Brasserie Kaiser Bern – French Bistro Cuisine in the Heart of the Old Town

Brasserie Kaiser has opened at Kaiserhaus in Bern’s Old Town with a clear concept: French bistro cuisine, artisanal quality, in-house bakery and charcuterie. I visited on a hot Sunday in May and settled on the terrace in the courtyard.

Atmosphere: Bistro Feeling in the Kaiserhaus Courtyard

The terrace is in the courtyard of Kaiserhaus – sheltered from direct sun yet bright and airy. Green metal tables, wooden chairs with metal frames and simply set tables with white napkins create authentic bistro atmosphere.

Although the sun was blazing hot that day, the terrace remained pleasantly cool thanks to its shaded location. Perfect for a relaxed lunch or a refined dinner.

The Food: French Classics

Starter: Gratinée Onion Soup

The gratinée onion soup is served in a white bowl on a small plate. An aromatic, clear onion soup with a thick bread slice topped with melted cheese. The taste is exactly what you expect from a French onion soup: savoury, rich, comforting. The bread slice was a bit too thick though – when you first dig in, the soup tends to spill over. I split the bread and enjoyed the soup carefully. A minor flaw in an otherwise classically good dish.

Main: Flank Steak with Herb Butter and Spätzli

The flank steak was cooked medium to perfection and aromatic. Mostly tender as expected from a flank steak, though with some sinewy bits here and there. The Spätzli were good but not freshly made on the spot. The herb butter was more airy than buttery-melting. Pricing is notable here: CHF 38 for the meat, CHF 6 for the herb butter, CHF 8 for the Spätzli – everything priced individually, driving up the total.

Drinks: Water Flat Rate

A nice touch: CHF 5 gets you unlimited water. A fair and straightforward solution. The wine list features more unusual, lesser-known wines.

Service

The service was friendly, though with a slight language barrier – our waiter spoke limited German. He compensated with careful order-taking, confirming everything back to us. Better to ask twice than to bring the wrong dish.