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The gourmet side of Crans-Montana
An overview of the best tables
One eats very well on the high plateau. In fact, if one adds up all the scores of the ski resort’s ten Gault&Millau-ranked restaurants, one gets an impressive 145 points total. A rising trend that shows no signs of slowing, with five new locales in Switzerland’s 2024 edition of the guide (minus Œnothèque Ravet, which closed in March).
The top prize goes to L’Ours, Franck Reynaud’s gourmet restaurant within a charming hotel of the same name, with 18 points and 1 Michelin star. Only a handful of restaurants in the country can claim the same, and the Provençal chef was also awarded the 2023 Swiss Culinary Merit award. Having been in Valais for 30 years now, he’s built an empire around his quality work and use of the right seasonal ingredients, sourced from a prized network of local artisan producers. His regulars speak highly of his aesthetics and his creativity. And believe it or not, Franck Reynaud is also a great athlete and co-guardian (along with mountain guide Pierre-Olivier Bagnoud) of the Cabane des Violettes. A detour perhaps, but certainly another opportunity to eat well, surrounded by the Valais Alps at 2,208 m.
Chef Reynaud also oversees the hotel’s more casual dining option, Le Bistrot des Ours, which was also recognized by Gault&Millau with a score of 14 points. Here you can enjoy his contemporary, magic touch in a beautifully traditional stone and wood chalet setting.
Franck Reynaud also reigns over the undisputed Partage (15 points) at the Aida Hôtel & Spa, an adults-only Relais & Châteaux property that was renovated in 2021. Here you can enjoy fantastic, convivial dining from the inviting living room or the panoramic terrace, with a menu that offers both individual options and a host of sharable plates. Beginning December 13, a new Discovery Menu debuts that will offer a curated selection of winter creations influenced by transalpine cuisine — unique gourmet moments guaranteed!
The area’s only other Michelin-starred restaurant, LeMontBlanc, is (of course!) located in the highest ranges of the ski resort, within the very chic LeCrans Hotel & Spa. Here, contemporary décor meets stunning views, complete with a heated terrace for outdoor dining even in the winter. This out-of-the-ordinary establishment earned 15 points with Gault&Millau as soon as it opened. Chef Yannick Crépaux has been at the helm here since 2020, and people adore everything about it! Expect incomparable and often-surprising dishes, which expertly juggle tastes and textures and are presented with intentionally playful names. There’s even an Opacarophile menu (with seven or ten course options).
Opened in February 2023 along the forested base of the slopes, the new Six Senses Hotel erupted on the local fine dining scene with two exceptional establishments to choose from: Wild Cabin (14 points) and Byakko (also 14). Two distinct auras and inspirations are on offer here. The first, in the vast, open dining hall is distinctly brasserie-chic, boasting a large terrace and a wood-fired grill that serves locally sourced seasonal dishes. The second is cozier, serving Japanese Alps inspired contemporary cuisine in an ambiance featuring silk-covered benches, unique ceramic dishware and live music in the late evenings. Naturally, the primary ingredients at Byakko hail from both Switzerland and Japan.
Restaurant FIVE (14 points), at the Guarda Golf Hotel & Residences in the heart of the ski resort, takes you on an exploration of the East. Here you can “Savour the cuisine of the Levant”, as the house says, to describe its small selection of main dishes and its wide variety of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern mezzes. The key word here is “sharing”. Everything is placed in the centre of the table for all to enjoy. What better time to taste exotic dishes like patlıcan (caramelized eggplant with date paste and pine nuts) and ahtapot (grilled octopus salad, with tomato, orange, lime and capers)?
A trip around the world comes next! Among the tables that scored 13 points with Gault&Millau are two new locales that pull you away from the comfort of a hotel. First, there’s CaSy. Ca for Caroline: master of the dining room and daughter of the ex-President of the Confederation, Adolf Ogi. And Sy for Sylvain: the Swiss chef who leads the kitchen. The menu takes you on a meandering journey and is “simple, but good” in the words of Gault&Millau. Then, on the road towards Lens, is Kaizen, a welcoming chalet with large windows that embraces Japanese traditions and is known for delightful sushi. In Bluche, Edo (awarded a Bib Gourmand) takes a similar Japanese path. There’s also La Muña, inside the Crans Ambassador, which offers a truly unique dining experience: Nikkei, a fusion of Japanese and South American influences that stems from the Japanese immigrant population in Peru. Here you go from the Andean Altiplano to the High Plateau of Valais in one leap, savouring exceptional seafood that includes a sublime selection of ceviche and tiraditos with citrus and yuzu.
casy-montana.ch
kaizenrestaurant.com
edo-tokyo.ch
cransambassador.ch
