Delicious Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, and Basel (Switzerland)
Traveled in August 2024
Delicious and kid-friendly don’t always go together when it comes to eating out. But with this list of restaurants in Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, and Basel, Switzerland, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor for a kid-friendly vibe.
There is obviously no fine dining on this list, but we found the majority of restaurants in the main tourist areas of Switzerland to be kid-friendly. Many of them had high chairs and kids menus. The kids menus usually consist of chicken nuggets with fries and spaghetti with red sauce. And we never got dirty looks from the waiters or the other patrons when eating out with our toddler. When traveling with kids, a couple minutes can make the difference between hungry and hangry. You don’t want to spend those minutes searching “where to eat” while on the go. This list of kid-friendly restaurants in Lucerne, Lauterbrunnen, and Basel has you covered. So bookmark this page for your next family trip to Switzerland!
Tip for the restaurant webpages: the restaurant webpages are mostly in German. Some websites have the option to change the language to English, or you can use Google Translate to automatically translate the website. Or if you can’t figure it out, most restaurants have an English menu on site.
Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Lucerne
We knew that the next leg of our trip in the Bernese Oberland would be heavier in traditional Swiss food, so we looked for some more diverse options in Lucerne. These restaurants we tried (listed in bold) were fantastic, and I would gladly add them to our restaurant rotation back at home. The other restaurants are ones that I had bookmarked as being possible kid-friendly options because of the type of food and setting. But since we did not actually try them, I can’t absolutely vouch for them.
Historic brewery serving traditional Swiss food right next to the river. Located next to the river in the old town. Husband enjoyed the beers! The outdoor seating with a fantastic view of the river and covered view is first come first serve. Kids menus and high chairs available. Expect about 30-35 CHF for a main course, and 11-15 CHF for the kids menu.
SUCH GOOD PIZZA. This is not your pepperoni American pizza so don’t go expecting that. This place was around the corner from our apartment, so it is located 5 min from the train station outside of the old town. The pizza of the month is sublime with the freshest seasonal ingredients. We can also recommend the La Bestia. They do have a couple smaller pizzas with simpler toppings for kids, but we just got a couple pies and shared with our toddler. There is outdoor and indoor seating. We were seated in the back near a window, but it did get pretty hot in there with two pizza ovens burning. High chairs are available. Expect around 30 CHF per pizza.
Turkish wraps and Turkish pizza. Located between the old town and the train station. This place was such a sleeper hit. Not on my original list of restaurants, but we walked by on our way back to our apartment and it looked tasty. I have never had Turkish pizza (called pide) before, but the crust is so fluffy and soft, and the toppings so fresh. It was a nice change after the heavy and hearty Swiss food we had been having at the cafeterias for lunch. The pides are pretty big, so 1 pide and 1 kebab was more than enough for our family of 3. Kebabs were also delicious, with soft and juicy meat. Order at the counter, and they have indoor and outdoor seating, or you can take your food to go. Expect around 13-20 CHF for a pide or kebab wrap.
Traditional Swiss cafe and bakery. Located in the center of the old town. We picked up cheese tarts for the train ride, but they also had sandwiches and a tempting case of cakes and pastries.
Other Restaurants in Lucerne
Mill’Feuille – Swiss breakfast overlooking the river
Chas Barmettler – cheese store known for their cheese quiche
Wirtshaus Galliker – traditional Swiss
La Cucina – Italian with affordable weekday lunch set meal
Pfistern – modern Swiss next to the river
Wirsthaus Taube – another traditional Swiss option next to the river
Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Lauterbrunnen
There is just one main drag in Lauterbrunnen, so you won’t be overwhelmed by choice here. We usually try to stay away from “tourist restaurants,” but Lauterbrunnen is a tourist town so all the restaurants are tourist restaurants. Still, there are some good options.
Traditional Swiss, pizza, burgers, and steak. Located in Camping Jungfrau. A pretty wide selection on the menu so there should be something for everyone. Kids menu and high chairs available. We ate early so we were seated without a reservation. But they are popular so if eating after 6pm reservations are recommended in the high season. Expect around 20-30 CHF for main courses and 11-15 CHF for kids menu.
BASE Cafe
Burgers and sandwiches, with some traditional Swiss options. Solid burgers. The burgers are expensive for what they are compared to US pricing, but this is Swiss pricing. Order at the counter and find a seat. No kids menu or high chairs, but the seating is like booth seating. Expect around 25 CHF for a burger with fries.
Traditional Swiss food with many rosti options. They have indoor and outdoor seating available. The pretty outdoor patio is surrounded by flower baskets, but those same flowers attract many bees. Kids menu and high chairs available. We ate early so we were seated without a reservation. But they are popular so if eating after 6pm reservations are recommended in the high season. Expect around 25-30 CHF for main courses and 11-15 CHF for kids menu.
Sandwiches and homemade pastries. Only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Good sandwiches for a picnic lunch! They also have indoor and outdoor seating. Expect around 10-15 CHF for a sandwich.
Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Basel
Basel feels less touristy than the other two towns above, and the restaurant choices reflect that. There are more international options, and even some market halls. However, just like in the more touristy areas, we found the restaurants in Basel to be pretty kid-friendly.
If you want something sweet, check out my list of can’t-miss chocolate shops you can only find in Basel!
Famous for cordon bleu. You may think fried meat and cheese would be heavy and greasy, but the cordon bleus here were surprisingly light and juicy. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Kids menu and high chairs available. Expect 30-35 CHF for a cordon bleu itself, an additional 7-10 CHF for a side, and 10-15 CHF for a kids menu.
Lebanese mezzes, which are like tapas. All of the dishes are vegetarian, but we did not miss the meat here. They also have some refreshing inventive drinks. One of our favorite restaurants of the trip. No kids menu, but lots of options made for sharing. High chairs available. Expect around 10-15 CHF for smaller plates and 20-27 CHF for larger plates.
Sandwiches and burgers. They have a build-your-own burger/sandwich option or ready made specialties. No kids menu. High chairs are available. They have indoor or outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is in a quiet square, so energetic kids can run around safely while waiting for food. Expect around 18-20 CHF for a main course.
Other Restaurants in Basel
Markthalle – basically a food court with many different international cuisine options. Right next to the train station.
Klara – a smaller version of the Markthalle located across the river.
Mystifry – gourmet donuts.
Ufer7 – modern regional Swiss cuisine, located across the river.
Nomad Eatery and Bar – brunch food.
L’Atelier – poke bowls.
Sapori Del Sud – Italian takeaway known for their pastrami sandwich.
Hungry for more? Start planning your trip to Switzerland with my toddler-friendly itinerary to Switzerland!
Discover more from A Teaspoon of Travel
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Comments are closed.