Bern, nestled along the Aare river the capital of Switzerland has a blossoming natural wine and culinary scene here are some must try's.

Until last October, Switzerland and Bern specifically was a place that hadn't been on my radar when it came to visiting let alone a trip that was focused on food and wine. Although on closer inspection why not? Bern is in close proximity to many of Switzerland's wine making region namely Valais and Neuchâtel to name but a few.

Switzerland now has a well established hospitality scene however it is Bern's older brother Zurich that host the majority of Michelin accredited restaurants as well as new wave wine bars and hospitality spaces. However, that is for another time today we are going to focus on little brother and what Bern as a city has to offer which is plenty and ever evolving.

Lehmanns

Lehmanns is a hidden gem in every sense of the word. Set up as a Deli first which has now evolved into a fully fledged small plates eatery in the last month or so, this attractive little spot set within the Länggasse area of Bern is an absolute must try when visiting Bern. The welcome is friendly and convivial with a no frills approach if your nice enough you may be taken into the rear of the building where set up is cider making operation. Overall, a fantastic spot for Apéro or even a late night bottle.

Neufeldstrasse 32, 3012 Bern, Switzerland

Trallala Bistro and Wine Shop

Split across two sites Trallala are at the forefront of the promotion of truly natural wine. On the one hand they have their bistro situated not far from Inselspital in a rather unassuming residential building. The focus here is on Italian lead cookery with a wine list showcasing fantastic natural wine producers with a real focus on Swiss producers at the forefront. Meanwhile, just off of the beautiful Eigerplatz is their bottle shop again a real treasure trove of riches to be found here with regular tastings taking place here as well as other note worthy events. Whether you are looking for a bottle to take home or one to share with friends of an evening Trallala have you covered.

Philosophenweg 5, 3007 Bern, Switzerland

Holligerplatz 1, 3008 Bern, Switzerland

Pizzeria da Nino

Switzerland is notorious for being heavy on peoples pockets so when you find a spot that one cooks great honest and uncomplicated food and two doesn't leave you feeling like you've spent half your monthly wage you hold onto and treasure it. Pizzeria da Nino is that place. Some may say it's just pizza but to that I would say as food receptacle there may be nothing better and is something that when done badly is truly heartbreaking but when executed well can lift spirits and provide incomparable happiness (from a food point of view at least). The concept is simple but the best are, pizza, tiramisu, negronis, delicious house wine and good vibes. What more could you want?

Belpstrasse 65, 3007 Bern, Switzerland

Darling

Tucked away in the Lorraine neighborhood which has become a hot bed for unique independent wine bars and restaurants within the city is Darling. With a beautiful clean and contemporary feel to the interiors the focus here is really on provenance. A Modern European style restaurant with produce coming from all over Switzerland, Riem organic farm being just one of the producers they are utilising. On the wine front there is a focus on the natural and organic here when we dined last time we were served sparkling pet-nat from Titch Hill in the South Downs of England and drank wines from the fantastic Le Coste, the wine offering here is diverse and well worth checking out.

 Kasernenstrasse 29, 3013 Bern, Switzerland

Olympia

Also situated in Lorraine, Olympia is reminiscent of some of it's Zurich counterparts think Gamper or Silex. It's sleek fashionable interiors are backed up by an ever changing and diverse food offering think Grilled Salmon with Pak Choi and Beurre Blanc, Flap Steak with peppercorn sauce and Crispy Pulled Pork Plätzli. Bold flavours reign supreme here. Once again the wine list doesn't disappoint producers such as Tschida, Gut Oggau and Jean-Claude Lapalu all feature here.

Militärstrasse 64, 3014 Bern, Switzerland

Honorable Mentions

Bern has an embarrassment of riches when it come to places where you can enjoy a drink. Progr is one, neither an restaurant or a bar really it is an event space where during the week it acts a gallery and arts space and on the weekend turn into bar/ club. The bar is open almost all week and has a really interesting natural wine offering the venue also has probably the best outside seating area in all of Bern. Du Nord is also one of my favourite places to grab a beer and wile away the hours of an afternoon situated at the edge of the Lorraine Neighbourhood next to the Aare river you will find both students, families and suited and booted financiers are equally comfortable drinking here. Finally I need to mention Adrianos a coffee shop come bar by the evening. A great place to take your morning coffee or an negroni overlooking the Bernese Alps in the distance pretty hard to beat.