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The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories and have been grouped into four price bands:
$$$$ (over SFr150)
$$$ (SFr100 to SFr150)
$$ (SFr50 to SFr100)
$ (under SFr50)
These prices are for a three-course meal for one with a bottle of house wine or equivalent, including VAT and a compulsory 15% service charge, unless otherwise stated.

Gourmet

Auberge du Lion d'Or
Located in the Cologny district (the Beverly Hills of Geneva) the Auberge du Lion d'Or (Golden Lion Inn) Michelin-starred fish restaurant, offers panoramic views of the city and Lake Geneva. The restaurant is decorated in a smart, classical style and guests can enjoy alfresco dining on the terrace in summer. Two chefs, French Gilles Dupont and Thomas Byrne from Ireland, create delicacies such as langoustine with lemon grass and vinaigrette, which are enhanced by an excellent choice of fine, international wines. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Place Pierre-Gautier 5, Cologny
Tel: (022) 736 4432.
Website: www.liondor.ch
Price: $$$$
Chateauvieux
Located in a former farmhouse in the western suburb of Peney-Dessus, in the heart of the Geneva vineyards, Chateauvieux is one of the city's finest gourmet temples, with delightful alfresco dining during summer months. Thanks to the creative seasonal cuisine of owner-chef Philippe Chevrier, and an impressive list of over 800 prestigious wines (including those from his own vineyards), the restaurant is fully deserving of its two Michelin stars. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Chemin de Châteauvieux 16, Peney-Dessus, Satigny
Tel: (022) 753 1511.
Website: www.chateauvieux.ch
Price: $$$$

Business

Brasserie Lipp
Brasserie Lipp is a firm favorite with the local business community. Named after the renowned Parisian brasserie, this restaurant, located on the second floor of a chic shopping mall, transports diners to the heart of Paris with its black-jacketed waiters and typical brasserie ambience. Specialties include fresh oysters and southwestern French favorites, such as charcuterie and cassoulet.

Rue de la Confédération 8
Tel: (022) 318 8030.
Website: www.brasserie-lipp.com
Price: $$
Chez Roberto
In spite of increasing competition, Roberto remains the top Italian restaurant in town, popular with the business community and habitués that have been dining here for a quarter of a century. The legendary Signor Roberto Carugati, with years of experience behind him, continues to produce superb dishes from all parts of Italy, including a spectacular fish risotto, served in a relaxing environment. Closed Saturday evening and all day Sunday.

Rue Pierre-Fatio 10
Tel: (022) 311 8033.
Price: $$-$$$
La Perle du Lac
Situated in the Mon-Repos Park, overlooking Lake Geneva, La Perle du Lac has been serving French cuisine, fish and seafood specialties, such as lake perch fillets and osso bucco des lotillons (angler fish), as well as excellent Swiss wines, to the local business community since 1930. Perhaps best enjoyed in summer, the restaurant (closed Monday) boasts a charming open-air terrace and lush garden.

Rue de Lausanne 126
Tel: (022) 909 1020.
Website: www.laperledulac.ch
Price: $$$
Le Chat Botté
Situated in the Hôtel Beau-Rivage, this classical style restaurant serves excellent contemporary French cuisine, and is popular for both pleasurable business lunches and romantic treats. Specialties include a tempura of frogs' legs with a sweet garlic emulsion or seared duck liver with glazed black olives. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Hôtel Beau-Rivage, Quai du Mont-Blanc 13
Tel: (022) 716 6666.
Website: www.beau-rivage.ch
Price: $$$-$$$$
Le Patio
Situated on the left bank and run by an art enthusiast, Le Patio is a firm favorite with the business community and is closed on the weekends. The dishes, although ample, are light enough not to send diners to sleep in the afternoon. Daily seasonal specials, which include fish couscous with steamed vegetables, or lamb with rosemary. Wine is served by the glass or by the bottle.

Boulevard Helvétique 19
Tel: (022) 736 6675.
Price: $$

Trendy

La Demi-Lune
This trendy, friendly bar-restaurant, located in the picturesque Old Town, serves tapas, salads and homemade hamburgers daily from 1130 until 2330 and then serves refreshing cocktails until around 0100. La Demi-Lune is popular with a young crowd (a mix of students and young professionals), who enjoy the cosy intimacy of this venue, enhanced by relaxing jazz.

Rue Etienne-Dumont 3
Tel: (022) 312 1290.
Website: www.demilune.ch
Price: $-$$

Budget

Café Cuba
This Cuban bar-restaurant, extended over three floors, is decked out in Latino style with wooden tables and rich, warm tones. Tapas, fajitas and Cuban favorites (including tortilla, guacamole and chilli con carne) feature alongside cocktails on the menu. A small dance floor allows diners to work off the calories to salsa rhythms. Closed Saturday lunchtime and all day Sunday.

Place du Cirque 1
Tel: (022) 328 4260.
Website: www.cafecuba.ch
Price: $$
Chez Ma Cousine
The first of three Genevoise Chez Ma Cousine restaurants, this trendy French bar-restaurant, with its bright, cheery yellow interior and speedy service, offers excellent value for money. Its single menu of grilled chicken, sauté potatoes and salad is reliably good and is popular with students on a budget, as well as local lawyers (the law courts are nearby). There is a choice of desserts, including chocolate mousse and tarte tatin. Wines are served by the glass or by the bottle. No reservations.

Place du Bourg de Four 6
Tel: (022) 310 9696.
Website: www.chezmacousine.ch
Price: $
Les Brasseurs
Les Brasseurs, located just opposite Cornavin station, is a convivial restaurant and the only place in Geneva to brew its own blanche, blonde and ambrée beers. They also serve German and Alsatian specialties such as bacon and onion flamenküche (Alsatian tart). Hugely popular with a young crowd. Arrive before 2130, when the venue starts to get crowded. Open daily until 0100 (until 0200 Thursday, Friday and Saturday). Closed Sunday lunch.

Place de Cornavin 20
Tel: (022) 731 0206.
Website: www.les-brasseurs.ch
Price: $

Personal Recommendations

A L'Olivier de Provence
This charming, rustic Provençal restaurant has been located in the village-like suburb of Carouge around 60 years. The seasonal menu offers such specialties as sea bass, fresh salmon with sorrel, and game dishes in autumn. The adjoining bistro is a good budget option, with a cheaper and simpler menu. It also has a shaded terrace for al fresco dining in summer. Closed Saturday lunchtime and all day Sunday.

Rue Jacques-Dalphin 13, Carouge
Tel: (022) 342 0450.
Website: www.olivierdeprovence.ch
Price: $$-$$$
Buffet de la Gare
It is worth taking a 20-minute detour from central Geneva to the Buffet de la Gare in Céligny, where chef Monsieur Choucq serves fine French cuisine in a 1920s bistro décor (closed Sunday and Monday). Dishes include fish from Lake Geneva or roasted lamb with herbs.

Route de Founex 25, Céligny
Tel: (022) 776 2770.
Website: www.buffet-gare-celigny.ch
Price: $$$
Chez Jacky
This tiny, popular bistro with fresh, simple green-and-white décor and a shady pavement terrace, in an unlikely location near the train station, serves classic cuisine with an imaginative twist, and superb desserts. Dishes include fillet of beef with morel mushrooms and a ginger crust or wild tuna scented with Perigordine truffle. The wine list includes some fine Genevois wines. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

Rue Necker 9
Tel: (022) 732 8680.
Website: www.chezjacky.ch
Price: $$$
La Favola
This intimate little Italian restaurant in the heart of the Old Town excels in fresh pasta and a friendly service. It has exposed beams, with parquet floor and traditional décor. Specialties include Sicilian spaghettini and Milanese-style risotto. The restaurant is closed Saturday lunchtime and all day Monday.

Rue Calvin 15
Tel: (022) 311 7437.
Website: www.lafavola.com
Price: $$$



Nightlife:

The majority of nightlife venues suit a cross section of Geneva’s society. Gentlemen with curled white moustaches and wearing smart suits enjoy the same bars as the young professionals and students. And all generations take pleasure in soaking up the evening sun during the long, summer nights. The only disadvantage in this apparently conflict-free society is that it does lack edge - it is hard to be truly wild in Geneva. Many restaurants double up as bars later in the evening and clubs also often have a restaurant area. Clubs and bars center on a number of English-style pubs on either side of the river, especially in the suburb of Carouge.

Opening hours vary; some bars open daily from mid-morning, others open early evening and close at 0600. The minimum age for purchasing alcohol is 18 years and dress is generally smart.

There is a weekly listings guide, available from the tourist office, called Geneva Agenda (website: www.le-guide.ch). Online information is also available at www.geneve-tourisme.ch.

Bars: The Old Town is a good starting point for a night out. La Clémence, Place du Bourg-de-Four 20, is extremely popular, particularly in the summer when crowds of all ages enjoy the large terrace. The bar-restaurant at the gilded Bohème, Boulevard Helvétique 36, is a good place to move on to - the mix of Arab and techno music is popular and the atmosphere is relatively relaxed, although trainers are not allowed. The most alternative bars in the city are scattered around Place des Volontaires. Worth mentioning are Alhambar, Rue de la Rôtisserie 10, which has theme nights, and Barrio’s Latino, Rue Henri Dunant 6, for its safari décor.

Clubs: Geneva is not particularly known for its clubs and many people prefer to go to Lausanne. Nevertheless, the intimate White’n Silver (formerly Club 58), Rue des Glacis de Rive 15 (website: www.whitensilver.ch), has a bar, dance floor and chic clientele, while smart Platinum, Quai du Seujet 18 (website: www.platinum-club.ch), attracts a trendy clientele with its resident DJ and guest performers and themed nights. The club is open seven days a week. Or try the B Club, Place de la Fusterie 12 (see Le Baroque Café below) for a similarly hip atmosphere. The biggest club in Geneva is the new Java Club at the Grand Hotel Kempinski, Quai du Mont-Blanc 19 (website: www.javaclub.ch). LA SIP, Rue des Vieux-Grenadiers 10, is a cool, gay friendly venue located in an old factory, and Le Scandale, Rue de Lausanne 24 (website: www.lescandale.ch), is a trendy place to dance the night away.

Live Music: The ’in’ bar, restaurant and disco, Le Baroque Café, Place de la Fusterie 12 (website: www.lebaroque.com), draws an international clientele of all ages. DJs are featured most nights, with the occasional live jazz band too. L’Usine, Place des Volontaires 4 (website: www.usine.ch), has a bar, large dancefloor, cinema and regular live performances. Au Chat Noir, Rue Vautier 13 in Carouge (website: www.chatnoir.ch), is a more dignified live music venue. French singers and jazz musicians perform early on, until the DJs take over, playing salsa on Friday and Saturday and funk on Tuesday. Rhythm and Blues is featured at Griffin’s Club Lounge, Boulevard Helvétique 36, on weeknights and at Shaker’s Club, Rue Arnold Winkelried 4 (website: www.shakers.ch).

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