DOCK8 Bern – Lunch on the Terrace in the Holliger Housing Estate

Atmosphere: a terrace right in the Holliger housing estate

DOCK8 is not on a main street but in the middle of a housing estate. From the outside it is correspondingly unassuming: no sign, no logo – basically all you see are the tables outside. We ate outdoors.

The spot itself is all the nicer for it: red chairs and tables, and the view straight onto the apartment blocks of the estate with the green space in between. So you are sitting right in the neighbourhood rather than on a pedestrian high street – and correspondingly it is calm and unhurried.

There is also an idea behind the place: DOCK8 is a restaurant with a social component that deliberately aims at the people who live in the neighbourhood. The people eating here are either neighbours, friends, or simply someone who wanted to stop by while passing.

The kitchen: a daily changing lunch menu

At lunch, Dock 8 serves one vegetarian menu and one with meat. On top of that you can choose a pasta of the week. The offer changes daily – so every day you get to see what there is.

Starter: pumpkin soup with whipped cream

I arrived a little late and let my table companions order for me. By the time I got there, they had already started on the starter. My pumpkin soup was then brought over immediately – no stress, no asking.

The pumpkin soup had a lovely pumpkin aroma and a proper amount of whipped cream. With the cream it turned lightly sweet and creamy – just right for a cold September day.

Main course: perch fillets with salt potatoes and carrots

For the main course there were perch fillets with salt potatoes and carrots, served with a quark sauce. The pieces of fish were juicy inside, and the breading outside was crispy fried – exactly how you want perch. The potatoes were a touch undercooked though, while the carrots were properly done, albeit with slightly too much butter.

Dessert: brownie

To finish there was a brownie, and it really did work: dense, chocolatey, moist. Not too sweet and not dry – just right.

Service

The service was generally friendly, with a smile on their lips. When we turned up a little late, the soup was simply put in front of us without us having to ask.

Verdict

The offer here is very basic – it is simple cooking. But well executed. That is the point: if you are after something spectacular and instead just want a proper lunch, you get that here for around CHF 30–40 including coffee and water. And if you like, you can add a contribution to the Solimenü and let other guests have a hot meal – regardless of their wallet.

Details

Address: Holligerhof 8, 3008 Bern
Phone: +41 31 312 55 44
Website: dock8.ch
Opening hours: Mon–Thu 9.00–17.00, Fri 9.00–22.00 (evening menu Friday only)
Public transport: Bus No. 12 to Holligen, or Tram 7/8 to Schlossmatte (ca. 350 m)
Lunch menu: vegetarian CHF 21.50, with meat or fish CHF 23.50, pasta del giorno CHF 19.50
Solimenü: + CHF 5.– solidarity contribution per menu