Restaurant in Lenzerheide, Switzerland
Michelin-starred, mountain-set, plan ahead.
The only Michelin-starred restaurant in Lenzerheide, La Riva pairs modern French cooking with an East Asian edge and a wine programme ranked number one in Switzerland for 2025. Book four to six weeks ahead during ski and summer seasons. At €€€, it sits a tier below comparable Swiss starred peers in price while delivering on credentials.
La Riva operates on a schedule that demands you plan around it. Closed Monday and Tuesday, with lunch service ending at 2 PM and dinner wrapping at 9 PM Thursday through Saturday (Sunday lunch only), the kitchen keeps short hours for a Michelin-starred restaurant. Add that Lenzerheide is a mountain resort drawing visitors with money and appetite, and you are dealing with a table that fills weeks in advance during ski season and summer weekends. Book early, be flexible on day, and treat Thursday dinner as your most reliable opening. The effort is worth it: this is the only Michelin-starred address in Lenzerheide, and it has held that star since at least 2024.
La Riva sits at Voa davos Lai 27, overlooking the Heidsee lake with the Graubünden mountain backdrop behind it. The terrace is the first choice when weather allows. When it does not, the large front windows give the same view from inside, and the room is designed to make the most of them. The setting matters because it frames the meal: modern French technique applied with precision, in a dining room where the Alps are visible throughout. For a food and wine traveller, this combination of serious kitchen credentials and genuine Alpine scenery is not easy to replicate elsewhere in the region.
The verified Michelin descriptor for La Riva gives enough to work with. Chef Dominique Schrotter runs what the guide calls an ambitious modern take on classic cuisine, with dishes like a tartare tower of king mackerel paired with chilled pumpkin balls, pear gel, and a Périgord truffle dashi. That last element signals where the kitchen goes beyond standard French technique: Schrotter spent time in Bangkok and elsewhere in East Asia, and that influence surfaces in the broth work, the precision of contrast, and the periodic Sushi Festivals the restaurant runs. If you are looking for a kitchen that stays strictly within French classical convention, La Riva is not it. If you want French structure with East Asian inflection applied at Michelin level, it is a specific and deliberate offer. A vegetarian set menu is also available, which is worth knowing if you are booking for mixed groups.
La Riva won the Leading Austrian Wine List award at Star Wine List of the Year Switzerland 2021 and holds the Star Wine List number one ranking in 2025. The 2021 assessment noted a list that covers everything in terms of styles, regions, and price levels. For a wine-focused traveller, this is meaningful: the front-of-house team is described as capable of giving considered wine recommendations, not just reading from a list. The Austrian specialisation within a broader programme is unusual at this level in Switzerland, and worth using. Ask for guidance rather than defaulting to the obvious choices.
If you are in Lenzerheide for more than a weekend, La Riva rewards repeat visits more than most restaurants at this price tier. The operating structure makes three visits feasible across a longer stay: Thursday dinner to open, Saturday lunch for the terrace with the lake view at its leading in daylight, and a Friday dinner to go deeper into the tasting menu or try the vegetarian set. The kitchen's East Asian festival events (Sushi Festivals) run on a separate calendar and represent a fourth distinct experience if timing aligns. On a first visit, prioritise the full tasting menu and use the front-of-house team for wine pairing guidance. On a second, consider the vegetarian menu as a way to see how the kitchen handles restraint. By a third visit, the terrace at lunch with a focused Austrian wine selection is the move.
For context within the broader Swiss fine dining circuit, La Riva sits at a different access point than peers like Memories in Bad Ragaz or Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau. Both carry multiple Michelin stars and require separate destination trips. La Riva is the argument for staying in Lenzerheide rather than driving out: it delivers starred cooking in the same village where you are sleeping, with a wine programme that holds up against any comparison. If you are already in the Graubünden area, also consider 7132 Silver in Vals for a contrasting architectural and culinary experience, or Da Vittorio in St. Moritz if Italian is a priority. For the full picture of where to eat in Lenzerheide itself, including Guarda Val and Scalottas - Terroir, see our full Lenzerheide restaurants guide. For planning the rest of a stay, the Lenzerheide hotels guide, bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the rest.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Riva | Modern French | €€€ | Restaurant La Riva was the winner of Best Austrian Wine List in Star Wine List of the Year Switzerland 2021. ”This wine list really covers everything when it comes to styles, regions and price levels...; Star Wine List #1 (2025); If dining out on the terrace isn't an option, go for one of the tables next to the huge front windows – then you can take in the view of the lake, Heidsee, and the mountains as you savour Dominique Schrotter's ambitious modern take on classic cuisine. For example, king mackerel served as a "tartare tower" and a marinated slice, accompanied by chilled pumpkin balls and a pear gel, which provide a wonderful contrast, and a harmonious, almost clear Périgord truffle dashi. There is also a vegetarian set menu. From a family of restaurateurs, the chef spent some years teaching and travelling, during which time he visited Bangkok and other places. This resulted in a real soft spot for East Asian cuisine, hence the regular "Sushi Festivals". The dedicated and very friendly front-of-house team are also able to provide astute wine recommendations.; Michelin 1 Star (2024); Star Wine List #2 (2021); Star Wine List #1 (2021) | Hard | — |
| Schloss Schauenstein | Modern European, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Memories | Modern Swiss | €€€€ | Michelin 3 Star | Unknown | — |
| focus ATELIER | Modern Swiss, Creative | €€€€ | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| IGNIV Zürich by Andreas Caminada | Sharing | €€€€ | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| La Table du Lausanne Palace | Modern French | €€€€ | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Lenzerheide for this tier.
Yes, it earns a Michelin star and holds the Star Wine List number one ranking in Switzerland for 2025, which gives it genuine credibility for a celebration dinner. The lakeside setting overlooking Heidsee and the mountains adds to the occasion without being theatrical about it. Book Thursday through Saturday evening for the full dinner service — Sunday is lunch only, and Monday and Tuesday the restaurant is closed. At the €€€ price point, this is a considered spend, not a casual one.
Within Lenzerheide itself, La Riva is the reference point at this tier. If you are willing to travel within the broader Graubünden and eastern Swiss region, Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau carries three Michelin stars and represents the ceiling of the area's fine dining options. For something more accessible in format, focus ATELIER and IGNIV Zürich by Andreas Caminada are worth the detour if you are routing through Zürich.
Book at least three to four weeks out for weekend dinners, longer during ski season when Lenzerheide fills up. The operating window is narrow — La Riva runs only Wednesday through Sunday, with lunch ending at 2 PM — so the available slots are fewer than the Michelin star alone might suggest. If you are targeting a specific Saturday evening, book as early as possible.
The database does not include specific group capacity details, but at a Michelin-starred restaurant operating a tight five-day schedule at this price tier, groups of six or more should contact La Riva directly well in advance. Larger tables may require a fixed menu arrangement and are unlikely to be accommodated on short notice during peak season.
No bar seating is documented for La Riva. The Michelin guide specifically flags window tables as the alternative when terrace seating is unavailable, which suggests a table-focused format. If you arrive without a reservation, walk-in chances are limited given the narrow operating hours and Michelin-star demand.
Based on the Michelin descriptor, chef Dominique Schrotter's approach — combining modern French technique with East Asian influence — is coherent enough to reward a full tasting format. The verified menu notes (king mackerel tartare tower, pumpkin, pear gel, Périgord truffle dashi) indicate a kitchen that builds layered courses rather than just assembling plates. A vegetarian set menu is also available. At €€€, this sits below the pricing of three-star peers like Schloss Schauenstein, which makes the value case credible.
Dinner runs Thursday through Saturday and gives you the full menu range alongside the restaurant's award-winning wine list, making it the stronger format for a deliberate meal. Sunday lunch is the only midday option that aligns with a weekend itinerary, and it gives you the lake and mountain view in daylight — the Michelin guide specifically highlights this. If the terrace is open, Sunday lunch becomes a legitimate first choice.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
