Lausanne

Lausanne sits on the steep northern shore of Lac Léman, looking south across the water to the French Alps. The city's restaurant scene has long been overshadowed by Geneva, fifty kilometres west, and by the world-famous three-Michelin-star Hôtel de Ville at Crissier on its outskirts — but the Lausanne dining scene proper has quietly become one of the most rewarding in Switzerland. Anne-Sophie Pic's two-Michelin-star restaurant inside the Beau-Rivage Palace is the pivot point; around it sits a network of grand-hotel restaurants, modern bistros in the rejuvenated Flon district and lakeside terraces that take full advantage of Switzerland's most photogenic stretch of water.

The current generation of cooking in Lausanne rewards the curious diner: confident enough to depart from convention, disciplined enough to avoid novelty for novelty’s sake. The five restaurants ranked above represent the top of the city’s editorial pyramid — the rooms a serious diner should know by name. Below them sit dozens more establishments worth discovering, but the five above are where Lausanne dining starts.

Reservations at the top tier in Lausanne now require the same forethought as any major European capital. For Michelin-starred rooms in particular, treat the booking process as part of the experience: know the release date, refresh the page at the precise moment, and consider joining waitlists for cancellations. The restaurants worth the effort make it abundantly clear within five minutes of being seated.

Service culture in Lausanne sits between the formality of Paris and the warmth of southern Europe. Tipping is appreciated but not expected at the level common in North America; 10% of the pre-service total is generous. At the very top tier of restaurants, service charges are typically included in the menu price — confirm with the maître d’hôtel if uncertain. The quality of the cellar is invariably worth investing in: ask the sommelier’s opinion before defaulting to your own.