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Restaurants + Cafés

LoveChick_en
26 Jul 18

Le Contretemps: A Summer with LoveChick

Le Contretemps is one of those special places, where every single time we take a seat on its lovely terrace, watch our kids run across the perfectly manicured green lawn towards the playground, and gaze out onto the turquoise green waters of the Lake while sipping our sparkling rosé, we look at one another and think why the heck do we not come here every.single.weekend? So when we heard about their new summer menu, but also a special collaboration with LoveChick (who boasts a unique BBQing system that produces some of the most healthy and most tasty chicken in town), we knew we had to make our way to Territet. And as usual, the experience did not disappoint. Territet may be *a bit* of a commute for some of you who prefer to stay in Lausanne. But when you’re talking about insane views matched with insane flavors, we think the
CPC_coffee3
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18 Jul 18

Ça Passe Crème

With a shared history in Lausanne, Steeve and Davide knew that they had an obligation, a duty, to bring the art of coffee to this city. We are so glad they did.
Boat
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12 Jul 18

La Table du Beau-Rivage Palace, Croisière Gourmande

Each summer, we set off with the goal of discovering that perfect terrace – the one with the wide open view, uninterrupted by noise, and ideally positioned to glimpse the best of the sunset. Undoubtedly there are lots of great places in the area to eat, drink, and enjoy life al fresco, but this year we wanted to remove all obstacles and literally enjoy a view of the Lake from, well, …the Lake itself. The Beau Rivage Palace organizes dinners aboard the Montreux Belle Epoque CGN boat, and they invited to come along and spend an evening soaking up the sights and sharing a meal together. We cleared our calendars and promised not to talk about work (easier said than done!) – it was a chance to reconnect with each other and with the beauty that surrounds us. The weather was moody and cool, the mountains imposing and the
Hoi An BBQ grill
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26 Jun 18

Hoi An BBQ

You know that feeling when you find a little gem hiding in plain sight? That simultaneous how lucky! and but, of course! One Friday nearly six weeks ago, we were moseying along the quais of Ouchy as one does on those optimistic May evenings when daylight stretches into night and the soaring temperatures inspire hours of chatter about summer vacation and which rosé wines to buy. Our wander took us farther than usual to the western side of the port, where we found ourselves standing, serendipitously, beneath the terrace of Hoi An BBQ. With vacation destinations still filling our heads, we reminisced about a particularly memorable evening BBQ in Southeast Asia years ago. We decided that we had to give it a try. The restaurant is a dive (as many of the best ones are) and the service is indifferent at best. But the fragrance of grilled meats marinated
BBfood
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15 Jun 18

Bamee Bistrot

Hidden in the St Francois Galleries, there’s a new little spot that seems to be on just about everyone’s radar. We arrived almost exactly at noon and the place was exploding with people waiting patiently to get their hands on this highly sought after lunch. All fresh, all made-to-order, and all packed with authentic Vietnamese flavors. If you haven’t tried Bamee Bistrot yet, GET ON IT. It’s small, unassuming, but has thoughtful touches that make the ambiance one that you wouldn’t mind dining in or taking out. The large windows let in the perfect amount of light, and the bar stools facing the galleries make it an ideal place to people-watch (if you think to take your eyes away from your colorful plate). On the menu are various traditional Vietnamese sandwiches, otherwise known as Banh Mi, packed full of flavorful meat or veg and fresh herbs, as well as the Bo
AG_aerial2
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09 May 18

Atelier des Gourmands

The best version of feasting with your eyes is the kind where you can then tangibly feast–and savor every bite. Friends, we’ve found a mini-mecca of all that is home-made and delicious.
Taco combo meal
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22 Mar 18

Mexicana

When it comes to tacos, Lausanne is such a tease. After years of mediocre Mexican food, Amigo Taco arrived. It was an adorable family operation with tortillas so good they brought tears to our eyes. Our hearts were broken a year later when it shut down. But then a couple weeks ago, we got word that some of the same personalities behind Amigo Taco had a new project. They’ve dusted off the tortilla machine (hallelujah!), sourced high-quality Swiss meats, ordered authentic spices, and opened up on the very convenient Rue Centrale. Bienvenidos Mexicana! The concept is simple: four different types of tacos (beef, chicken, pork, and vegetable) can be dressed to your liking with pickled onions, chopped cilantro, guacamole, and pico de gallo. You can add chips with guac or a dessert “choco-taco” to complete the meal. The food is really good. And while calling ourselves taco experts sounds
SKCafeBowls
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15 Mar 18

Street Kitchen Café

We met Emma years ago when we couldn’t help but engage her in conversation about her summery “salad” called The Skinny Bitch. She’s fiesty and loving and knows how to handle the heat in the kitchen.
TofCarnage
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01 Mar 18

Chez Tof

Last weekend, while it was pouring down rain we attempted to walk around the morning market, navigating our strollers through the cobble-stoned streets one-handed while the other held an umbrella…a lost cause really. We ended up soaked, grumpy, and longing for an enclosed space in the city where one can unwind with children present. We know: it seems like a stretch. But then we remembered a friend suggesting this place, just up in Mont-Sur-Lausanne. She mentioned it was kid-friendly, the food was on point, and the decor resembling something you’d stumble upon in Brooklyn or SoHo. It kind of sounded too good to be true, but when you’ve got soaked kids and limited options in the city, it’s time to check out new digs. Pulling up to Chez Tof is kind of a funny experience. We passed it a few times before realizing that it’s actually resides at the base
l'instantBExterior
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15 Feb 18

L’Instant B

At L’Instant B, street food basically means casual dining with an inventive twist. The menu offers several small plates that are great for sharing over cocktails.
Chalet des Enfants
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25 Jan 18

Chalet-des-Enfants

A restaurant that specializes not only in locally-sourced food from the neighborhood’s petits producteurs but also in the idyllic manifestation of Swiss country living and perhaps of childhood itself.
coffeedonuts
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23 Jan 18

Donutime

There’s not much better in life than a fresh donut (ok, maybe a few things, but it’s pretty high up there). And for the past eight years of our living in Switzerland, we’ve had to rely on our travels abroad to satiate our cravings. But then we caught wind of a newly opened Donut shop near Parc de Milan called Donutime, and we decided to burden ourselves with the task of quality control 😉 The founder of Donutime, Fabrice, spent a good amount of time in the USA (Washington D.C. more specifically) where we take the donut business quite seriously. He, like many entrepreneurs in the area, came back to Switzerland and noticed a void. He decided to fill that void with colorful, delectable, and oh-so-fresh donuts–the very first donut shop in Suisse Romande–and we thank him for it. Donutime is simple. Everyday a fresh batch of homemade artisanal donuts
Coffee Project Flat White
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17 Jan 18

The Coffee Project

Coffeephiles rejoice! A few years ago, if you would have told us that Lausanne would have its fair share of good coffee we would have totally laughed it off. Coffee just wasn’t a priority here, and it left many of us “settling” for an average cup of joe. But alas, Lausanne continues to surprise us in the best of ways, and we are now proud to say we have our own growing coffee culture and it’s getting pretty damn good. The Coffee Project opened up in October of last year, and already has three locations in Lausanne (and plan to have many more throughout Switzerland before the end of 2018!). The brainchild behind the brand, Vangelis Katselis, is a graduate of EHL and his philosophy is quite simple: let the coffee do the talking. You won’t find fancy frappucinnos, sweet and syrupy blends, whipped cream or popcorn toppings. It’s almost as
ctumbrellas
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27 Jun 17

Le ContreTemps

There’s a scene in a movie called Big Fish, where after the protagonist has traveled down many harrowing paths, stringing the audience along in several suspenseful encounters, he finally stumbles upon this little idyllic town with soft grassy knolls and warm bulbed lights strung just above the main street. The town provides some much needed respite in the movie; a haven, a slice of paradise, a gentle reminder that there are pockets of peaceful places when you need them the most. This past weekend we found our version of this place: Le ContreTemps. Le ContreTemps sits wedged between the base of a mountain and the shore of the lake in a little town called Territet just a stone’s throw away from Montreux.  Of course there are lots of wonderful spots along the lake, but Le ContreTemps stands out because of its hidden nature. It has an air of whimsy, as
CocktailandView
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08 Jun 17

Sky Lounge | Hotel Royal Savoy

THE SKY LOUNGE IS OPEN!! THE SKY LOUNGE IS OPEN!! THE SKY LOUNGE IS OPEN!! Forgive us while we take a moment to collect ourselves… …breathe… …breathe… Ever since we first heard from friends at the Royal Savoy that they wanted to turn the roof top of one of Lausanne’s most venerable old hotels into a modern, sleek bar in the sky, we’ve been anticipating  this day. It’s not that rooftop bars are a new concept—they’re in cities across the globe. But we challenge any other city on the planet to compete with our view. Lausanne was MADE for rooftop bars. And now we finally have one deserving of the gorgeous landscape. As we sipped our tropical cocktails and nibbled on our fresh, inventive dishes, we tried to apply a critical eye. Surely there was something that could be improved, something that they didn’t get right. But we’ve got
Terrace Les Alliés
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02 Jun 17

Secret Garden Restaurants & Cafés of Lausanne

The iron grip of winter is slowly lifting, and between now and September, the city will be transformed. Here are our favorite secret garden restaurants and cafes, perfect for sipping Apérol Spritz in the lazy summer sun.
Au Chat Noir Exterior
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03 May 17

Au Chat Noir

Last week we got a recommendation from a pretty reliable source (more on that to come) to check out Au Chat Noir–a restaurant we pass by on a regular basis but have never actually entered. Au Chat Noir boasts an authentic French brasserie feel–wood-paneled walls and burgundy leather seats line the perimeter,  the decor dated, the lighting warm, it’s just missing clouds of cigarette smoke hovering above its many patrons (though we are glad that part is absent). The menu is small and quite simple–written daily on the few chalk boards positioned throughout the restaurant, dishes are created based on what’s in season and fresh. Each dish is carefully thought-through, cooked to perfection, and presented beautifully. The marriage of flavors found in each of the plates we ordered were phenomenal–the smoked fera on a bed of potatoes and the seared langoustine on squid-ink risoni were mouth-wateringly memorable.  The restaurant was packed
nonSolocoffee
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26 Apr 17

Non Solo

Over a month ago we decided to take a different walking path into town and passed this little storefront whose branding featured the iconic Italian coffee moka pot. If you know anything about us, you know that we are always up for trying out a new spot–especially if it involves coffee. So we must say, it was the coffee that drew us in, but the wafting scents of lunch & dinner prep that made us stay. The coffee was spot-on and authentically Italian; strong & bold with a subtle bittersweet aftertaste. Their patisseries transported us to our frequent holidays just across the border–the sweetness of their croissants, the rich flavors of the custard filling. Needless to say, we were happy customers. And then the lunch menu began to exit the kitchen. And then their latest catering creations were stacked on the neighboring table ready for delivery. And then we became a bit nosey. The
HotDogAerial
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15 Mar 17

Kizuku Café

It was almost 2pm on a Sunday, and everyone was hangry. Not hungry…hANGRY. We meandered the streets of Vevey, ready to eat anything that resembled food when we were struck by the interior design of this cute café. There was a spot right in the window, and the kitchen was still open, so we settled in.  Turns out Kizuku Café specializes in hot dogs–but luckily for us, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill-slap-a-weiner-in-a-bun-and-call-it-a-day hot dogs. These are about as gourmet as you’re going to get…anywhere.  With the standard hot dog, you get all the garnishes available: honeyed sauerkraut, avocado, shallots, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonaise, ketchup, and mustard. Pair it with a side of nachos (seriously, that guac was amazing), a cold beer, and we were in lunchtime heaven.  The interior of the café is cozy & welcoming; a lounge in the back boasts couches & armchairs, a TV, VHS movies (!), books & games etc. We had
RushCoffeeMittens
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31 Jan 17

Rush Coffee Co.

Let’s just get one thing straight: we hate the cold. And this winter has apparently been one of the coldest winters in THIRTY years here in Switzerland. So when we stumbled upon this delightfully decorated [and teensiest] coffee truck in Place de la Riponne last week, we couldn’t help but sit and enjoy a hot cuppa before tackling our errands for the day.  Rush Coffee Co. parks its coffee-mobile in Place de la Riponne every Tuesday and Thursday–and we must say, we couldn’t be more ecstatic to see an increase in high-quality, great tasting coffee making its way into Lausanne. The truck, the branding, the menu, the aesthetics– right down to the Edison bulbs that line the barista’s workspace all lend to its hip yet nonchalantly familiar feel.  Mark and Tiffanie have always been passionate about good coffee, and when they realized there was a need they just decided to fill it

Restaurants + Cafés

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