Donatz

Who Should Book Donatz; and When

If you are travelling to the Engadin valley for skiing or hiking and want a dinner that goes well beyond mountain-resort defaults, Donatz in Samedan is the right call. It earns its Michelin Plate (2025) not with theatrical tasting menus but with a kitchen that clearly knows its region; fresh country cooking, Graubünden salmon from Lostallo, classic veal preparations, Angus beef, a wine program serious enough to earn two consecutive Star Wine List rankings (number one and number two, 2025). The attached wine bar and hotel rooms make it a genuine all-in-one stop for wine-focused travellers who want depth without the formality of a full Michelin-starred operation. Booking is easy; Samedan is not St. Moritz, availability reflects that.

The Room and the Mood

The decor at Donatz is described as elegant rustic, stone, warm materials, the kind of room that sits comfortably between a serious restaurant and a welcoming local. The atmosphere is measured rather than loud. This is not a celebratory room that hums with a crowd at volume; it is quieter, more deliberate, better suited to conversation across the table than to large groups looking for energy. For two people sharing a bottle from that 550-strong wine list while working through a focused menu, the mood lands well. For parties expecting the ambient buzz of a packed St. Moritz dining room, calibrate expectations accordingly, Samedan is a village, Donatz reflects that pace. That is not a criticism; it is the point. The wine bar format creates a more informal register than the main restaurant, with around 20 wines available by the glass, which makes it a practical stop even if you are not sitting down for a full meal.

The Wine Program Is the Main Reason to Come

Donatz holds 550 wines with 20 available by the glass. That figure puts it in a different category from most country restaurants at this price point. The Star Wine List White Star recognition, first published in December 2021, back-to-back top-two Swiss rankings in 2025 are verifiable third-party signals that the list is curated with real intent, not assembled to fill a page. For a wine-focused traveller in the Graubünden region, this is a meaningful data point. You are unlikely to find comparable wine depth in Samedan itself, the by-the-glass range means you can explore the list without committing to a full bottle, sensible if you are mid-ski-holiday and eating across multiple days. If the wine program were stripped out, Donatz would still be a competent country kitchen; with it, there is a genuine reason to make the detour from nearby St. Moritz, which sits around ten minutes away by train.

The Food: Country Cooking With Regional Specificity

The kitchen runs a menu anchored in regional produce and recognisable formats. Graubünden salmon from Lostallo is a specific local sourcing decision worth noting, this is not generic fish on a mountain menu. Veal dishes and Angus beef are the anchors for meat eaters, with vegetarian options available alongside the fish. The Donatz Wine Bar operates a smaller, tighter menu if you are not committing to the full restaurant experience. The Michelin Plate (2025) signals consistent quality without the elaborate multi-course architecture of the starred restaurants in the wider Swiss Alpine circuit. For diners who want a satisfying, well-executed dinner rather than a four-hour event, that positioning is useful.

Private Dining and Group Considerations

The data available does not confirm a dedicated private dining room at Donatz, so groups expecting a separated private space should contact the venue directly before booking. What the setting does offer is an environment that suits smaller gatherings, the elegant rustic atmosphere, the focused menu, the wine bar configuration all work better for two to four people than for large parties. If your group is primarily wine-oriented, the depth of the list makes Donatz a strong candidate for a wine dinner format even in the main room. For a corporate group or celebration requiring guaranteed privacy, verify availability in advance; at this price tier and in this village setting, private dining options may be limited or subject to minimum spends not publicly listed.

Practical Details

Donatz is at Plazzet 15, 7503 Samedan, Switzerland. The price range is €€€, which sits below the €€€€ tier of the major Graubünden destination restaurants. Phone and website details are not currently in our database, contact via the venue directly or search for current reservation availability. Booking is assessed as easy relative to the Swiss fine-dining circuit, so last-minute planning is more viable here than at the starred addresses in the region. Hotel Donatz offers modern, comfortable guestrooms if you want to stay the night, which makes sense if you are combining dinner with the wine bar and do not want to drive back to St. Moritz. For more on the Samedan dining scene, see our full Samedan restaurants guide. Travellers staying in the area should also check our full Samedan hotels guide and our full Samedan bars guide.

For wine lovers who want to go further afield in the region, Da Vittorio - St. Moritz in St. Moritz offers a different register entirely, as does 7132 Silver in Vals for those willing to travel further into Graubünden. For the broader Swiss fine-dining picture, the benchmark addresses include Schloss Schauenstein in Fürstenau, Memories in Bad Ragaz, Cheval Blanc by Peter Knogl in Basel, and Hotel de Ville Crissier in Crissier. Fans of country-register cooking at this level might also find value in 21.9 in Piobesi d'Alba and Andrea Monesi - Locanda di Orta in Orta San Giulio when travelling south of the Alps. Additional Swiss references worth knowing: focus ATELIER in Vitznau, IGNIV Zürich by Andreas Caminada in Zurich, Einstein Gourmet in Sankt Gallen, L'Atelier Robuchon in Geneva, and Colonnade in Lucerne. For wine-focused travellers, our full Samedan wineries guide and our full Samedan experiences guide add useful context.

Quick reference: Donatz, Plazzet 15, 7503 Samedan. Price range €€€. Michelin Plate 2025. Star Wine List #1 and #2 (2025). 550 wines, 20 by the glass. Booking: easy.