Restaurant in Saint Moritz, Switzerland
Farmhouse setting, new chef, still worth it.
Talvo is a Michelin-recognised restaurant in a 1658 Engadine farmhouse, serving Mediterranean cooking under chef Kevin Fernandez, who succeeded long-standing chef Martin Dalsass. The room is warm and historic, the service is led by Lisa Carlevero with genuine professionalism, and the two secluded mezzanine tables make it the most compelling special occasion booking in Saint Moritz. Easier to get into than its reputation suggests.
Getting a table at Talvo is easier than you might expect for a restaurant of this calibre in Saint Moritz, which makes it one of the more accessible fine dining options in the Engadin valley during ski season. Book a few weeks out rather than days, and if you are after the two secluded "Balkönli" tables for two on the mezzanine, request one specifically when you reserve. That detail alone is worth knowing before you call.
Talvo occupies a 1658 Engadine farmhouse on Via Gunels 15, and the setting reads immediately: low ceilings, warm stone, timber detail, and a room that feels cosy without feeling cramped. For a special occasion dinner in Saint Moritz, the atmosphere is more convincing than the glassier hotel dining rooms that dominate the resort. The mezzanine tables, and particularly those two corner spots on the "Balkönli", are the leading seats in the house for a date or anniversary.
The kitchen is now in the hands of Kevin Fernandez, who has taken over from long-serving chef Martin Dalsass. Fernandez, of Spanish descent, worked closely with Dalsass and the continuity shows: Mediterranean technique and ingredient quality remain central, with his own identity beginning to emerge alongside. The transition has been handled without disruption, which matters if you are planning a special trip around this reservation. Lisa Carlevero continues to run front of house, providing the kind of service that is warm and professionally calibrated rather than formal and distant. That combination, a relaxed farmhouse room with genuinely skilled service and serious cooking, is where Talvo earns its position.
The ingredient quality is the kitchen's most consistent talking point in Michelin's own description of the restaurant: the sourcing is treated as non-negotiable rather than a marketing line. For diners coming from a week in the mountains, where resort food often trends toward the safe and the lavish, Talvo's focus on produce-led Mediterranean cooking is a genuine contrast. Think of it less as a Swiss dining institution and more as a Spanish-Mediterranean sensibility transplanted into one of Europe's most dramatic winter settings.
Talvo holds Michelin recognition, which positions it clearly in the upper tier of Engadin dining without the price pressure of a multi-star experience. For the broader Swiss fine dining picture, you can cross-reference with [Hotel de Ville Crissier in Crissier](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/hotel-de-ville-crissier-crissier-restaurant), [Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/schloss-schauenstein-frstenau-restaurant), or [Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/cheval-blanc-by-peter-knogl-basel-restaurant) if you are benchmarking across the country. Within Saint Moritz, [Da Vittorio - St. Moritz in St. Moritz](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/da-vittorio-st-moritz-st-moritz-restaurant) and [La Scarpetta](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/la-scarpetta-saint-moritz-restaurant) cover the Italian end of the spectrum if the Mediterranean brief pulls you in a different direction.
The current season adds a specific argument for booking now. Winter in Saint Moritz is Talvo's natural moment: the farmhouse architecture reads leading when the valley is under snow, the mezzanine tables feel genuinely intimate against the cold outside, and the kitchen's Mediterranean register offers a warmth that suits the season well. Summer visitors will find the same food and service, but the setting earns more in winter.
Reservations: Book a few weeks in advance for standard tables; request the mezzanine "Balkönli" tables specifically if booking for two. Booking difficulty is rated Easy. Address: Via Gunels 15, Saint Moritz. Occasion: Well-suited to anniversaries, date dinners, and celebratory meals for two or small groups. Service style: Warm and professional; front of house led by Lisa Carlevero. Setting: Historic Engadine farmhouse dating from 1658; mezzanine seating available. Regional context: See our [full Saint Moritz restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/saint-moritz) for broader options, and our [Saint Moritz hotels guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/hotels/saint-moritz) if you are planning a full stay.
Talvo is a Michelin-recognised restaurant in a 17th-century Engadine farmhouse, serving Mediterranean cooking shaped by chef Kevin Fernandez, who took over from Martin Dalsass. The room is warm and historic rather than formal or glassy, which surprises visitors expecting a typical alpine fine dining interior. Ingredient quality is the kitchen's clear priority. For a first visit, request a mezzanine table when booking and arrive knowing this is an evening-paced experience rather than a quick dinner. See our [full Saint Moritz restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/saint-moritz) for context on how it sits among its peers.
The venue data does not confirm a bar-dining option at Talvo. Given the farmhouse format and the table-focused seating, including the two mezzanine tables designed specifically for couples, this is a sit-down restaurant experience rather than a venue built around bar or counter dining. If bar-style eating is a priority in Saint Moritz, check our [full Saint Moritz bars guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/bars/saint-moritz) for options suited to that format.
Specific menu items are not available in our current data, so we will not speculate on dishes. What the Michelin record does confirm is that the kitchen under Kevin Fernandez maintains Mediterranean foundations with high-grade ingredients at its centre, following the approach established by Martin Dalsass. If you are coming from a Spanish or southern European culinary reference point, that context is useful. For a broader picture of where Talvo sits in the Swiss fine dining spectrum, [Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/schloss-schauenstein-frstenau-restaurant) and [Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/cheval-blanc-by-peter-knogl-basel-restaurant) are comparable reference points.
Yes, and it is one of the better arguments for a special occasion dinner in Saint Moritz. The 1658 farmhouse setting is genuinely atmospheric rather than hotel-generic, the service is led by a professional front-of-house team, and the two secluded mezzanine tables for two are specifically designed for intimate occasions. Michelin recognition means the kitchen is operating at a level that supports the occasion framing. For a celebration dinner where atmosphere matters as much as the food, Talvo competes well against the resort's hotel dining options. Book the "Balkönli" table if you are a party of two.
Within Saint Moritz, [Da Vittorio - St. Moritz](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/da-vittorio-st-moritz-st-moritz-restaurant) is the main Italian fine dining alternative, with a higher-gloss setting and a different price positioning. [La Scarpetta](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/la-scarpetta-saint-moritz-restaurant) covers lighter Italian territory. If you are open to travelling within Switzerland, [Memories in Bad Ragaz](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/memories-bad-ragaz-restaurant) and [Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/schloss-schauenstein-frstenau-restaurant) are both worth considering for a comparable level of ambition. Our [full Saint Moritz restaurants guide](https://www.joinpearl.co/restaurants/saint-moritz) covers the full picture.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talvo | Steeped in tradition, Talvo has entered a new era. After a good innings at this enchanting Engadine farmhouse, which dates from 1658, Martin Dalsass has passed the torch to his long-standing colleagues: Kevin Fernandez now runs the kitchen and Lisa Carlevero presides front of house. In his Mediterranean creations, the chef – of Spanish descent – maintains the pure essence of his mentor's cuisine while subtly incorporating his own signature style. The quality of the ingredients is second to none. Diners can look forward to cordial and professional service in an elegant, cosy setting. Some of the tables are up on a mezzanine – for a romantic dinner, there are two tables for two on the secluded "Balkönli". | Easy | — | |
| Schloss Schauenstein | Modern European, Creative | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Memories | Modern Swiss | Michelin 3 Star | Unknown | — |
| roots | Flemish, Vegetarian, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| IGNIV Zürich by Andreas Caminada | Sharing | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| focus ATELIER | Modern Swiss, Creative | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
A quick look at how Talvo measures up.
Talvo operates out of a 1658 Engadine farmhouse on Via Gunels 15, so the setting does a lot of the work before the food arrives. Chef Kevin Fernandez, who trained under long-standing predecessor Martin Dalsass, runs a Mediterranean-leaning kitchen with a focus on ingredient quality. Book a few weeks ahead — this is Saint Moritz, and the room is small enough that tables disappear fast in season. If it's your first visit, let the kitchen lead rather than arriving with a fixed agenda.
The venue data does not confirm a bar dining option at Talvo. The room is structured around formal table service, with a mezzanine level and two secluded two-top tables on the 'Balkönli' for couples. check the venue's official channels to ask about informal seating before assuming it's available.
Specific menu details aren't confirmed here, but the kitchen's direction is clear: Mediterranean cooking with high-quality ingredients, shaped by chef Kevin Fernandez's Spanish heritage and the influence of his predecessor Martin Dalsass. Trust the seasonal menu rather than arriving with a specific dish in mind — the kitchen's strength is in sourcing and execution, not in a headline dish that travels well by reputation.
Yes — and specifically for two people. The 'Balkönli' mezzanine has two secluded tables for two, which makes it one of the more considered romantic setups in Saint Moritz. Request that table explicitly when booking; don't leave it to chance. The combination of a historic farmhouse setting, professional front-of-house under Lisa Carlevero, and a kitchen with genuine pedigree makes it a credible choice for an anniversary or a significant dinner.
For a more contemporary tasting-menu format in the wider Swiss Alps region, focus ATELIER and Memories both offer structured, multi-course experiences at a different register to Talvo's farmhouse warmth. IGNIV Zürich by Andreas Caminada is worth noting if you're open to a Zürich trip for a sharing-format approach. Schloss Schauenstein, further afield in Fürstenau, is the benchmark for the region if budget and travel aren't constraints. Talvo sits closest to diners who want atmosphere and cooking in roughly equal measure, rather than a purely chef-driven tasting experience.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
