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Restaurant Schwanen Cafe de Ville

4.0 (21 reviews)
ModerateCafes, Coffee & Tea
Open 7:00 am - 7:30 pm

Restaurant Schwanen Cafe de Ville Photos

RESTAURANT SCHWANEN CAFE DE VILLE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Good for groups
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

Recommended Reviews - Restaurant Schwanen Cafe de Ville

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Grilled liver with polenta.
Lou E.

Always a great meeting place with Swiss friends. We arrived about 30 minutes prior to our 12:30PM reservation and there was no problem. We were quickly seated at one of the best tables in the restaurant directly overlooking the lake. There was not an empty table in the whole place and it seats probably somewhere between 75 and 100 diners. Most had arrived about the same time as we did and others were finishing. When people were finished their tables were quickly filled. We ordered 2 first courses of simple salads, then followed by 2 entrees of Steamed White Asparagus, a grilled liver with polenta and an order of the entrecôte with a special herb, butter cream sauce(a secret) and fries. All of the entrees arrived and they were beautifully plated. And oops, with my entrecôte I got another salad. I did not try the liver but it was reported to be excellent. And by the looks of the empty plate it must have been. There was enough polenta on the plate for all four of us! The white asparagus were amazing. Just when I thought they couldn't be better than the last ones but they were. Perfectly cooked, no strings to be found. They were served with new potatoes that had been seasoned very well. Then there was my entrecôte with that "Special" sauce and let me tell you it was special. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium with a good amount of pick. The fries were hot and crisp and the sauce just called for them to be dipped in. So I did. I couldn't stop eating it was so good. And I don't eat like that, when I am full I am full but that was not the case with this steak dish. Glad I got the small portion. The side salad was beautiful but only tasted by all. We had too much food!!! Then came the dreaded dessert. And yes, we just had to order. My spouse and I decided on the Crepe with warmed blueberries and blackberries served along side of a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and another big scoop of whipped cream. It was a beauty and the plate was wiped clean. The other dessert was a very pretty strawberry tart, which I did not taste but was told it was wonderful. Our lunch, as always lasted about three hours. There was not rush. Service was as good as it gets. Highly recommend. And also recommend calling ahead and making a reservation.

Beautiful dining room.
Joost B.

This restaurant came highly recommended by our guide Annamaria with AmaWaterWays. The Swan did not disappoint. Lunch was great here. My wife and I shared a salad and a club sandwich. Both tasted great. We walked in with a group of at least 10, and each family was seated separately. We were seated within 5 minutes of walking upstairs. Service was quick and efficient despite the busy and filled dining room. The views are of the lake and mountains which are partially blocked by the awnings. Overall the menu was varied and had enough choices even for our pair of 16 year old teenagers. Pricing here was good.

Avocado toast
Lindsee A.

Foods were good, coffee was also good. It seems like they mostly serve for local. If they know you are a traveler, they asked you for a tip. I observed they didn't for locals.

Moules Mariniere (appetizer portion)
Mannie D.

Was walking by and saw their menu on three different servings of moules and knew we had to try it. Got reservation for dinner at 8pm. Restaurant usually closes at 7:30pm but stays open late on Thursday's because the shops are open later on that day. We had to provide Covid vaccination cards which was no problem. We got seated promptly and our server was extremely friendly. I ordered a small salad bowl, and the moules mariniere for my entree and my husband orders the moules for appetizer and their famous steak dish. Everything was delicious. They provide generous portions when it comes to the moules. For dessert we had the profiteroles and coffee. We also had a great view of the lake. Wonderful experience with good food and great and friendly service by all the staff. Highly recommend.

Old photo within Cafe d'Ville
Richard C.

We are visiting from Los Angeles. I asked a local the best place to have lunch. He suggested this place and it was a perfect choice!

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1 year ago

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9 months ago

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8 years ago

Very expensive and very poor service. We ordered quiche, and was charged 61CHF. Waitress was unfriendly. Food was so so .

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8 years ago

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9 years ago

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17 years ago

great breakfast,coffee and tea place to hang out, the waitress they sucks... but place are nice! BTW great hot chocolate...

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Restaurant Schwanen Cafe de Ville Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Restaurant Schwanen Cafe de Ville

We were quickly seated at one of the best tables in the restaurant directly overlooking the lake.

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Heini Conditorei - Luzern Cake

Heini Conditorei

3.6(9 reviews)
0.3 km
$$$$

Yelp Review 2026 #91:…read more Heini Conditorei is Luzern's very own. I've loved all the conditoreis I've been to in Switzerland. But Heini did not deliver. I had breakfast here which was my first meal in Luzern and it was not a great start but it wasn't terrible either. There wasn't very many places open before 7am in the area. So, Heini it is! Many locals come here reading the newspaper while drinking coffee before going to work - like people still read actual newspaper! I love that for them! The ladies behind the counter were pretty friendly. After looking at the options behind the glass case, we made our selections. Shepherd's Pie: The crust was thick, dense and dry. It was more like a savory tart. I ate the middle part and left the pie crust part. 2/5 Chicken Champignon Pie: This was also mostly crust but it wasn't as hard and thick as the shepherd's pie. 3/5 Luzerner Festtagstorte/ Luzern Festive Cake: From their website: "A delicious chocolate biscuit, filled with a truffle cream, delicately sweet raspberry jam, and nougat flakes". It wasn't too sweet. The flavors were very mild. I didn't get much of a chocolate taste that I assumed this cake would have. 3/5 I should have just stayed with the quiche. I went to another Heini location to get chocolates. They have them here too but I didn't want to start my day lugging chocolates all the way to the end of the day.

We were looking for a small cafe for a quick coffee and snack near the river. Stumbled on this…read moreplace and found it quite decent. Her - my Latte Machiato was good. Not too sweet (even though it had caramel), good quantity and great coffee! The pesto flat bread and croissant was good too, but I expected more from the fresh bakery looking place. His - Found this local cafe shop Heini where the lady barely spoke English but we were still able to easily order croissant and a pizza kinda thing. Coffee Capuccino was great!! You can pay by Visa card. [Category: Her Rating] Taste: 7 Ambience: 6 Service: 7 Value for money: 8 [Category: His Rating] Taste: 5 Ambience: 6 Service: 8 Value for money: 8

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Heini Conditorei - Chocolates

Chocolates

Heini Conditorei - Ice cream

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Café Sowieso - Cafe Sowieso

Café Sowieso

5.0(2 reviews)
0.7 km
$$

After viewing the famous Lion Monument, just up the hill we stumbled into Cafe Sowieso by chance…read moreand good fortune as is the fate of the patient and adventurous traveler. Not famished by any means, we were searching for a rich cup of thick hot chocolate that managed to allude us for our entire 3 days in Switzerland. We first caught an eye of the kitchen staff through a window from an adjoining street--from above and saw tomato sauce being prepared on an outside table. Very neat and clean looking. Even around 1:30 pm the cafe was full with those who appeared to be locals enjoying a variety of plate du jours. We were welcomed by a group of friendly wait staffers and given a bright window table. Once they understood that we were Americans and likely oblivious of how to speak French or German, they sent over a young lady who explained the menu options in superb English. We went for the chicken breast special which included a lovely and fresh garden salad to start, then the most tender and well prepared piece of chicken that could be imagined. Spinach pasta, Brussels sprouts and carrots accented the entrée. We finished with a take on Apple strudel that was creamy, full of vanilla, whipped cream, ice cream and with miniature diced apples. This was a gourmet caliber luncheon all for a stunningly low 28 francs. The Cappuccino was just as satisfying as that elusive cup of hot chocolate would have been. We were only saddened that they were not opened for Tuesday dinner or we would have been first in line for an encore meal that same evening. Five stars!

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Café Sowieso - Cafe Sowieso

Cafe Sowieso

Café Sowieso - Cafe Sowieso

Cafe Sowieso

Café Sowieso

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Starbucks - Uostay

Starbucks

2.9(9 reviews)
0.2 km
$$

Yelp Review 2026 #100:…read more We got to this Starbucks steps away from Chapel Bridge a few minutes before they opened and nobody was here in the first 30 minutes. So, it was a relaxed breakfast experience with our choice of where to sit. Of course, I picked a table by the window with a view of the bridge. Trinity Croissant: I tried their Trinity croissants which we don't have in the US. One in chocolate (and hazelnut) and pistachio. I liked the chocolate more. They're like rolled croissants that went viral a few years ago just shaped like a triangle. 3.5/5 Strawberry Matcha Cloud Frappuccino: They made my drink with soy milk but of course the cloud (foam) is dairy and no substitute is available for that. Most Starbucks in other countries don't make their drinks sweet like what's served in the US. I like my drinks less sweet so, this was perfect. 4/5 Bacon and Egg Croissant Sandwich: Flaky croissant with sunny side up egg, bacon strips and cheese. Savory. Messy. 4/5 I can see how unenjoyable it would be if this place was crowded. The thing that got me confused was how the bathroom was already dirty when we were the first 2 customers of the day - do they not clean it at night or first thing in the morning? Closer to 8am, they rolled the blinds halfway down. Good thing I already got my pictures and was almost done with my food.

I never suspected that I would opt to review a Starbucks, but I figured since this is hands down…read moreone of the most scenic Starbucks I've ever been to, I'd go for it. Once you pick up your jaw off the floor and get over the exorbitant prices of everything in Switzerland, yes even Starbucks, you can take a look around and appreciate the beautiful scenery of this waterfront Starbucks situated right in front of the historic Chapel Bridge, strewn with colorful flowers (depending on the season). Two coffees and two pastries ended up costing us the equivalent $22 USD, but it was nice to find a familiar cup of coffee abroad, just be prepared to pay an arm and a leg. Seating: +Indoor or outdoor +Indoor seating has a 2nd level, with a nice vantage point Bonus: +Free access to their water closets

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Starbucks - Menu

Menu

Starbucks - Pumpkin Spice Latte with Red Velvet cupcake

Pumpkin Spice Latte with Red Velvet cupcake

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Mugs and tumblers

Restaurant Schwanen Cafe de Ville - cafes - Updated July 2026

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