Top 10 culinary specialities in Geneva

Do you have a hankering for something different and want to discover new specialities? Geneva is the destination to take you on a journey not far from home. With a wide variety of specialities, the must-try dishes are undoubtedly the cheese dishes, often from the Gruyère region (we should have guessed). Whether it’s creamy sweetness, wine, fish or charcuterie, you won’t be able to get enough of the region’s specialities. Some are influenced by French gastronomy, but others derive their authenticity from local produce. A warm and tasty welcome is guaranteed in Geneva’s restaurants. Would you like to know a little more about certain dishes? Great classics that are an integral part of Swiss culture. We’ll tell you all about them below!

Where to eat in Geneva Our selection of 10 Geneva specialities

1. Longeole

To start off this selection, we’re going to talk about longeole, an essential Geneva speciality. Longeole is a pork-based sausage with a distinctive aniseed flavour. Yes… aniseed. And it’s apparently delicious! Serve with potato or carrot salad, or potato gratin. Longeole is a sausage with a high fat content and a rind. This rind requires a long cooking time, depending on the size of the sausage. Some butchers have a little trick to reduce the cooking time of this sausage, so loved by the people of Geneva. They cook the rind first, then add it to the mixture to form the sausage. Pretty clever!

2. Cardoons

Yes, cardoons are a speciality of Geneva! Often prepared as a gratin during the Christmas festivities, cardoons are in fact thorny artichokes: they can be cooked in a variety of ways and go perfectly with white meats such as chicken. With a nutty, buttery flavour and a hint of bitterness, cardoons are an unusual vegetable. Its flesh is both firm and crunchy without being stringy, which makes it easier to digest. Now you know how to recognise Geneva cardoons.

3. Rissole (with pears)

Some of Geneva’s specialities share the same culinary heritage as Savoie, and rissole is one of them! This little pastry is a pastry turnover filled with a cinnamon-scented pear compote, with an intoxicating aroma that makes your nostrils tingle. What makes it special? These sweets are made using a variety of cooking pear, found only in the region at the end of the lake. However, you can vary the recipes by changing the variety of pears used, or by choosing a different pastry (shortcrust or puff pastry). Either way, you’re in for a treat!

4. Fast prune cake

This prune cake is made from shortcrust pastry filled with prunes. This little delicacy is particularly popular in Switzerland, and especially in Geneva, because the locals associate it with the fasting festival. Cinnamon, cream and butter are added to this cake (or tart). In general, the people of Geneva fast all day until nightfall. And it’s precisely at dinner time that the “prune cake” comes on the scene, to delight everyone’s stomach.

5. Tomme Vaudoise cheese

Nicknamed “the fine flower of French-speaking Switzerland”, tomme is a small, soft cheese with a bloomy rind. It doesn’t require much milk to produce, which is why it’s called “tomme” and not “cheese”. It’s known for being creamy and fresh, sometimes with a runny centre, which makes it absolutely exquisite on a slice of warm bread. Today, you can find tommes filled with walnuts, wild garlic, truffles or even Roquefort. See you in Geneva!

6. Marmite de l’Escalade

Attention children… Now let’s talk about sweets! The Marmite de l’Escalade is a chocolate pot filled with marzipan vegetables. This Geneva speciality commemorates an attack on the city of Geneva in 1602. According to legend, the “Mother Kingdom” threw a pot filled with vegetable soup at the attackers. She thus helped the guards to protect the city. The chocolate pot was created to celebrate this victory. Nowadays, they come in different sizes so you can slip countless little sweets inside.

7. Geneva-style pork fricassee

The fricassée genevoise is a stew based on pork marinated in red wine with a garnish consisting mainly of small onions glazed brown and lardons. Original, isn’t it? This traditional dish is eaten in honour of Saint Martin’s Day on 11 November. On this day, the harvest is in and the pigs are quite fat, so the pig has to be killed on this date and made into a stew. Such is the tradition. Fricassée de porc à la genevoise is a hearty meal that’s great to enjoy after a day of sightseeing.

8. Arctic char à la genevoise

When we think of Geneva, we inevitably think of Lake Geneva, a source of quality resources. In this city, fish from the region is savoured with love. So we might as well make the most of what nature has to offer! This recipe is based on a fish from the lake, called char. In Geneva, it is generally prepared with butter, white wine from Geneva, egg yolk and cream. Serve with a few vegetables, and you’re done!

9. Fondue and raclette

There’s no need to introduce you to these essential winter dishes, they’re so famous the world over! Fondue and raclette are an integral part of Swiss culture and gastronomy. If you’re travelling to Switzerland at the end of the year, don’t worry, you’ll have a vast choice of restaurants serving these must-try dishes. From cheese to local charcuterie, you can’t fail to enjoy these traditional delights in Geneva.

10. La Gratinée des Vieux Cabinotiers

A rather amusing name! La gratinée des vieux Cabinotiers is an onion soup served with bread croutons au gratin with Gruyère cheese. This hot dish can be served as a side dish or a starter. However, many people like to enjoy it as a main meal, with a few slices of fresh bread. Ideal for warming up during the winter, you won’t want to do without it!