Basel eats well, in the way of a border city that borrows from three kitchens. Swiss classics, Alsatian flavours from across the French border and German habits from Baden all appear on local menus, and the town has a long tradition of confectioners, bakers and cheese merchants. Prices are Swiss, which means high, but there are many ways to eat well without spending a fortune. This guide covers the dishes to try, the places to look and how to plan a day of eating.
Basler Laeckerli
The city sweet is a chewy, spiced honey biscuit made with almonds, hazelnuts and candied peel, with a sugar glaze on top. It has been baked here for centuries, and specialist shops sell it in decorated tins that make good gifts. Try a fresh one rather than a packaged one, and notice the balance of spice and honey. It keeps well, so it travels easily.
Chocolate and pastry
Switzerland and chocolate go together, and Basel has fine confectioners in the old town. A guided chocolate tasting walk is an easy way to sample pralines and learn how Swiss chocolate is made, and workshops let you make your own. For a quick treat, step into a pastry shop for a slice of cake or a pastry with coffee, and look out for local items in the windows.
The market
The Marktplatz, below the red Rathaus, hosts a produce market on most mornings, with fruit, vegetables, flowers, cheese and bread. A market food tour combines it with tastings in nearby shops, and it is a good way to meet local producers. Even without a tour, a stroll for a picnic lunch of bread, cheese and fruit is a good value option, which you can eat on the Pfalz terrace or by the Rhine.
Fondue and raclette
Cheese is the national food, and you can find fondue and raclette in many restaurants from autumn to spring. A traditional cheese fondue is served in a pot with bread cubes, and raclette is melted cheese scraped over potatoes with pickles. Both are meant to be shared and eaten slowly with a glass of white wine or tea. Evening dining on a cold night is the perfect time.
Fasnacht food
During the carnival, locals eat Mehlsuppe, a flour soup, and Zwiebelwaehe, an onion tart, at dawn in the old town, and bakeries sell Fasnachtswaehe, a caraway flatbread, and cheese tart. These dishes are served mostly in the carnival season, though some restaurants keep them on menus at other times of year.
Christmas market treats
In the weeks before Christmas, stalls on the Barfusserplatz and Munsterplatz sell mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, raclette, sausages, soup and Laeckerli, and cafes serve hot chocolate. Try a warm drink in a refundable mug and keep the mug as a souvenir, or return it for a deposit.
Riverside bars and buvettes
In summer, the Rhine banks come alive with informal bars called buvettes, where you can sit on the steps with a drink, watch swimmers float past and eat a simple snack. Both banks have them, and the Kleinbasel side offers the best view of the minster at sunset. Arrive early on warm evenings, bring a layer for when the sun goes and respect neighbours by keeping the volume down.
Kleinbasel for variety
The streets of Kleinbasel have the widest range of eating, from Turkish grills and Italian trattorias to Asian restaurants and modern bistros. The prices are often lower than in the old town, and the atmosphere is more relaxed. It is a good place to head when you want a casual dinner after a long day.
A sample day
Start with coffee and a pastry in a bakery, then walk to the Marktplatz for the market and a light second breakfast of fruit and cheese. Take a chocolate tasting walk late morning, have a simple lunch of soup or a set menu in the old town and rest by the river in the afternoon. In the evening, choose a fondue or raclette restaurant in winter or a riverside buvette in summer, then finish with a walk across the Mittlere Brucke to see the minster lit above the water.
Money saving tips
Eat the main meal at lunch, when many restaurants offer set menus at lower prices than dinner. Use the market and bakeries for picnics. Tap water is excellent, and many fountains provide drinking water, so carry a bottle. Tipping is modest, since service is included, but rounding up the bill is customary for good service. Reserve for popular restaurants on weekends and during fairs, when tables are scarce.
