Image by Delphine Rieder

Chez Ma Cousine is right below the Place du Bourg de Four and is a really nice restaurant. If you like chicken of course, because this is their specialty. You can either choose it in a salad or hot.

The menu isn’t very extensive, but people usually go to Chez Ma Cousine because it is a cheap and good restaurant in the center of the city, and it is as well a great alternative to the Mac Donald’s. And of course, healthier:-)!

At lunch, it is usually crowded by working people who eat their meal on the little terrace or pick it up and eat it in a little park nearby. Otherwise, people hanging out with friends or couples having a great time together can be seen. There are not a lot of tables in the front, but a lovely little extra room at the back of the restaurant will welcome you if you are a group of friends.

You can find this restaurant in two other areas in Geneva (on the right side of the city called St-Gervais, down the train station and in le Petit Saconnex). The portions are very generous and you will definitely feel full afterwards. Afterwards you can hang out in the old town and have a drink in La Clemence (check the La Clemence article), La Demi-Lune (check the La Demi-Lune article) or other bars in the pedestrian streets.

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Chez Ma Cousine | Restaurants (French) | Chicken menu CHF 15.00
Place du Bourg de Four 6 | Vieille-ville | +41223109696
11:30 – 23:30 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Image by Delphine Rieder

The Mortimer is a French restaurant right next to Chez Ma Cousine (check the Chez Ma Cousine article) in the Old Town. If you want to have a nice view of the city, you can take the stairs in the rocks outside the cafe, right next to the terrace and you will have nothing else to do than enjoying!!!

The building in which it is located has been built in the XVIth century and is very beautiful. I particularly like this place, because it is a very warm spot, and the atmosphere remembers me of the very typical Parisian bars, possibly because of the posters on the wall that I love.

When the night comes, candles are switched on which give the spot a intimate atmosphere.

The meals are really delicious, the wines as well, and the waiters and waitresses are always friendly, even if there are many customers. The terrace in the shadow is very pleasant. You’ll have a very nice time hanging around here!

Don’t forget to taste their very famous home-made chocolate cake! A cappuccino will be great with it, but a glass of water as well!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Le Mortimer | Restaurants (French) | Meal CHF 30.00
Place du Bourg-de-Four 2 | Vieille-ville | +41223101398
Mon – Sat 06:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Image by Delphine Rieder

La Demi Lune is a bar-restaurant located in the Old Town, closed to the Place du Bourg de Four and La Clemence (check the La Clemence article).

It is a nice spot filled with comfortable couches at the back, high tables and chairs in the center and a little room to eat. There is a terrace as well during summer.

Their cocktails are great (you should try the Demi Lune cocktail!). Their meals are really good : among others you can choose from tandori chicken, spring rolls and hamburgers…

The staff is young (students mainly) and the music is quite jazzy most of the time, although you can hear some french music and others from time to time!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Demi-Lune | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (International) | Hamburger CHF 15.00
Rue Etienne Dumont 3 | Vieille-ville | +41223121290
Mon – Wed 10:00 – 01:00, Thu – Fri 10:00 – 02:00, Sat 16:00 – 02:00 , Sun 16:00 – 01:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Image by Lorcan Meyfarth

Want to survive a winter day out in Geneva: it is all about chestnuts.

Chestnuts were all over the ground in the Parc des Bastions a few months ago but even if it’s too late for that, you can still crush the grilled chestnuts’ shells – that sound, it’s perfect ! – and that smell that famous scent all over the city.

I’m personally not fond of the chestnuts’ taste, but I do like the way they smell – I’m quite complicated with food. That said, I can tell by the number of people eating some, that it might be quite appreciable. And they’re hot, the perfect thing for a rainy, windy, cold shopping afternoon.

You’ll find stalls quite everywhere, just look for the huts!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Hot Chestnuts | Snacks | 100 gr CHF 3.50
Place du bourg-de-four | Vieille-ville
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 19:00, Sat 09:00 – 18:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Image by Lorcan Meyfarth

Another green spot I have to write about. It’s the park I used to go every day after school when I was a kid, and the park I still go to, either to play football – during the summer you’ll see many different groups playing from the end of the afternoon until dawn – or just to relax with a good book. You’ll soon also be able to borrow nice deckchairs, I’ll get on that when the time has come!

The park is huge – 11 hectares – located in a wealthy neighborhood, a 15 minutes’ walk away from the old town, therefore this spot is guaranteed flowered-clock-tourists-free, full of locals.

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Parc Bertrand | Relaxing | Free
Avenue Peschier | Vieille-ville
Daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva

Image by Lorcan Meyfarth

La Clémence is the bar I would take every visitor to.

The first reason would be its location, right on the Place du Bourg-de-Four. This is the most strategic point of the old town, near almost everything, like the shopping streets or the cathedral.

I wouldn’t be able to say if I prefer it in the morning with an espresso, a croissant and the newspaper, after work with a fresh beer, or in the evening, before going out.

In summer, the terrace will be set up and a massive crowd will progressively invade the place. You can get a grasp of the popularity of la Clémence by seeing the nearest bars – which are even more than near, just beside la Clémence as you can guess on the photo – half empty (I insist, not half-full) while it’s legendary competitor is overwhelmed by clients.

In winter, when it’s too cold to be outside, just enter the tiny bar: you’ll enjoy the charming wooden banks and stools, the old-fashioned atmosphere and the conversations with the regular barflies! Let’s just hope it won’t lose its charm by losing the smoke (the new non-smoking law is now in force)…

My favorite bar, by far!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Clémence | Bars | Beer CHF 4.40
Place du Bourg-de-four 20 | Vieille-ville | +41223101096
Sun – Thu 08:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 08:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Geneva