Restaurant in Bern, Switzerland
Bern's strongest plant-focused tasting menu.
The only Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant in Bern, ZOE holds a 2024 star and a We're Smart Green Guide listing for its seven-course plant-based tasting menu. Head chef Fabian Raffeiner's kitchen works at a technical level that makes the absence of meat irrelevant to the quality of the meal. Book three to four weeks ahead for dinner; the Business Lunch is the easier entry point.
ZOE at Münstergasse 39 holds a Michelin star (2024) and a place in the We're Smart Green Guide, which recognises chefs working exclusively with plant-based cooking. Those two credentials together are rare enough in Switzerland that they narrow the decision considerably: if you are looking for a high-technique vegetarian dinner in Bern, ZOE is the answer. The question is only whether the format and price point work for your occasion.
The restaurant occupies the upper floor of a building in Bern's medieval old town, a short walk from the Berner Münster. The room is described consistently as minimalist and charming — a combination that reads well for a special occasion without tipping into formal stiffness. A handful of seats are also available in the entrance area on the ground floor, which suits solo diners or those who prefer a less enclosed setting. In summer, a terrace in front of the restaurant adds a genuinely different option: outdoor seating in the old town at a Michelin-starred restaurant is a combination worth planning around if you are visiting between late spring and early autumn. The service register is laid-back but attentive, which matters if you are bringing someone who would be uncomfortable in a stiff fine-dining room.
Head chef Fabian Raffeiner works from a clear editorial position: vegetables and their various facets. The We're Smart Green Guide citation calls out specific contrasts , pickled kohlrabi with roasted buckwheat, spruce needle sorbet with a buttermilk broth , that point to a kitchen interested in fermentation, pickling, and temperature contrast rather than simply substituting plant ingredients into classic formats. This is technically demanding cooking. Michelin awarding a star to a 100% plant-based kitchen in Switzerland signals that the execution reaches a level where the absence of meat and fish is never the story; the dishes are.
The seven-course menu is the main event and the format where the kitchen's range shows most clearly. Optional add-ons are available, which gives you some control over spend. An à la carte option exists for diners who prefer not to commit to a full progression. At lunch, the Business Lunch menu runs up to four courses, making it the most accessible entry point both in terms of time and likely price. If your schedule allows, this is a practical way to experience the kitchen before deciding whether to return for the full evening menu.
The Michelin recognition matters here not as a badge but as a calibration point. Switzerland's Michelin-starred restaurants include kitchens such as Hotel de Ville Crissier in Crissier, Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau, and Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel. ZOE earns its place in that company while working within a constraint , no animal products , that most starred kitchens do not impose on themselves. That is a meaningful technical achievement. The 4.9 Google rating across 278 reviews supports the idea that the quality is consistent, not a product of a single good run. For context on the broader Swiss fine-dining tier, see also Memories in Bad Ragaz, 7132 Silver in Vals, and Colonnade in Lucerne. If you want a global reference point for what high-end plant-based cooking looks like at its ceiling, Fu He Hui in Shanghai and Lamdre in Beijing occupy a comparable position in their respective cities.
ZOE works well for a date or anniversary dinner where you want a special occasion meal without the formality that some starred rooms impose. The relaxed service and intimate upper-floor space make it a better fit for a meaningful two-person evening than for a large group celebration. It is also a strong option if you are entertaining a guest who eats plant-based food and you want a setting that does not feel like a compromise. Non-vegetarian guests who are sceptical of plant-based cooking at this price point should know that the Michelin committee and the We're Smart Green Guide reached their verdicts independently , the kitchen earns both on technical grounds, not on ethos alone.
Reservations: Hard to book , plan at least three to four weeks ahead for dinner, less for the Business Lunch. Format: Seven-course tasting menu with optional add-ons; à la carte available; Business Lunch up to four courses. Price range: €€€ (mid-to-upper end for Bern). Drinks: Natural wines, beers, and alcohol-free options. Address: Münstergasse 39, 3011 Bern, a short walk from the Berner Münster in the old town. Summer timing: If visiting May through September, request the terrace. Accessibility note: Main dining room is on the upper floor; entrance-area seats are at ground level.
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At €€€, ZOE sits at the same price tier as Casino Restaurant and Essort, and a step below Steinhalle and Wein & Sein at €€€€. The Michelin star and the We're Smart Green Guide recognition give ZOE the clearest external validation of any restaurant in this group. If you are deciding purely on credential-to-price ratio, ZOE delivers more per franc than the €€€€ options.
For a conventional fine-dining evening with meat and fish, Wein & Sein is the closest alternative in ambition and execution , its modern cuisine format appeals to a similar diner profile, just with a broader ingredient palette. Steinhalle offers more creative range and a livelier atmosphere, which makes it a better fit for a group dinner than ZOE's more intimate setting. Casino Restaurant at €€€ is the easier booking and a sensible choice if you want modern French cooking without a tasting menu commitment.
The honest comparison: ZOE is the choice when the food itself is the point of the evening and you are comfortable with the plant-based format. If you or your guest needs convincing about vegetarian fine dining, Wein & Sein is a safer bet. If budget is the primary constraint, mille sens at €€ is a lower-stakes entry into Bern's international dining scene. For everything else , a milestone dinner, a guest who eats plant-based food, or a genuine interest in what a Michelin-starred kitchen can do without animal products , ZOE is the booking to make.
ZOE's entire menu is 100% plant-based, so it is built from the ground up for guests who do not eat meat, fish, or dairy. If you have additional restrictions beyond that , allergies, gluten intolerance, specific intolerances , contact the restaurant directly before booking. Given the tasting menu format and the kitchen's focus on precise preparation, advance notice is the right approach rather than raising restrictions on arrival.
Yes, clearly. The Michelin star (2024), the intimate upper-floor room, and the attentive but relaxed service make it a well-suited choice for an anniversary, birthday dinner, or a date where the evening itself is the occasion. The seven-course format gives the meal a natural arc. At €€€ it is a meaningful spend without reaching the €€€€ tier, which makes it easier to justify than some alternatives.
No dress code is listed, and the service is described as laid-back rather than formal. Smart casual is the safe call at a Michelin-starred restaurant in a Swiss city: neat but not black-tie. The room is described as charming and minimalist rather than grand, so you are unlikely to feel underdressed in well-put-together everyday clothes.
Reasonably well-suited. The entrance-area seats on the ground floor provide an alternative to the main upper-floor room, which may be more comfortable for solo guests who prefer not to sit alone in an intimate dining room. The tasting menu format works fine solo. At €€€ it is a considered spend for one, but if you are in Bern for a single evening and want a high-quality dinner, ZOE is a defensible choice.
It depends on what you want. Dinner, with the full seven-course menu, is where the kitchen's range is on display. Lunch , specifically the Business Lunch menu with up to four courses , is the more accessible option in both time and likely price. If you are visiting ZOE for the first time and want to assess whether you would return for a full evening, lunch is the practical entry point. If it is a special occasion, book dinner.
For plant-based cooking at this level, there is no direct equivalent in Bern , ZOE is the only Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant in the city. For high-end cooking with a broader menu, Wein & Sein (€€€€) and Steinhalle (€€€€) are the closest in ambition. Casino Restaurant (€€€) offers modern French cooking at the same price tier and is typically easier to book. For a lower-spend international option, mille sens at €€ is worth considering.
The seven-course tasting menu is the format the kitchen is built around , that is the order to place. The We're Smart Green Guide cites the contrast-driven preparations (pickled and fermented elements alongside roasted and sorbet components) as representative of the kitchen's approach, which suggests the full menu gives the clearest picture of what Raffeiner's cooking is actually doing. The optional add-ons are worth asking about when you book. If you are at lunch, the Business Lunch menu up to four courses is the practical choice.
No specific group booking information is listed. The restaurant's intimate upper-floor setting and tasting menu format suggest it is better suited to parties of two to four than to large groups. If you are planning a group dinner, contact the restaurant directly to discuss options , the à la carte availability may give more flexibility than the tasting menu for larger tables. For a group celebration in Bern, Steinhalle's larger, livelier space is likely a more practical fit.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZOE | Vegetarian | Fabulous. We at the We’re Smart Green Guide are thrilled with Zoe in Bern! Here we find everything that makes our We’re Smart hearts beat faster: a strong focus on pure plant, with a full 100% pure plant offering as well! Always playful, bursting with flavour and colour. Chef Fabian Raffeiner can be proud of his perseverance and deep knowledge of pure plant cuisine. Welcome to the We’re Smart Green Guide, a movement that brings together chefs who are on the same wavelength – and who are making the world healthier, one delicious dish at a time.; True to the tagline "vegetables and their various facets", the team led by head chef Fabian Raffeiner pursues its passion, meticulously preparing modern and creative vegetarian dishes that are packed with flavour, not to mention the intense contrasts, eg pickled kohlrabi with roasted buckwheat, spruce needle sorbet with delicate aromatic notes and a buttermilk broth with a subtle acidity and strong spice. There is a seven-course menu with optional add-ons. À la carte choices are also available. These include natural wines, beers and alcohol-free beverages. Tip for lunch: the "Business Lunch" menu with up to four courses. The restaurant is set in the heart of the old town, a stone's throw from the Berner Münster. In addition to the beautiful, charmingly minimalist ambience on the upper floor (there are also a few seats in the entrance area), the pretty terrace in front of the restaurant is a real draw in summer. The service is pleasantly laid-back, attentive and professional.; Michelin 1 Star (2024) | Hard | — |
| Steinhalle | Creative | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Wein & Sein | Modern Cuisine | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Casino Restaurant | Modern French | Unknown | — | |
| Essort | International | Unknown | — | |
| mille sens - les goûts du monde | International | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Bern for this tier.
ZOE's entire menu is 100% plant-based, so it is a natural fit for vegans and vegetarians. Diners with specific allergens or intolerances should check the venue's official channels before booking, as the seven-course format and à la carte options involve complex preparations. The kitchen's focus on a single ingredient category — vegetables — means substitutions are less ad hoc than at a mixed menu restaurant.
Yes — the Michelin star (2024) and seven-course tasting menu format make this a credible special-occasion choice. The atmosphere is described as charmingly minimalist rather than stiff, so it suits an anniversary or milestone dinner where you want the food to carry the occasion without a formal dress-code performance. If you want a private room or a large group setting, verify availability when booking.
The venue data describes the service as pleasantly laid-back and the room as minimalist, which points toward neat, relaxed clothing rather than black-tie formality. A Michelin-starred dinner at €€€ warrants some effort — think clean, presentable evening wear — but ZOE does not appear to impose a strict dress code. When in doubt, smart casual fits the room.
A tasting menu format is generally well-suited to solo dining since you are seated and paced by the kitchen rather than navigating a shared table. ZOE also offers à la carte options and a Business Lunch menu, which can make a solo visit feel less committed than a full seven-course dinner. The entrance area has additional seating that may be more comfortable for a solo guest than the main dining room.
Depends on your budget. The Business Lunch with up to four courses is the lower-commitment entry point and likely easier to book than dinner. Dinner gives you the full seven-course tasting menu with optional add-ons, which is where the Michelin-level cooking is most fully expressed. If this is a special occasion, book dinner; if you want to try the kitchen without the full €€€ outlay, lunch is the smarter move.
For a different format at a similar price tier, Wein & Sein in Bern offers an intimate wine-led experience. Steinhalle suits larger groups or a more social setting. mille sens - les goûts du monde works if you want global flavour diversity rather than a single-ingredient focus. None of these match ZOE's specific combination of Michelin recognition and 100% plant-based cooking — if vegetarian tasting menus are the brief, ZOE has no direct local competitor.
The seven-course tasting menu is the kitchen's main statement and the format behind the Michelin star — book it if the budget allows. The We're Smart Green Guide citation calls out specific preparations such as pickled kohlrabi with roasted buckwheat and a spruce needle sorbet, which indicates the kitchen's style: high-contrast, technically precise vegetable cooking. Optional add-ons to the tasting menu are available and worth considering if you want to extend the experience.
Location
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