The Gstaad valley's mountain restaurants — reached by gondola, cable car or a short ski run — serve some of the most atmospheric lunches in Switzerland. At 1,770m to 1,920m altitude, with 360-degree views of the Saanenland and a rösti or apple strudel in front of you, this is alpine dining in its purest form. Here is the complete guide to Berghaus dining in the Gstaad ski area.
Berghaus Wasserngrat sits at 1,920m at the top of the Wasserngrat cable car from Gstaad village, making it the highest of the valley's dedicated mountain restaurants. The south-facing sun terrace is famous for its 360-degree views of the Saanenland — on a clear day you see across to the Diablerets and down to Lake Geneva. The kitchen produces honest alpine cooking: rösti, Alpine pasta, soups built from winter roots and summer herbs, and desserts that draw on the dairy tradition of the surrounding farms. Open seasonally from approximately December to March (winter) and May to October (summer). No reservation needed for lunch — arrive at the cable car top station and walk to the terrace.
Berghaus Wispile sits at 1,770m, reached by the Wispile gondola departing from the western edge of Gstaad village. This is one of the most accessible mountain restaurants in the valley — the gondola runs frequently and the restaurant is a two-minute walk from the top station. The kitchen is known for homemade apple strudel served warm with vanilla sauce, and a rösti menu that covers everything from the simple classic to versions with smoked trout or local cheese. The setting is quieter than Wasserngrat, making it a better choice for families with small children or groups who want a relaxed mountain lunch.
Eggli Lounge at the Eggli mountain station is the fashionable end of Gstaad's mountain dining scene. Light Alpine plates — carpaccio, salads, open sandwiches — served on a stylish sun deck with DJ sessions on weekend afternoons. The Eggli cable car runs from the centre of Gstaad, making it one of the most convenient mountain restaurants in the valley. Open for lunch and après-ski; the DJ sets make it the go-to for the 15:00–17:00 window before dinner.
Berghotel Hornberg above Schönried is unique among the valley's mountain restaurants in that it is attached to a working farm. Cows graze outside the restaurant window and the cheese in your fondue was made fifty metres from where you are sitting. Chef tradition here is rooted in farm cooking — the Berner Rösti is one of the best in the Bernese Oberland, made with potatoes from the farm garden and butter from the dairy. Open daily from 08:00 to 22:00 in season. Accessible by lift from Schönried or on foot from several hiking trails.
For a different kind of mountain dining, Lauenensee Restaurant on the shore of the Lauenensee lake in the Lauenen valley is one of the most beautiful lunch settings in the Saanenland. The lake is surrounded by a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of bog and woodland, and the restaurant sits directly on the water. Accessible by car or a 45-minute walk from Lauenen village. Open seasonally — primarily summer lunch. The kitchen serves traditional Swiss food with the emphasis on freshness and local produce.
While technically in the valley rather than at altitude, Michel's Stallbeizli deserves mention in any mountain restaurant guide because of its singular atmosphere. Converted from a 19th-century cow barn on Turbachstrasse on the edge of Gstaad, the restaurant has a sunset terrace with views across the farmland and valley that rivals many mountain positions. The farm-to-table cooking — featuring produce grown or sourced within the immediate area — completes the Berghaus experience at lower altitude.
Mountain restaurants in Gstaad operate on different rhythms from valley dining. Service is generally informal and efficient — the kitchen is often producing dozens of covers on a sunny ski day. Reservations are not typically taken for lunch, though some restaurants (notably Berghotel Hornberg for dinner) will accept bookings for the evening. Payment is often cash-preferred at smaller Berghaus establishments. Dress warmly — even on sunny winter days, temperatures at 1,900m drop quickly when the sun moves behind the mountain.
In winter, Wasserngrat and Wispile are the two most accessible and most atmospheric mountain lunch options, directly on the ski area. Eggli Lounge is the après-ski choice. In summer, Wasserngrat and Hornberg are open to hikers, cyclists and families, and the extended hours (lunch and early dinner) make them more flexible. Lauenensee Restaurant is summer-only. Check operating dates carefully — mountain restaurants follow lift schedules, and early or late season openings depend on snowfall and weather.
The classic Gstaad day combines a mountain lunch (Wasserngrat for the views, Wispile for the strudel, Hornberg for the farm atmosphere) with a village dinner at one of the Promenade restaurants. The return gondola from Wispile or the cable car from Wasserngrat deposits you back in the centre of Gstaad by 17:00, leaving two hours for the hotel, a change of clothes and the walk to your evening table. This day structure is what Gstaad visitors return for year after year.
Mountain restaurants do not generally require reservations for lunch. For Berghotel Hornberg dinner and other mountain venues that take evening bookings, contact us and we will call ahead to confirm. If you want a complete day plan — mountain lunch and valley dinner — tell us your date, party size and preferences and we will arrange both in one message.
Gstaad · Mountain, Swiss
Iconic mountain restaurant at 1,920m with a sun-drenched terrace and 360° views of the Saanenland. Famous for summer aperos and hearty Alpine lunches.
Feutersoey · Swiss, Fondue
Family-owned since 1919 by the Reichenbach family — one of Gstaad's longest-standing restaurants, famous for its legendary poached trout.
Gstaad · Swiss, Mountain
Beloved Stallbeizli converted from a 19th-century cow barn. Rustic Swiss food, farm-fresh produce, beautiful sunset terrace.
Schönried · Swiss, Mountain
Alpine Berghotel above Schönried with a farm attached — cows in the barn, fresh cheese on the plate. Traditional Swiss cooking with Saanenland views.
Gstaad · Mountain, Swiss
Mountain restaurant at 1,770m, accessed by gondola from Gstaad. Authentic Swiss cuisine with rösti, homemade apple strudel and unreal views.
Gstaad · Mountain, International
Fashionable slope-side lounge at Eggli. Aperol on the sun deck, light lunches, a DJ in après-ski season.
Saanen · Swiss
Lauenensee Restaurant is a swiss restaurant in Saanen, in the heart of the Saanenland. Located at An der Ledi, 3782 Lauenen b. Gstaad, Swiss. Reserve a table by WhatsApp for the best availability across the Gstaad valley.
Generally no for lunch — these operate walk-in during the day. Berghotel Hornberg takes evening dinner reservations. Contact us if you want to confirm in advance.
By the Wasserngrat cable car departing from Gstaad village. The cable car runs frequently during the ski season and summer hiking season. The restaurant is at the top station.
Yes — Wasserngrat, Wispile, Hornberg and Lauenensee are all open during the summer hiking season (approximately May/June to September/October). Check the Gstaad Mountain Rides website for current operating dates.
Rösti, fondue, hearty soups, Alpine pasta, fresh dairy products, homemade strudel and cake. The food is Swiss mountain cooking at its best — simple, seasonal and satisfying.
Yes — all the mountain restaurants are family-friendly. Wispile is particularly accessible for families with small children (short gondola, flat walk to restaurant). Hornberg has a genuine farm that children enjoy.
Send one WhatsApp message. We call the restaurant in English, German, French or Italian, confirm the table, and reply with your booking details — usually within 10 minutes.
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