Restaurant in Geneva, Switzerland
Reliable Michelin kitchen, easy to book.
De la Cigogne holds a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, making it one of the more reliable modern French options on Geneva's Place de Longemalle. Chef Nicolas Pasquier's kitchen leans into classical French execution rather than menu theatrics. At €€€ with easy booking, it works well for business dinners and special occasions without requiring the full production of a starred room.
A second visit to De la Cigogne at Place de Longemalle tells you something a first visit can't: the consistency here is deliberate. Chef Nicolas Pasquier's modern French kitchen doesn't chase novelty for its own sake, and that's precisely what makes returning worthwhile. The Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 isn't a fluke — it reflects a kitchen that has settled into a clear identity. If your first visit left you curious about how the menu evolves with the seasons, that's the right instinct. Come back with a specific goal: eat more deliberately, order more ambitiously, and pay attention to what's changed.
Place de Longemalle is one of Geneva's most composed squares — formal without being cold, central without the tourist noise of the Old Town's main drag. De la Cigogne reads as part of that fabric rather than a destination dropped into it. The visual register of the room signals classic French dining: expect the kind of interior where tablecloths, glassware, and measured spacing between tables do the communicating. For a regular, this is reassuring rather than stiff. The room doesn't distract from the food, which is the point. If you want a livelier, more design-forward room, Arakel offers a different Geneva experience at a comparable price tier.
The Michelin Plate designation , awarded for cooking quality rather than full-star recognition , signals that De la Cigogne is producing technically sound, category-literate food. The cuisine_type is listed as Modern French, which in Geneva's context means Pasquier is working in a well-defined tradition: classical French technique as the foundation, with room for contemporary inflection. The 2025 Michelin highlight under "Cooking Classics" suggests the kitchen's emphasis leans toward precision in execution rather than menu theatrics. That's a meaningful distinction for a returning visitor: if you're expecting radical reinvention, adjust expectations. If you want to see what a skilled chef does with a repertoire he knows thoroughly, this is the right room.
Geneva's fine dining scene is genuinely competitive at the €€€ price point, and De la Cigogne holds its position credibly. It's worth comparing it directly to Le Jardinier, which operates in the French Contemporary lane at the same price tier. Both are serious options; the difference is emphasis. De la Cigogne leans into classical French discipline; Le Jardinier tends toward a lighter, more garden-inflected sensibility. For regular visitors who've done both, the choice often comes down to what kind of meal you're in the mood for rather than a clear quality gap.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, which is a practical advantage in a city where tables at starred restaurants can be genuinely hard to secure. If you're planning around a Geneva visit, De la Cigogne doesn't require weeks of lead time the way a Michelin-starred room might. That said, don't assume walk-ins are direct , call or book online ahead of your visit, especially on weekends when the square sees more foot traffic and the restaurant fills accordingly. The €€€ price range puts a meal here above casual mid-market dining but below the city's top-tier splurge options like Il Lago (€€€€) or L'Atelier Robuchon (€€€€). For a business dinner or a special occasion that doesn't require a full-star production, the positioning is sensible.
The Google rating of 4.3 across 75 reviews is modest in volume but consistent in signal. A 4.3 at a formal French restaurant in Geneva typically means the room is delivering on what it promises without controversy. It's not a venue generating polarised reactions , it's doing its job at a level most guests find genuinely satisfying.
De la Cigogne is the right call if you want a reliable, Michelin-recognised French kitchen in a location that gives you easy access to the rest of Geneva's centre. It works well for business entertaining, for a dinner before or after something at the nearby Beau-Rivage, or for a returning visitor who wants a meal that requires no explanation or navigation. It's less suited to diners looking for a high-energy room, a cutting-edge tasting menu format, or a deeply casual experience.
For a broader view of where De la Cigogne sits in Geneva's dining scene, see our full Geneva restaurants guide. If you're combining the meal with an overnight, our Geneva hotels guide covers the options close to Longemalle. And if you're exploring Switzerland more widely, comparable modern French kitchens worth the detour include Hotel de Ville Crissier in Crissier and Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel. For modern French at a different scale internationally, Sketch, The Lecture Room and Library in London and Schanz in Piesport represent the range of what the format can do.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| De la Cigogne | Modern French | €€€ | Easy |
| Tsé Fung | Chinese | €€€ | Unknown |
| Il Lago | Italian | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Le Jardinier | French, French Contemporary | €€€ | Unknown |
| Fiskebar | Nordic - Seafood, Modern Cuisine | €€€ | Unknown |
| L'Atelier Robuchon | French Contemporary | €€€€ | Unknown |
What to weigh when choosing between De la Cigogne and alternatives.
Place de Longemalle 17 is a formal square-side address, and the room's composed character suits groups better than a cramped bistro would. There is no group-specific policy in the venue data, so check the venue's official channels to confirm private or semi-private arrangements. For larger parties in Geneva, restaurants at this €€€ price point typically handle groups of 6–10 with advance notice.
The setting at Place de Longemalle and the Michelin Plate recognition both point toward a put-together look: jacket for men, business casual or equivalent for women. Geneva dining rooms at this price tier run formal rather than relaxed, so err on the dressier side if you are unsure.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy, which makes it a lower-friction solo option than Geneva's harder-to-secure starred rooms. A Michelin Plate Modern French kitchen is a reasonable solo choice if you want a serious meal without the pressure of a long tasting format — though confirm counter or single-seat availability when booking.
Tsé Fung at La Réserve is the go-to if you want Michelin-starred Chinese rather than French. Il Lago at the Four Seasons offers lakeside Modern European at a comparable price point with a grander room. Le Jardinier is worth considering if you want a lighter, vegetable-forward approach. De la Cigogne is the stronger call if Classic French cooking and a central, walkable location matter most.
Yes, with caveats. The Michelin Plate credential and the formal setting at Place de Longemalle give it the right register for a birthday or anniversary dinner. It is not a full-star destination, so if the occasion demands maximum prestige, a Michelin-starred room elsewhere in Geneva may land better. For a reliable, well-cooked celebration meal without booking stress, De la Cigogne is a solid choice.
Specific menu formats and prices are not in the venue record, so confirm current offerings directly with the restaurant. Generally, a Michelin Plate kitchen signals technically sound cooking that justifies a tasting format — but at €€€ pricing, the value depends on whether the menu length matches your appetite for a structured meal. If you prefer flexibility, ask whether à la carte is available.
At €€€, De la Cigogne sits in Geneva's mid-to-upper tier, backed by a Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025 — meaning the cooking quality has held consistently enough to earn recognition two years running. For that price bracket, the easy booking availability is a practical bonus: you are not paying a scarcity premium the way you would at a starred room. If you want a dependable French kitchen at Place de Longemalle without a reservation battle, it earns its price.
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