Our Tips for Vegan Restaurants in the City of Bern

An exclusively vegan cuisine? Many Bernese restaurants and takeaways prove that it is not only possible, but also very delicious.

It’s pita time! You can get them in many different variations – all of them vegan, of course. The freshly baked pita pockets come with homemade sauces, fresh salads and products such as plant-based chicken, tempeh, seitan, vegan salmon or Vegiboss BossDöner.

Veganitas Pitas is perfect for a quick lunch and perfectly located in the basement of Bern railway station. And one more tip: the portions are generous, so no one will leave hungry. You might even want to bring a container with you, so you can eat your leftovers for lunch the next day.

Just browsing through the menu will make your mouth water. It is worth a careful read, because all dishes are plant-based. Everything from the cappuccino to the Aare Bowl to the homemade waffles is made with fresh, plant-based ingredients. The café has a very Australian vibe: hip, cool and laid-back. Let your week end in style: take advantage of a beautiful Sunday, order your waffles to go and enjoy them on a bench on the “Pläfe” (minster platform) while the sun warms your face. Enough reading, off to gourmet heaven.

Is your stomach growling during a break from work? What are you in the mood for? A nut croissant or a sweet custard slice? If you are vegan, you often don’t have that much choice. But worry not, you don't have to ask about the ingredients here. This popular and well-known bakery’s entire range is vegan. A vegan heaven, so to speak. You can also enjoy a delicious menu (hot or cold) at lunchtime and even buy vegan ingredients such as “Rüebli Lax” (vegan salmon) or meat alternatives from Outlawz Food to recreate the sandwich creations at home. Our recommendation: you have to try the salmon bagel.

No need to pay attention to the list of ingredients in this eatery: Swing Kitchen exclusively serves vegan delicacies. They are known for their burgers, and rightly so: I’m speaking form experience when I tell you that even carnivores will leave satisfied. The menu includes burgers, wraps and salads as well as various side dishes such as onion rings and “Golden Nuggets”. If you still have some room left afterwards, you can work your way through the delicious dessert menu (we highly recommend the vegan tiramisu). This is a great place for a laid-back dinner date with your friends.

Momos, falafel, crêpes, pizza or a whole buffet with various vegan dishes? Many Bernese restaurants have vegan options on their menus.

Do you really need to say anything else than “momos”? A simple “yum” is enough to describe Mama’s specialities. It doesn't matter if you get them for lunch or as takeaway for dinner, these little dumplings are not only extremely delicious but also available as a vegan option. You can also order your momos with soup, making it the ultimate comfort food on colder days. The restaurant now has two locations in Bern: at Loebegge, a well-known meeting place for locals, and in the Lorraine neighbourhood. So, your favourite food is only a short walk away.

You simply have to stop by this small, authentic restaurant on your lunchtime walk to the BearPark. They have their very own recipe, and the falafel is always freshly prepared. They also offer vegan sauces such as hummus to accompany the deep-fried balls. You can assemble your own wrap or mimo box to suit your mood. And a quick chat with the owner will make you like Mimo Falafel even more. If you don’t have the time to make yourself comfortable or if the few seats are filled, you can get the menu as a takeaway.

Tibits is a veritable veggie and vegan heaven. New dishes appear on the buffet all the time and you get to just put together your own plate, choosing from different curries, samosas and “meat” balls as well as the popular “AyeAyeAye” salad and a seasonal soup. And they don’t skimp on desserts either. Tibits is also perfect for a coffee break with friends, family or even alone. The beautifully colourful interior makes it easy to linger for an hour or two, and on a good day, you can enjoy the delicacies outside. The food from the buffet is paid for by weight.

In keeping with its name, La Chouette is a popular spot for night owls. On Saturdays, you can indulge your crêpes cravings until midnight. But this quaint place on Bollwerk also celebrates the culture of French crêpes during the day. All the creations are available with vegan batter and come as sweet classics with cinnamon sugar or vegan chocolate. Among the savoury varieties, it’s the seasonal specials that are particularly popular. And as if this weren't enough, La Chouette also offers delicious vegan momos.

Vegans know the feeling: pizza is always a good choice, but often you have to compromise because it just does not taste the same without mozzarella. That is not the case here. At least two of the pizzas on the menu come without cheese but taste amazing – even to non-vegans. People from the neighbourhood and from farther away love coming here and indulging in their food inside the eatery or outside in the sun. If you walk past this place on a beautiful summer’s day, you can see people chatting and just enjoying themselves from afar. Some of them are casually sitting on the kerb with a slice of pizza in their hands, soaking up the sun in the small park or waiting at the takeaway window. The relaxed atmosphere almost makes you feel like you are on holiday in Italy. So much flavour, so much Italianità, even your nonna would say “buonissimo”.

A list of vegan restaurants without an Asian option? No way. And we are not talking about just any restaurant: Mishio is the place to eat if you are looking for top quality and excellent flavours. Make sure to take your aperitif on the terrace (especially in summer) and enjoy the view of the “Bundeshaus” (Parliament Building). Intense spices, strong flavours and fresh ingredients in combination with a fantastic view – what more could you want? The restaurant serves various Chinese and Thai specialities as well as seasonally changing drink and food specials.

A Gault&Millau restaurant with a plant-based menu? Moment has listened to all your vegan wishes and is serving four or five courses of plant-based deliciousness. We don't exactly know what they are because the carte blanche only lists the four basic ingredients for each dish. What they whip up with them is a surprise. Curious diners can peek at the menu in advance and try to guess the seasonally changing dishes. These adjustments are made so that the kitchen can source its ingredients from the region as often as possible. A sustainable, vegan gourmet menu that leaves nothing to be desired.

Who would have thought that there is a sparkling vegan diamond hidden in Bern's most magnificent vaulted cellar? The “Chübu” (bucket) as it is lovingly called by the locals serves Bernese specialities, classic dishes as well as an excellent vegan menu. From a seasonal salad to start things off to a selection of four plant-based desserts for the finale, the Kornhauskeller knows how to spoil vegan taste buds. And if you fancy a drink afterwards, you can pop over to the in-house bar where the baristas will mix a unique cocktail for you. You might want to try “La vita è bella” which seems very fitting once you see the bar's beautifully painted ceiling.

When temperatures are dropping and even the Aareguru (app that tells you the River Aare’s temperature) says that it is “uschaflig chaut” (extremely cold), it’s clearly fondue time. That is the time of year when every household chills its wine and heats its cheese. And now, vegans won't have to miss out on this tradition. Jul offers a plant-based fondue during the cold months (you can find the exact dates on their website). Please take note: this speciality is served outside. Warm blankets are, of course, provided, but we recommend you put on a warm jacket, scarf and hat, so nothing stands in the way of a relaxed evening with a vegan fondue. What are you waiting for? Let’s get going.