Our Tips for Budget-Friendly Restaurants

What a delight: this popular Bernese pop-up bar has become a permanent restaurant. Its kitchen crew decides what to serve for lunch at the beginning of each week, so the menu is never the same. Sometimes they whip up a basil risotto with feta, sometimes a poke bowl, but whatever it is, it is always freshly prepared and colourfully served, and there is always a vegetarian and vegan menu. Additionally, they also organise cool events such as Saturday brunches or speed dating. Escape from your everyday life and lose track of time in between the plants and colourful cushions. This is a wonderful place to have a drink, eat, chat and enjoy the groovy background music.

What did you say? Falafel is nothing special? You’ve clearly never eaten at Pittaria. Their flavourful chickpea balls are known in the whole city and have accrued a loyal fan base that regularly comes in to indulge. The Pittaria can be found on Falkenplatz square on Länggasse alley, and the menu will make the heart of lovers of Palestinian cuisine pitter-patter. It includes deep-fried halloumi cheese made from cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk, served in a warm pita bread or on with a delicious salad. They also serve traditional meat dishes such as shish kebab, chicken or fish – everything freshly prepared from start to finish.

The Kulturzentrum Reitschule on Schützenmatte is a popular venue for concerts, theatre performances and its legendary flea market. And it is also well worth a visit from a culinary standpoint: the restaurant is affectionately known as “Souli” and serves fresh, regional and mostly organic cuisine made from fairly produced ingredients – at more than fair prices. The delicious starter soups, for example, are available for a few francs. Various main courses are on offer every day, including vegetarian, vegan and generous pasta dishes.

“Fresh from yesterday” – that is the motto that has gained Ässbar an enthusiastic and loyal clientele within a very short span of time. The principle is as simple as it is clear: bread, sandwiches and pastries from the previous day – all perfectly fine baked goods from local bakeries and patisseries – are sold at a reduced price. Whatever Ässbar’s partners are unable to sell is sold the next morning in the small shop in the old town on Marktgasse alley. That way, the products on offer vary from day to day, and there is always a surprise in store for you. And you can get a delicious coffee to-go at “Friend or Foe” right next door.

Gastronomically speaking, the Eigerplatz square contains a very healthy dose of italianità: the neighbouring restaurants Da Rina and Da Nino are both Italian. They stand just a few metres apart, and both boast a culinary repertoire that even nonna would deem “buonissimo”. Both restaurants have their own charm and specialties. Ultimately, however, it is a question of personal taste as to which pasta wins the taste test and which ambiance makes you feel more at home. Many consider the pizza dough at Da Nino to be the best far and wide. And fans of an Italian breakfast classic will happily make their way to Da Rina in the morning to indulge in their authentic “cornetti ripieni”.

Tramway owes its cult status not only to its sharp, uncomplicated charm, but also to its signature dish: a cordon bleu made from Swiss pork with fries for the unbeatable price of 32.80 francs. Its size is equally unbeatable, so make sure to arrive hungry. It’s best to plan for a walk after eating at Tramway because the restaurant is also very generous with all its other dishes, such as the schnitzel, the hamburgers or the bread-and-cheese slices. Another very popular dish: Tramway’s cheese fondue. The delicious house mixture only costs 25 francs per person and is available in summer and winter.

This mobile restaurant is located in front of the Museum of Communication on Mondays, on Monbijoupark on Tuesdays and on Mühleplatz square in the Matte neighbourhood on Wednesdays and Fridays. Tharanga, known as Tängi, was born in Sri Lanka and knows how to whip up incredibly tasty Ayurvedic dishes. She has now expanded her food truck’s range and offers delicious dishes as take-away from the fixed kitchen on Monbijoubrücke bridge. There is a meat, a vegetarian, a vegan and even a kids’ menu. Our tip: bring your own container. That way you pay one france less and you do something good for the environment.

Since spring 2018, gastronomic newcomers Emrah Tüysüz and Marion Ingold have been creating delicious Anatolian dishes ranging from börek to baklava and delighting guests with their amazing Turkish coffee and friendly hospitality in the Lorraine neighbourhood. Everything from the traditional Anatolian breakfast to the falafel and the halloumi sandwich is prepared with love and passion. And the interior matches the food: colourful and oriental. Seated in the cosy seating corners, you can easily pass a whole day people-watching while sipping on a glass of tea.

This tiny and cosy place on Bollwerk is very popular with people who love authentic French crêpes, so, don’t forget to book in advance. Sweet classics with cinnamon sugar or maple syrup are joined by modern creations with honey, ginger or vegan chocolate. And the seasonal, savoury specials are always a hit: repeat offenders just cannot resist the “Mexicaine” with minced meat (also available as a vegetarian or vegan option).

Kurdish hospitality in the middle of the Länggasse neighbourhood? Ali Baba’s owner always has a smile on his face and the delicacies he serves seem to come straight out of “1001 Nights”. From creamy hummus and spicy cevapcici to golden-brown baked börek with spinach, the lunchtime buffet at Ali Baba offers everything we love about oriental cuisine. And there is good news for vegetarians and vegans: they also serve various delicious creations without animal products. And of course, the drinks are on brand as well: the small appetiser plates are served with aromatic tea in small, ornate cups and raki.

Hidden away in a former garage on Brunngasse alley awaits a little gem where you can get your fill of authentic Chinese food. Although, “hidden” might not be the right word. Fans and connoisseurs have known about Tong Fong for a long time and regularly pick up the delicious wok dishes for take-away at lunchtime. Why take-away? There is very little seating at this food hot spot. However, the magnificent “Pläfe” (minster platform) is just around the corner and the sweet and sour chicken or the spicy noodles with vegetables might taste even better with the magnificent view of the Matte neighbourhood, River Aare and the alps from one of the park benches or on the green meadows.

A generous buffet, classic dishes off the menu or a takeaway: fans of varied sweet and sour and savoury and spicy Asian cuisine can get their money’s worth at Soriya on Rathausgasse alley. Everything is freshly prepared with original Asian spices and herbs. Connoisseurs particularly rave about the duck with orange sauce. Some even swear it’s the best in the city. Soriya also has a great selection of starters and salads, ranging from dim sum and gyozas to their delicious Thai papaya salad (som-tam). And if you can handle the heat, you will love their spicy version

The small restaurant on Rathausgasse alley is simple and without frills, but the guests don’t visit “Lo Stuzz”, as it is lovingly known, for its furnishings. The star here is the pasta, e basta! You can also get it to take away. As befits a traditional Italian restaurant, everything is “fatto in casa”: the dough, the fillings and the sauces. The restaurant owes its name to its legendary “stuzzichini” which are various delicious dishes you can order as snacks or appetisers. And there is always room for pasta afterwards.

Last but not least: 3dosha in the Breitenrain neighbourhood is all about Ayurveda, the traditional holistic Indian art of healing. Therefore, the range of services offered by this family business is also holistic: a massage practice and nutritional counselling are just as much a part of 3dosha as the widely popular and well-known vegetarian restaurant. The intense aromatic smells of samosas, various vegetable dishes and other South Indian-Sri Lankan specialities entrance the guests as they storm the buffet for lunch or dinner. Our tip: rose or ginger water is the perfect accompaniment.