The name translates from Romansh as "old house" — fitting, since Chesa Veglia was built in 1658 by Jachiam Bütz-Janzun and is among the oldest structures in St. Moritz. It has passed through many hands over three and a half centuries, surviving demolition plans in 1928 only because Hans Badrutt bought it to preserve it. His wife Helen's idea — to convert the old farmhouse into a restaurant — proved one of the defining decisions in the resort's culinary history. Chesa Veglia opened on 28 December 1935 to an opening-night guest list that read like a Hollywood casting call: Lady Sylvia Ashley, Douglas Fairbanks, Prince René of Bourbon-Parma. Even the former King of Siam appeared on New Year's Eve. The standard was set.
Today Chesa Veglia houses five distinct dining environments within its ancient walls, all managed by Badrutt's Palace. The Pizzeria Heuboden occupies the hay loft, serving wood-fired pizzas in a setting that manages to be simultaneously rustic and glamorous. The Patrizier Stuben is the main dining room, where the Engadin classics — Châteaubriand, herb-encrusted lamb, roast chicken de Bresse — are served with the full weight of decades of expectation. The Grill Chadafö handles open-fire cooking. The Carigiet Fondue Stübli is exactly what it promises: authentic Swiss fondue in a setting that makes it taste better than it has any right to. The Polo Bar ties everything together after dinner.
The interior is as important as the food. Massive stone walls, original wooden beams, antique furnishings, and candlelight create an atmosphere that no modern restaurant can manufacture. This is authenticity accumulated over three centuries, presided over by Badrutt's Palace with the care and resources to maintain it. The whole of St. Moritz, the guides say, is "on fire for this restaurant." Booking is essential throughout the season, and the more sought-after rooms — particularly the Fondue Stübli — require advance planning weeks ahead.
For a birthday dinner with genuine historic atmosphere, or a first date that needs both romance and a conversation topic, Chesa Veglia provides something that money alone cannot create. The connection to the actual story of St. Moritz — ninety years of the world's most glamorous winter resort converging on this single building — makes it one of the most significant dining rooms in Switzerland.