Dining

Grindelwald
In Grindelwald you can choose from more than 50 restaurants. For a very special (and expensive) meal, try the dining room, Pendule d’Or, in the Grand Hotel Regina (033-854-8600; photo left); it may serve the best meals in town. Chateaubriand for two costs about €85. The Hotel Spinne restaurant has good Swiss and inter-national specialties, and a full wine cellar. The most crowded eatery in town is normally Barry's Restaurant (Hotel Eiger; 033-854-3131) which has Swiss and new cuisine. Ristorante Mercato has a good Spaghetti Rustico for €12. A Hopfenperle Bier brings the minimal meal to €15. Pastas, usually Bolognese or Milanese, and pizzas are the best dining value in local restaurants. The pastas are about €8–€12. A decent wine will cost at least €12.

At the Hotel Schweizerhof, the Schmitte Restaurant (033-853-2202) has surprisingly affordable specials of the day. La Marmitte and Hilty-Stübli at the Hotel Kirchbühl (033-854-4080) has excellent affordable meals. The restaurant at Fiescherblick, Swiss Bistro (033-854-5353), has daily menus for about €23.

Other good affordable spots are the Adlerstube (033-854-7777) in the Hotel Sunstar, Memory in the Eiger (033-854-3131), the Kreuz und Post restaurant (033-854-5492), the Alpina (033-854-3344) and the Glacier (033-853-1004).

Wengen
The best restaurant town is Chez Meyer’s (033-856-5858) in the Hotel Regina. Call for reservations. One of the best typical meals and excellent fondue chinoise is found at the Hirschen (033-855-1544). The best fondue and raclette can be found in the Bernerhof. Restaurant Eiger in the Hotel Eiger (033-856-0505) serves good fare with a nice outdoor dining area for sunny days. The Bären (033-855-1419), Sunstar (033-856-5111), Schönegg (033-855-3422) all have Michelin recommended affordable menus in ascending order of cost. Some of the best fish dishes are found at Berghaus. Sina’s and Pizzeria da Salvi have good pizza.

Mürren
In town the Alpenruh (033-856-8800) serves the best nouvelle cuisine in a beautifully rustic setting. The Edelweiss (033-856-5600) is also recommended for an affordable daily menu. The Eiger (033-856-5454; photo below) has excellent traditional Swiss fare, real U.S. cut steaks, and the best fondue—either Chinoise or Bourguignonne—in town. The Palace Hotel Mürren and the Stägerstubli both have excellent cheese fondue. The restaurant in the Hotel Blumental is perhaps the most rus-tic and atmospheric spot to enjoy Swiss specialties. The Eiger Guesthouse (033-856-5460) offers good moderate meals at similar prices. For Italian meals try Peppino at the Hotel Palace or Taverna.

Lauterbrunnen
A meal at the Silberhorn (033-856-2210) is excellent and affordable. Schützen (033-855-2032) serve good meals at massive wooden tables.

On the slopes
Enjoy at least one midday meal inside the Piz Gloria, a revolving restaurant (033-8552141) on the Schilthorn. Lower down stop in at Restaurant Allmendhubel, tiny, cute and filled with locals; or at the new Winteregg Restaurant, which has great lunches and excellent après-ski. The Flora-Suppenalp or the Sonnenberg serve excellent stick-to-your-ribs mountain meals.

At the Berghotel Männlichen, even the cafeteria fare is served on china plates. For sun worshipping, a lounge chair and blanket rent for €3.50. Mary’s Cafe on the trail down to Wengen has a great raclette at lunch. The restaurant at the railway station at Kleine Scheidegg has excellent meals at good prices.

Interlaken
This is an international tourist center and starting point for excursions in the Bernese Oberland, one of Switzerland’s most beautiful regions. No-smoking restaurants are an extreme rarity in Switzerland, and McDonald’s in Interlaken is one of the few.