Image by Sylvie Meynier

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Bateau Genève | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants | Main dish CHF 15.00
Quai Gustave-Ador | Eaux-Vives | +41227864345
Tue – Fri 11:30 – 14:30 & 17:00 – 21:00

Rating: 5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Image by sylvie Meynier

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Geneva is nicknamed “la cité des parcs” for its 25 big green spaces, to be found almost everywhere in the city. Now the hot days are back, I would advise you to go for a picnic in the Parc Lagrange; it’s as beautiful as few are.

It was bequeathed by a rich citizen in the beginning of the XXth century. It is located in front of the lake, perfectly inclined to give you a unique view on the lac Léman.

On its 20 hectares, this park hosts many different parts: a little lake, a playground for children, huge lawns – I like to play cards with friends there – and a rose garden. I rarely go to the playground or the rose garden (!), but it’s a really nice place to go for a walk and discover the green side of Geneva.

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Le Parc Lagrange | Relaxing | Free
Le Parc Lagrange | Eaux-Vives
From sunrise until the bell rings

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

If you are looking for a good and typical Lebanese treat, then I can suggest this small restaurant, family owned. The wife is in the kitchen and the husband handles the service and the management.

The place is pretty small and simple, something I personally prefer. The food is known for its quality and authenticity. Prices are decent for Geneva standards and the service is great, something rare in Geneva.

Try out their cold and hot mezzes, I usually prefer to have a mix of these and share with someone. My favorite ones are the eggplant puree (Moutabaal) and meat or cheese rolls (samboussik). They also have delicious grilled meat and fish. And don’t miss out on the maamoule for dessert (pistachio biscuit).

You can also have all their food to go. And for lunch they have fairly- priced dishes of the day (plat du jour). If you like Lebanese food, also try La Caravane Passe.

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La Lanterne | Restaurants (Lebanese) | Mezze from CHF 13.00
Rue du Lac 15 | Eaux-Vives | +41227362141
Mon – Fri 10:30 – 14:30 & 18:30 – 22:30, Sat 18:30 – 22:30

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Don’t trust at first sight the appearances of the little restaurant in the main street of the Eaux-Vives. Go inside and you will never regret it!

The setting is really warm, with subdued lights at the back and the posters on the walls are lovely. The owner is extremely friendly and so are the waiters.

The meals are delicious and the waiters will explain to you each of them if you have any questions. You should try the cucumber alcohol which is very original!

Even if the meals are maybe a little more expensive than in other restaurants, they’re worth it. You should try the “Menu Asadal”: 2 starters, then the Bulgogi as the main dish and a coconut ice cream for dessert. Divine! My friends love to come back here.

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Asadal | Restaurants (Korean) | Meal CHF 30.00
Rue des Eaux-Vives 9 | Eaux-Vives | +41227860198
Mon – Fri 11:30 – 14:30 & 18:45 – 22:30

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

This tea room is located right in the middle of les Eaux-Vives, one of the most popular neighborhoods of Geneva. You can either have breakfast when you wake up, with delicious slice of bread or home-made cakes and tea selected among plenty, a big salad at lunch or some amazing tapas at night, with a good red wine.

If you go there in winter, you need to taste their home made hot chocolate, a real delight! I love their home made pies, especially their “apple upside-down”, as the slice is warmed and is served with some sugar cane syrup…

In the summer, a little terrace will welcome you, but you should definitely have a look inside, as the decor worth it. Indeed, couches, lamps, magazines, old radio, a big giraffe in one corner, make this spot a very intimate place where you will definitely feel like you’re in your grandparents’ living-room.

The staff is really great and the beautiful owner is always smiling! The music is always nice and from time to time, a singer comes when the night falls.

Enjoy!

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Le Coup de Girafe | Bars, Coffee & tea | Home-made cake CHF 7.00
18 rue Maunoir | Eaux-Vives | +41227009632
Tue – Thu 07:45 – 00:00, Fri 07:45 – 01:00, Sat 10:00 – 01:00, Sun 10:00 – 17:00

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Les halles de Rive are a great place to buy food. It is a little expensive, but the prices equal the quality.

La Halle de Rive is located at the beginning of les rues basses at Rive where everyone goes for shopping. It is divided in several stands, where you can either buy meat, sushis, fish, Asian food, cheese, wine, vegetables, flowers, cakes and drinks as well thanks to the bar.

At lunch, people who work nearby go there to get a good meal and eat it by the lake (during summer) or in the English Garden, located a couple of minutes from the spot. I am very found of the fresh pastas, with tomato sauce and cheese that you can take away for only CHF 10.-. Awesome!

People are always nice and helpful, and on Saturday morning, it is usually full of people, because the market takes place next to it. You will definitely be hungry while entering it!

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La Halle de Rive | Shopping, Snacks | Sushis CHF 15.00
Boulevard Hélvétique 29 | Eaux-Vives
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 18:00

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

This great bar is located near Le Coup de Girafe (check the Le Coup de Girafe article) in front of the primary school of Les Eaux-Vives. It is easy to get there by bus, since bus 2 and 6 can take you there (bus stop: Vollandes).

I really enjoy going there for cocktail time (lovely mojitos) and hang out for a couple of hours with my friends. They have one of the best list of wines (especially red ones) and if you don’t know which one to pick, the nice staff will help you in your choice depending on your tastes.

They can also serve you amazing cocktails and at night, your drinks will come with olives, which will make your drink more delicious! You can also order delicious tapas!

They will serve you delicious plats du jour during the lunch break and they always pay a particular attention to fresh products. You can also have their fresh salads if you prefer, which are also very good.

The music is really nice, and it is really pleasant to have a drink there. If you want an advice, order a glass of the sweet swiss wine called “Chant des Sirènes” (they have it white or red): my favorite!

During the summer, they open a little terrace at the back of the bar, which will allow you to make the most of your time under the sun, while enjoying a nice Spanish wine. Divine!

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La Suite 115 | Bars, Restaurants (French) | Glass of wine from CHF 5.00
61 rue du 31 décembre | Eaux-Vives | +41227861115
Mon – Wed 07:00 – 00:00, Thu – Fri 07:00 – 02:00, Sat 17:00 – 02:00

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Les Scalas is one of the last independent cinemas in Geneva. Right in the middle of the Eaux-Vives, it has the particularity to show tons of little movies from many different countries around the world. Many huge film lovers prefer this place over imposing giant movie theatres built by huge companies.

The fidelity card (CHF 30.00 year) permits everyone to see every movie for only CHF 10.00 (and when you know that a ticket for a movie costs CHF 17.00, it’s really worth it!) in every independent cinema every day for every show. That is one more good reason to choose these kinds of cinemas and support them.

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Les Scalas | Cinemas | Adult CHF 17.00
Rue des Eaux-Vives 23 | Eaux-Vives | +41227360422
One to four shows per day, daily (schedule changes)

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

I used to live in Madrid so sometimes I miss having real Spanish tapas. They are hard to find in Geneva even though there are quite a few Spanish bars around. Usually they are not very typical or they are very expensive.

A couple of years ago however, a Spanish friend of mine brought me to Meditsol and I was not disappointed! This restaurant has my favorite tapas, and they actually know how to make them: I love the ‘patatas bravas’ (potatoes with a spicy sauce – it’s the only place in Geneva where they taste like in Spain) and the “boquerones” (fresh anchovies in vinegar). And of course they also make delicious ‘tortilla’ (potato omelette) and have decent ‘queso de manchego’ (hard cheese).

I usually go there with a bunch of friends and we have all kinds of tapas to share. If you prefer having a bigger dish, they also make pretty good paella (but you have to order it in advance and it has to be for 4 people minimum). And the wine is worth mentioning to, as you cannot go wrong with Spanish wine, especially Rioja.

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Meditsol | Bars, Restaurants (Spanish tapas) | Tapas from CHF 8.00
Cours de Rive 18 | Eaux-Vives | +41227000430
Mon 11:00 – 14:30 & 18:00 – 01:00, Tue – Thu 11:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 02:00

5

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva