelwald and Wengen sell their own cheese and fresh milk; look for signs reading 'Alpkäse'.
Supermarket picnic
Coop and Migros near both Interlaken stations sell bread, cheese, salads and snacks for a picnic on the Höhematte or a mountain trail.
Quick bites and street food
- Bernese Alpine cheese — Dairies and alp huts along hiking trails, village cheese shops and supermarkets.
- Braided Sunday bread — Hotel breakfast buffets and every bakery, especially at weekends.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Rösti, Cheese fondue, Cheese toast, Bernese Alpine cheese, Meringues with cream, Braided Sunday bread and Local beer. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Prices are high, so make lunch your main meal; many restaurants offer a cheaper daily menu at midday.
- Mountain restaurants usually stop serving hot food in mid-afternoon, before the last lifts down.
- Book dinner in Grindelwald, Wengen and Mürren in peak summer and ski weeks, when villages fill up.
- Service is included; rounding up is enough.
- Carry snacks and water on hikes, as huts can be far apart and some close outside the main seasons.
Tipping
Service is included in Swiss prices. Rounding up or adding a few francs for good service is customary; larger tips are not expected.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Grüezi | Hello (Swiss German) |
| Merci vielmal | Thank you very much |
| Uf Widerluege | Goodbye |
| En Guete | Enjoy your meal |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Interlaken famous for?
Rösti, Cheese fondue, Cheese toast and Bernese platter. Grated potatoes fried in butter until crisp, often topped with a fried egg, bacon or melted cheese.
+Is Interlaken good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Rösti, Cheese fondue and Cheese toast.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Interlaken?
Service is included in Swiss prices. Rounding up or adding a few francs for good service is customary; larger tips are not expected.