Archives for “Snacks” tag

Pleasantly untidy and absolutely cheerful, a constant hum of chatter fills Saveurs et couleurs cafe. For the eponymous “saveurs”, try the tasty evening menu or one of the tempting home-made cakes. If it’s “couleurs” you need, just sit down and look around!

I don’t think I have ever come here when it was not almost full – even on a Sunday – and it’s easy to understand why. In winter, the café offers a cosy welcome; yellow walls, coloured lights bestrewing the windows and ornate Moroccan lamps, as well as a warm greeting from the waiter, who will remember you if you come here more than once. In summer, the relatively large terrace is second to none, a perfect place to lounge and people-watch for a few hours after work.

The café is situated at the heart of les Grottes, a mini-village in the centre of Geneva, which not only lends it a very particular charm but also means that the terrace is quiet, as few cars pass through this part of Geneva. In just a three-minute walk from the station, you can completely remove yourself from the fumes and noise of rush hour.

I have come here with a range of companions and it is a great place both for small and large groups – although you will need to arrive early to grab the seats. It’s also one of the rare bars in Geneva where it’s comfortable to bring small children.

I first visited this bar for a quick drink with friends between work and the airport, and it has since become my venue of choice when time is of the essence: situated as it is directly behind the station, it is certainly one of the best options if you are changing trains in Geneva or want to relax just before you set off for your next destination, and by far outstrips some of the more visible but less enticing establishments which the station area has to offer.

When the weather allows, early-evening visitors enjoy the outdoor terrace, often spreading out along the path which leads to the bar itself-testament to the favour which this seemingly makeshift watering hole has curried among Geneva’s more adventurous after-work crowd. The empanadas, available with a number of different fillings, meaty and otherwise, will transport you to the Southern Cone and keep you chatting happily until dinnertime, while the interesting range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic thirst-quenchers is a welcome boon at the end of long week.

Keep an eye on your watch, but fear not: in two and a half minutes (suitcase time not included), you’ll be on the platform.

Two things keep me coming back to this wine bar in the heart of Geneva’s shopping district. The first is the wine: Swiss wine isn’t often found abroad, with most of it being drunk before it makes it to the border, so it’s well worth taking the opportunity to fill your glass with something local. Every wine served at the Tour du Molard is from within the canton of Geneva, and I find that they go down pretty nicely. The helpful and cheery staff seems pleased to make gentle recommendations and tell you more about what you’re drinking if you’re so inclined. The kitchen also has a range of pricey but delicious treats on offer-more snack than meal, but copious and mouth-watering all the same.

The second pull is the setting: the tower which houses the bar has stood on the Place du Molard since 1591, by some accounts, and the interior oozes charm: I love the two bar rooms if I’m in the mood for a lively evening drink, but for more intimate chats the staircase-bear with me!-offers a series of small landings, each with two or three chairs and enchanting views of the sea of pavement lights on the square below. Magical.

Two criticisms frequently levelled at Geneva are that its local and international communities fail to integrate and, in a slightly more prosaic vein, that there is nowhere to go shopping on Sundays. The food market at Plainpalais (check out the Plaine de Plainpalais article) casts both statements in a dubious light: it is a delicious cocktail of the local and non-local, and does indeed open on Sundays (and Tuesdays and Fridays too).

On sale is all that could be expected of a Swiss market and quite a bit more besides. Vying for space with stacks of fruit and veg are mushrooms, flowers, meat, fish, dairy and many, many varieties of cheese. The local and the international are equally present: I come here to find Gruyère or Emmentaler, but also reblochon from neighbouring Savoie, smoked Italian scamorza (if I can work out what to do with it) and a good old slab of cheddar.

The market comes in handy whenever cooking seems a chore: whole roast chickens swizzle on their spits beside stalls selling Moroccan delicacies, Bosnian hamburgers and Spanish churros; the offering changes constantly, and visits here can be a culinary education in their own right if you’re happy to take what comes.

And yes, I must admit I do breathe a sigh of relief on Saturday evenings when, as the supermarkets close for the rest of the weekend, I realise that it’s only a few hours until Plainpalais will be filled with brightly coloured produce and steaming pans of delicious Sunday fare.

As we enter the warmer season, why not enjoy a drink on a boat? Bateau Genève gets better every year. This is the best place to relax on the lake in a very laid-back atmosphere. The boat is located just off the Jardin Anglais (English Garden park), it is definitely one of my favorite hangouts. You can see the Jet d’Eau from it. You really feel like you are on holiday when you are there.

They offer main dishes at lunch time and tapas in the evening. Chilling out with just a drink is also an option.

They often organize some special events and parties. Dancing on there or listening to some live music is simply great. 

The ‘boat’ is so much more than a terrace though; it is an association that helps people in need by providing breakfast to them and assisting them in building some projects of their own. So going there you would be doing a good deed as well . And please be patient and understanding with the people who are serving you, they are all learning the job as a way to get back on track.