Where to eat INDIA 🇮🇳 Bern: Maharani Palace

Maharani Palace

Sulgenauweg 38, Bern

What we ordered: For two people, lamb korma and butter chicken, along with two chili naan and four Kingfisher beers.

Cost: 92 CHF / €97 / $108

Maharani Palace is a gem of an Indian restaurant just beyond Eigerplatz beyond the city center in Bern. Located on a quiet residential street, Maharani Palace is a friendly, family-run restaurant with wonderful food.

Though the décor is modest, the food is of serious quality and is perhaps some of the best Indian food on offer if not in Bern but in the country or region as a whole. The menu has a running list of all the classic fare one can expect with Indian food from the worldwide diaspora.

As Georg points out, India is the Italy of the east. Its cuisine represents an interesting merger of Asia, ancient Persia, and even the British influence. While in India, there is of course no Indian food per se to speak of, but rather an amalgamation of regions that have their specialties.

Much like the Indian federal state, it all comes together in unity, even if that might seem like a very idyllic portrait of a nation. It may be idealistic, but if India would work from the point of view of the food alone, it would be a global superpower, perhaps the global superpower.

In Maharani Palace, the lamb korma was very delicately prepared. It was not light per se but even on a very hot Friday evening, it did not sit in a heavy way. The butter chicken or murgh makhani was a dream of a light curry, perfectly seasoned and sauced. Both were served over a hot plate with a candle at the table to stay warm. Portion sizes were just the right amount to be full but not overstuffed. The sauces on the meat were neither left to swim nor left dry.

The rice was fluffy and just the right quantity. As is so often the case at lesser quality Indian restaurants, the rice is the filler to a smaller portion and the dishes are swimming in sauce to account for a lack of protein or desire to stretch the higher cost item. Not so at Maharani Palace, where great attention and care was paid to the portions and the flavors. The naan was soft, a bit doughy with enough spice for the yellow coloration with a bit of garlic as well.

Part of what made Maharani Palace so lovely, was the service, replete with Indian softness. Even though you are in the middle of Bern, it was a short tram ride to feel like a trip to India with its very nice traditions of hospitality, something very simply lacking in many Swiss-owned establishments. We will likely be ordering delivery down the road and undoubtedly returning at some point.

How to get to India from Switzerland:

Swiss Air and Air India fly nonstop between Zürich and New Delhi, with flight times averaging just under eight hours. Additional options with layovers and total travel times between 10 to 15 hours are possible with Air France, British Airways, Etihad, Finnair, Ita Airways, KLM, Lot Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Vistara. 

From Geneva, there are no direct flights to New Delhi, but there are connections available through Air India, British Airways, Emirates, KLM, Lot Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Swiss Air, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic – all with total travel times under 15 hours including layover.

There are no direct flights from Zürich or Geneva to Mumbai, however, routing options are possible with Air Dolomiti, Air France, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Finnair, KLM, Lufthansa, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Swiss Air and Turkish Airlines with total travel times averaging between 10 to 15 hours.

How many Indians are in Switzerland: More than 19,000

Distance between Bern and New Delhi: 6,223 km

Distance from Maharani Palace to New Delhi: 6,223 km

Learn how to make India's national dish, butter chicken, and about its origins.

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