Basel

[NewYorkTexan]

I am going to be making several trips to Basel over the next few months and could not find any threads on the city.

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated. I am open on cost and cuisine, but local/regional specialties would be my first priority. A mix of formal restaurants that are appropriate for client schmoozing and more casual places when it is just dinner with my team would be ideal. I usually stay near the train station, but Basel is compact enough that I am happy to jump in a taxi and go anywhere in town for a good meal.

I really liked Bel Etage in Der Teufelhof, where we had a wonderful 3 hour dinner a few weeks ago. (I still need to post about a recent trip through Switzerland, France and India)

[The Little Blue House]

Basel is really pretty during the winter, particularly around Christmas... But I don't remember the names of any restaurants there--my mind just doesn't hold onto German. My favorite things to eat in Basel have always been the Rosti (like a hashbrown pancake) with ham and cheese and an egg on top.

-Emily

[jackal10]

My family come from there.

I can't help, alas, as it was seven or eight generations ago...

However you are close to Alsace for some wonderful regional specialities.

[Schneier]

He's right. Basel is near Alcase. It's also near Schwabia and Lake Neuchatel. There's a lot of pretty in that part of Europe.

Bruce

[MiguelCardoso]

I had two of the best meals of my life in the Bruderholz Restaurant. The late Hans Stucki, one of Switzerland's greatest chefs, would sit down and discuss the 8-course meal before it began, to find out what I liked best. He popped by after every course and was happy to bring seconds when I loved something. Both lunches took over 4 hours. It's expensive but worth every penny. Though I couldn't convince him to add a little powdered Valium, locally produced by Roche, to one of his sauces - for that authentic Basel experience. Or perhaps he did because I left thoroughly mellowed out!

I haven't returned since his long-time assistant Mr.Wicky took over but all reports indicate that the quality is the same.

It's located in a nice big house, with a big garden, in the residential district. Unmissable, I'd say.

[Boris_A]

It's still heralded as the best place.

But I can't judge. My Basel lunching/ dining experience is limited to sandwiches.

[robert brown]

I used to go to Basel a lot. Donati was one of the better Italian restaurants outside of Italy. The old man Donati died and the son took over. I recall that he got out of the business and the restaurant may have been closed. Now I think there are new owners. I visited it once after the re-opening and it seemed about as good as always. Regardless, it's worth a try as it's a pleasant place with dishes that rank among the most popular among those who eat Italian. I had a few meals at Stucki/Bruderholz. They were very good, but I don't think Franz Stucki was in Girardet's league, if you want to compare Swiss chefs.

[Boris_A]

Donati was one of the better Italian restaurants outside of Italy.

That's quite a compliment.

The old man Donati died and the son took over. I recall that he got out of the business...

There's a Donati wine shop in Basel with a very good range of Italian wines. Could answer the question about Donati jr.

After 1960, Italian population in Switzerland reached around 400'000 people or 10%.

In bigger towns like Zurich or Basel, there was a kind of Little Italy and a network of very good shops with true Italian offerings.

The Italians were famous not only for saving every dollar to build a house after returning to Italy, but for visiting expensive food shops to satisfy their demanding culinary wishes at the same time. There were quite a few of Ristoranti with authentic Italian dishes, and some of them were attained by Italian celebreties visting Switzerland. In our familys favourite restaurant, I remember of signed pics of Sofia Loren, Carlo Ponti, Marcelllo Mastroianni and the likes pinned to the wall.

Those shops and restaurants opened a new culinary window in Switzerland, and Italian food from a wider area than just Ticino/Lombardia got popular.

[NewYorkTexan]

I had two of the best meals of my life in the Bruderholz Restaurant.  The late Hans Stucki, one of Switzerland's greatest chefs, would sit down and discuss the 8-course meal before it began, to find out what I liked best.  He popped by after every course and was happy to bring seconds when I loved something.  Both lunches took over 4 hours.  It's expensive but worth every penny. Though I couldn't convince him to add a little powdered Valium, locally produced by Roche, to one of his sauces - for that authentic Basel experience.  Or perhaps he did because I left thoroughly mellowed out!

I haven't returned since his long-time assistant Mr.Wicky took over but all reports indicate that the quality is the same.

It's located in a nice big house, with a big garden, in the residential district. Unmissable, I'd say.

I will be taking a group of colleagues to Bruderholz in a few weeks and am really looking forward to it.