Where to eat FRANCE 🇫🇷 Bern: Brasserie Bärengraben

Brasserie Bärengraben

Grosser Muristalden 1, Bern

What we ordered: For two people, appetizers consisting of escargot and foie gras. For entrees, one order of bouillabaisse and one order of emincé de veau à la crème with rösti. To drink, we ordered three glasses of Epesses (francophone Swiss) white wine followed by a bottle of the same and a large bottle of mineral water and a single espresso.

Cost: 232 CHF / €235 / $255

Brasserie Bärengraben is perhaps one of the nicest, if not the nicest spot for lunch or dinner in the Swiss capital Bern. Located on a bridge in a prime location leading out or into the old city from the bottom of the sloping medieval arcades, Brasserie Bärengraben has a lovely traditional interior but even nicer and less cramped is the garden where we sat to enjoy a nice Sunday lunch.

While this point of Bern might be inherently touristic, locals and outsiders comingle at Brasserie Bärengraben, giving the city a slightly more cosmopolitan character than it might otherwise have. Unlike in Paris proper, the tourists who make it to Bern tend to very much not be on their first trip abroad but can easily acclimate to their surroundings much of the time, standing out merely on the basis of a few touristic accoutrement more than slovenly behavior and uncouth attitudes.

As far as traditional French fare goes, Brasserie Bärengraben’s delivery is almost always on point, even if the variations of the dishes can feel slightly more Swiss than French. However, they have made a business of serving classics like entrecôte, steak tartare and appetizers like the ones we ordered, escargot and foie gras.

Both the foie gras and escargot were saturated in richness. The foie was elevating and elevated, served simply with toast and a little bit of jam. The escargot was perfectly tender and the brasserie bread ideal for scooping up the extra butter it was swimming in. There is likely no better place in Bern to have these dishes.

As for the entrees, the bouillabaisse was served in a bowl rather than a demi-kettle as can often be the case in France. The sauce with the fish, mostly mussels but a bit of salmon and some white fish as well, was more bisque-like and thicker than the often more watery character this dish can take. In countries that are not landlocked like coastal France, the seafood is the main feat of strength in bouillabaisse but in Switzerland, the stock must also speak boldly.

The emince de veau à la crème, served with rösti, a traditional Bernese potato dish similar to American hashbrowns, was a nice combination of the very French way of serving veal accompanied by a side that speaks to the rural Bern tradition. This combination is typical for Bern, which is a German-speaking, French city in the words of Georg, our very own man from Bern aka “Mr. Swiss Global Dining” in the words of one commenter on our Instagram page.

Served with crisp white Epesses wine and sparkling water, it was the sort of meal that went both ways. The escargot and bouillabaisse were ultimately lighter than to be expected whereas the foie and emince were decidedly heavier and left Georg in need of a pause after lunch. 

He notes the Bernese way of life is similar to the French, where you work hard in the morning, take a break for lunch and then need a rest after. It might not make for the most productive society but with the French-speaking part of Switzerland a mere 20 kilometers away, it makes for a nice way of life.

How to get to France from Switzerland:

The easiest way to France from Switzerland is likely overland by car depending on location and desired destination. By car, it is about six and a half hours between the capitals Bern and Paris. From Geneva, the journey is around or just under six hours to Paris. From Zürich, it is closer to a seven-hour drive.

From francophone western Switzerland, there are several trains a day between Geneva and Paris, with travel times just over three hours if traveling directly. By plane, Air France offers direct codeshare flights with Swiss Air that take just over an hour of travel time.

If traveling from Zürich, there are no direct routes by rail but a quick connection is offered in Basel, with the journey taking closer to just under five hours. Swiss Air offers flights operated by Air Baltic or Helvetic direct to Paris several times a day with flight times averaging under 90 minutes. Air France also operates several flights a day on this route. All totaled, there are approximately five direct flights a day between Zürich and Paris.

How many French are in Switzerland: 170,000, with more commuting daily for work from France in western Switzerland largely due to higher salaries.

Distance between Bern and Paris: 572 km

Distance between Brasserie Bärengraben and Paris: 572 km

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