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Food tours in Interlaken: what to eat and which tour to book
Interlaken sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz at the foot of the Jungfrau region, and its food is Bernese Oberland mountain cooking: cheese fondue and raclette, rösti, Älplermagronen (alpine macaroni with potatoes, cheese and apple sauce), and cheeses made in summer alpine dairies. Lake fish such as whitefish and perch fillets appear on menus by the water. It is a small resort town, so the food scene is mostly hotel restaurants, traditional chalets and a handful of international places on and around the Höheweg, and Swiss prices apply everywhere.
Use this page to decide what to eat and where to look for it. The dishes and areas below cover the town and the nearby villages and lakes. The tours listed are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; confirm the current price and details on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Interlaken
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese fondue Käsefondue | Melted cheese (often Gruyère and Vacherin or local mountain cheese) with white wine and kirsch, eaten with bread cubes on long forks. Usually for at least two people. | Traditional restaurants and chalets in Interlaken and Unterseen. | roughly CHF 28–40 per person (about €30–43) |
| Raclette | Melted cheese scraped from a heated wheel or melted in small pans, eaten with boiled potatoes, pickled onions and gherkins. | Traditional restaurants, and stalls at winter markets. | roughly CHF 10–15 per portion, or CHF 30–45 all-you-can-eat (about €11–16 / €32–48) |
| Rösti | Grated potato fried into a crisp cake, served plain or topped with fried egg, cheese, bacon or sausage. | Most Swiss restaurants and mountain huts. | roughly CHF 20–30 as a main (about €21–32) |
| Alpine macaroni Älplermagronen | Macaroni and potatoes baked with cheese, cream and fried onions, served with apple sauce on the side. | Traditional restaurants and mountain restaurants on the Jungfrau and Harder routes. | roughly CHF 22–30 (about €23–32) |
| Lake fish Egli / Felchen | Perch fillets (often pan-fried in butter) and whitefish from the region's lakes; check menus, as some perch served in Switzerland is imported. | Restaurants along Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, such as in Iseltwald and Brienz. | roughly CHF 30–45 (about €32–48) |
| Alpine cheese Alpkäse / Hobelkäse | Hard cheeses made in summer alpine dairies in the Bernese Oberland, sometimes shaved thin (Hobelkäse). | Cheese shops, local markets and alpine dairies on hiking routes in summer. | roughly CHF 3.50–6 per 100 g (about €3.70–6.50) |
| Meringues with double cream Meringues mit Doppelrahm | Large baked meringues served with thick Swiss double cream. The nearby town of Meiringen claims a link to the name, though this is disputed. | Cafés and tearooms in the region. | roughly CHF 9–14 (about €10–15) |
| Swiss chocolate Schokolade | Shops in Interlaken sell local and national brands; some run tastings and make-your-own-bar sessions. | Chocolate shops on the Höheweg and around the stations. | roughly CHF 5–12 for a bar (about €5–13) |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Höheweg and central Interlaken
The main boulevard between Interlaken West and Ost stations, with hotel restaurants, Swiss chalets, chocolate shops and international takeaways facing the Höhematte meadow.
Unterseen
The old town just across the Aare from Interlaken West, with traditional restaurants in older wooden buildings; a little quieter than the Höheweg.
Harder Kulm
Viewpoint reached by funicular from Interlaken Ost with a restaurant serving Swiss dishes over views of the lakes and the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
Lake Brienz villages (Iseltwald, Brienz)
Lakeside villages reached by boat or bus, with restaurants serving local lake fish.
Grindelwald, Wengen and Lauterbrunnen
Mountain villages by train from Interlaken with chalet restaurants, cheese shops and alpine dairies along hiking paths.
Food tours in Interlaken compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interlaken: Sunset Sledding Adventure & Swiss Cheese Fondue | 4 hours | from €181 per person | max 8 | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
| Interlaken: Explore Lauterbrunnen, Wengen & Raclette Tasting | 4.5 hours | from €158 per person | max 5 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Interlaken: Snowshoe Tour with Wine & Cheese | 3 hours | from €181 per person | max 8 | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
Interlaken: Sunset Sledding Adventure & Swiss Cheese Fondue
On GetYourGuide · run by SWISS LOCAL ADVENTURES
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €181 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 43 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 8
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
Interlaken: Explore Lauterbrunnen, Wengen & Raclette Tasting
On GetYourGuide · run by Jonathan Muñoz
- Length
- 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €158 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 22 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 5
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
- Starts
- Coop Supermarkt Interlaken Ost
Interlaken: Snowshoe Tour with Wine & Cheese
On GetYourGuide · run by SWISS LOCAL ADVENTURES
- Length
- 3 hours
- Price
- from €181 per person
- Group size
- max 8
- Included
- Snowshoes and poles Guided snowshoe walk through forests and alpine meadows Selection of local tastings, including Swiss wine, mountain cheese and artisanal chocolate Transportation by car and gondola to reach the sno…
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
There is not much street food. Cheap options are supermarket takeaways (Coop and Migros have hot food counters and salad bars), bakeries, kebab and pizza shops on the Höheweg, and seasonal market stalls with raclette or sausages in winter.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down meals are traditional and expensive. Fondue and raclette are the classic dinners; rösti and Älplermagronen are filling lunches. Many places start dinner service around 18:00 and kitchens can close by 21:30. Book in July, August and the ski season.
Cooking classes
Classic food experiences here are cheese- and chocolate-based: chocolate-making sessions in town, cheese-making demonstrations at dairies, and fondue evenings. Full cooking classes are rarer.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | CHF 40–60 (about €43–65): supermarket breakfast and lunch, kebab or pizza dinner |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | CHF 80–120 (about €85–130): one restaurant meal plus café lunch |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | CHF 200+ (about €215+): hotel restaurant dinner with wine |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Easy for vegetarians: fondue, raclette, rösti and Älplermagronen are all meat-free if you skip the bacon, and supermarkets have plenty of vegetarian food. Vegan is harder because cheese and cream are at the centre of local cooking, though Indian and Asian restaurants in town help.
Halal: Interlaken has a number of halal restaurants and takeaways (Middle Eastern, Indian, Turkish) because of its many visitors from the Gulf and South Asia; ask for confirmation. Traditional Swiss menus often include pork and wine in sauces, including fondue.
Gluten-free: Fair. Rösti and raclette are naturally gluten-free, and supermarkets stock gluten-free products. Fondue is eaten with bread, but some restaurants offer potatoes instead; ask.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Tourist menus on the Höheweg with high prices for mediocre fondue or rösti. Check reviews and compare menus; restaurants in Unterseen or a short walk from the main boulevard are often better value.
- Being charged for tap water or getting expensive bottled water without asking. Tap water is safe and free to drink; ask for 'Hahnenwasser' or tap water explicitly, though some restaurants still charge a small fee.
- Paying in euros at poor exchange rates. Pay in Swiss francs or by card in CHF; if a card terminal offers to charge in your home currency, decline and choose CHF.
Top tours & activities in Interlaken
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Do I need to tip in Interlaken?
No. Service is included in Swiss prices by law and staff are paid properly. Rounding up or leaving about 5% for good service is common but optional. Leave the tip in cash or tell the server the total when paying by card. A small tip for a tour guide you enjoyed is welcome but not expected.
How can I eat cheaply in Switzerland?
Use supermarkets. Coop and Migros near both stations have hot food counters, sandwiches and salad bars, and some have restaurants with low prices. Pack a picnic of bread, cheese and fruit for train days to the mountains. Bakeries and kebab shops are the cheapest hot food in town. Tap water is free and safe.
Where should I eat fondue?
Traditional restaurants in Interlaken and Unterseen serve it all year, usually for a minimum of two people. Expect roughly CHF 28–40 per person, and drink white wine or tea rather than cold water with it. In winter, mountain restaurants and chalet huts serve it too. Book ahead in high season.
How much should I budget for food per day?
Switzerland is expensive. A budget day using supermarkets and takeaways costs about CHF 40–60 (€43–65). With one restaurant meal, plan for about CHF 80–120 (€85–130). A good hotel restaurant dinner with wine can pass CHF 200. Food on the mountain railways and at summit restaurants is priced higher than in town.
Are restaurants open late?
Not very. Most restaurants serve dinner from about 18:00 to 21:30, and many mountain restaurants close in the late afternoon when the last trains run down. Some restaurants close one or two days a week, and some close between seasons in spring and late autumn. Kebab and pizza shops stay open later.
Can I visit an alpine dairy?
In summer, roughly June to September, cows are on the high pastures and some alpine dairies along hiking routes sell cheese and milk, and occasionally show cheese-making. Days and times vary by farm. Ask at the tourist office for current options, or look for signs on trails around Grindelwald and the Lauterbrunnen valley.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.