Restaurant Mühlirad Bern – Vacherin in Bread Beneath the Nydegg Steps

Atmosphere: Rustic beneath the Nydegg steps

We visited the Restaurant Mühlirad in the Matte [the old-town district of Bern]. From the outside it lies directly below the Nydegg steps (Nydeggstäge) and makes a very appealing impression. Once you step inside, wood dominates the interior, and there is also a fitting mill wheel on the wall.

We took a seat at a cosy little corner table. The atmosphere is very rustic overall – and that is precisely what makes the charm of this hidden place.

The Kitchen: Vacherin in bread and more

Starter: Side salad

As a starter I chose a side salad. It had a nice portion size, was garnished with olives and, for a simple accompanying salad with its Italian dressing, surprisingly varied.

Main course: Vacherin in bread

For the main course I had a Vacherin cheese in bread. It was served in a very fresh, dark roll – not wholemeal, but a bread typically coloured with malt – hollowed out and filled with warm Vacherin. The cut-out piece of bread was placed next to it, so you could dip it wonderfully into the cheese.

The Vacherin was pleasantly soft, even if not quite as runny as a fondue. You could also choose toppings – I opted for bacon and pear, while mushrooms would also have been available. The whole thing was incredibly tasty (Swiss: chüstig), and I ate almost the entire plate clean. My colleagues looked at my food with more than a little envy.

Dessert & coffee: Grape mousse

To finish there was a little dessert. I had ordered a grape mousse. It tasted more of berries than grapes, though – according to the menu the grapes came from their own garden, which is why they tasted very fruity and may not have had the typical, artificial grape aroma, but curiously the dessert was also garnished with berries instead of grapes. Afterwards there was a coffee.

Service

The service was exceptionally friendly and attentive. The waitress, for example, proactively came to the table to ask whether we wanted to order anything else – she skilfully and in a likeable way tried to encourage sales. At first only the lunch menu was on the table, but she promptly brought us the regular menu too. The menu is not huge, but offers a good selection – for example cordon bleu or the “Metzgerstück”, a meat dish that changes regularly.

Verdict

The visit was very harmonious overall. The restaurant has a lovely interior, the service is exceptionally friendly and the food was spot on. Especially the Vacherin cheese in bread with bacon and pear stays in memory. I would rate this restaurant at least 4.4 out of 5 stars.

Details

Address: Gerberngasse 4, 3011 Bern (Matte, right beneath the Nydegg steps)
Phone: +41 31 311 21 09
Website: muehlirad-bern.ch
Opening hours: Tue–Fri 11.30–23.00 (kitchen until 21.00), Sat 17.00–23.00 (kitchen until 21.00), closed Sun/Mon
Public transport: From Bern main station by bus 12 to Nydegg, then down the Nydegg steps
Cuisine: Hearty traditional Swiss – cordon bleu, “Metzgerstück”, cheese dishes