Page Text: Eat comfortably in Geneva, Switzerland
Eat comfortably in Geneva, Switzerland
by George Black
1. Hot chocolate for a warm start
2. Tuna steak for a contrast
3. Salsa for spicing things up
4. Parmesan for a cheesy moment
5. Roast beef for a stiff upper lip
6. Pancakes for a sweeter evening
7. Calamari for something less obvious
8. Roasted duck for a lighter approach
9. Foie gras for heavy impact
10. Fondue for a classic finisher
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The biggest city in the French part of Switzerland, Geneva is world-famous not only for having been the place for signing the conventions that made humanity better, but also for being a financial hub and a worldwide centre for diplomacy in general. In 2021, Geneva was ranked as the world's ninth most important financial centre for competitiveness by the Global Financial Centres Index. All this doesn't even cover the cultural significance and the richness of the social life in a city like that. Naturally, food is an integral part of that life.
1. Hot chocolate for a warm start
Hot chocolate
Hot chocolate, also known as hot cocoa or drinking chocolate, is a heated drink that consists of melted chocolate or cocoa powder, warm milk, and usually sugar. Hot chocolate may be topped with whipped cream or marshmallows.
#3 of 271 restaurants with desserts in Geneva
European, French
Pl. du Cirque 4, Geneva, Switzerland
Open now $$$$
This time, we shall start the list with something simple but not primitive. Chocolate is actually one of the most popular types of food in general across the entire country, and nothing is surprising about the preferences of restaurant visitors in Geneva. Hot chocolate is traditionally used as a dessert or a starter, but sometimes it's a great centerpiece for a meal. Of course, different restaurants serve and prepare the hot chocolate differently, and the trick is finding the most comfy recipe that feels like home.
Muller's Factory has all kinds of chocolate, so it's safe to bet on this place to cover your needs.
2. Tuna steak for a contrast
Tuna steak
Tuna steak is a perfect candidate for grilling, and a sweet, tangy marinade keeps them moist and flavorful. Meaty, flavoursome tuna steaks are best enjoyed griddled or pan-fried.
#6 of 1507 cafes in Geneva
French
Rue de Hesse 6, Geneva, Switzerland
Closed now $$$$
From chocolate to fish - not the most obvious shift, but who wants obvious food lists? Switzerland is famous for the high quality of their restaurant cooking, and steaks are particularly famous. However, most people only think of meat steaks without considering fish, so tuna steaks are less famous despite being equally as good. Of course, everything depends on a particular recipe around the basic premise of cooking a steak, so finding the right spot is the first thing on everyone's mind.
Cafe des Banques has decent tuna steaks.
3. Salsa for spicing things up
Salsa
The classic salsa sauce differs in the way it is prepared on the basis of tomatoes. At the same time, depending on whether the tomatoes are heat-treated, they distinguish: "salsa fresca" (also known as pico de gallo - a raw sauce that is made from fresh tomatoes), and "salsa roja" (translated as "red sauce "), which we will prepare today is a classic recipe for salsa sauce, in which tomatoes are heat-treated in some way.
#41 of 2886 restaurants in Geneva
Mexican
Rue de Richemont 7, Geneva, Switzerland
ClosedOpens at 12PM $$$$
Another unexpected jump is that from tuna steaks to Mexican cuisine. Globalization is an amazing thing as it brings cultures and foods closer together, a particular case of which is the introduction of salsa to the European consumer. Traditionally, it's been the chunky tomato-and-chili-based pico de Gallo, and chefs started serving meat-based dishes and mixes with the sauce almost as an experiment which obviously paid off. Salsa has actually become more popular than tomato ketchup.
El Catrín is a Mexican place that obviously has good salsa.
4. Parmesan for a cheesy moment
Parmesan
Parmesan cheese has a hard, gritty texture and is fruity and nutty in taste, and it is mostly consumed grated over pastas or used in soups and risottos although it can also be eaten on its own as a snack.
#11 of 2886 restaurants in Geneva
Italian
Rue de la Mairie 8, Geneva, Switzerland
Closed now $$$$
Cheeses and Europe is the topic that warrants at least a dozen epic documentaries just to give you a basic idea of how intricate and massive the history of cheese is on the continent. Parmesan is one of the more classy yet accessible kinds of cheese popular across Europe and particularly beloved in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, which is curious since it's a cheese of Italian origin. Maybe globazliation erases borders all too effectively. No matter the case, parmesan is very common in Geneva restaurants.
Tosca's chef is very creative with parmesan dishes.
5. Roast beef for a stiff upper lip
Roast beef
Roast beef is a British dish that is mentioned in songs, paintings and in books, describing dinners in noble houses. However, it was never a privileged dish, for example, a roasted piece of seasoned beef is associated with the strength of English soldiers in "Roast Beef of Old Kind England." The remnants of a Sunday lunch are used for cooking other dishes all week.