The 10 best restaurants in Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana’s location (just under two hours, 40 minutes by train from Geneva) and its plethora of high-end hotels make it attractive to both international holidaymakers and Swiss weekenders alike – a fact that’s helped to drive the quality of its gastronomy to new heights.
It now boasts an authentic Alpine culinary culture that delivers Michelin-starred chefs in five-star hotels and elevated lunches in piste-side mountain huts (don’t miss Cabane des Violettes). A booming local trade in mountain-farmed and reared produce guarantees quality whether you’re eating traditional Valaisan delights, like raclette and air-dried beef at Le Mayen, or fine-dining on modern-French dishes at Le Mont Blanc. There’s even room for modern Japanese at Byakko by Six Senses or Kaizen.
For further Crans-Montana inspiration, see our guides to the resort's best accommodation and après ski.
Find a restaurant by location
In resort
Le Mayen
No visit to Crans-Montana is complete without experiencing a traditional Valaisan restaurant like Le Mayen, which has been family run for two generations since 1968. Serving staff wear traditional dress and the dishes are all regional, well presented and made with authentically local ingredients. The menu includes a handy map of the area, too, which reveals where the local fish, raclette cheeses, fresh bread and eggs, cured meat and Valaisan wines come from. There are also vegetarian and gluten-free salads, soups, rostis and fondues available.
Price: ££
Contact: mayen.ch/en/
Byakko by Six Senses
Experience modern Japanese dining in a sumptuous space bedecked with silk hangings and traditional craftsmanship featuring Byakko, the white tiger of Japanese mythology.
Yes, sushi in the mountains can feel like an odd fit, but the chef’s specials here have been inspired by the Japanese Alps, which ground Byakko into its high-altitude setting. The signature dishes of sashimi, makimonos and robatayaki are offered with pairings of sake or green tea to perfectly complement their flavours. This is fine dining with a dose of traditional conviviality – and it doesn’t disappoint.
Price: £££
Contact: sixsenses.com
Mosaic
A popular brasserie on Route du Rawyl, the main drag through Crans-Montana, Mosaic has a volcanic-stone grill and plancha in an open kitchen so you can see your food being prepared in real time. In addition to the meat and fish grills, vegetarian options are available, as well as gluten-free dishes, including quinoa. Cocktails are prepared at the bar and the food is accompanied by an extensive wine list. Also good: the paint-splattered sculpture of a gorilla by the front door makes it instantly recognisable.
Price: ££
Contact: mosaic2016.ch
Kaizen
Styled like a minimalist Alpine chalet, the dining room at Kaizen offers the perfect setting for contemporary Japanese cuisine. The attention to detail here shows in the flavours as well as the presentation, with knockout tempura and sashimi dishes. You can tell that the chef, who ran a successful group of restaurants in Madrid, knows how to create an atmosphere that’s ideal for group dining without being hectic; the service is excellent.
Price: £££
Contact: kaizenrestaurant.com
Le Mont Blanc
For dinner with a view, one of the best venues in town is Le Mont Blanc, the Michelin-starred restaurant inside the five-star LeCrans hotel. Showcasing a 180-degree mountainous panorama, its outside terrace is heated throughout the winter.
Selecting the best local, sustainable Swiss produce, Le Mont Blanc crafts modern-French-inspired cuisine. Chef Yannick Crepaux has developed two menus – the first focuses on Alpine gastronomy using local, seasonal ingredients, while the second is a bistro menu that revisits and elevates dishes from Crepaux’s own childhood. It’s a fine-dining experience inspired by the flavours and colours of Alpine meadows and mountains.
Price: £££
Contact: lecrans.com/dine/le-mont-blanc
Pays de l’Ours
For a truly gourmet dining experience in Crans-Montana, look to the Michelin-starred L’Ours restaurant and chef Franck Reynaud, who offers a variety of five- to eight-course modern French-Mediterranean menus. The food is infused with his philosophy of connection, gained by his kitchen having a personal relationship with each of its suppliers, many of whom are in the local area. In a chic setting with a view of the peaks, the dishes are full of seasonal flavours and reflect Reynaud’s own journey, from growing up in Marseille to finding a home in the Swiss Alps.
Price: £££
Contact: pasdelours.ch
Wild Cabin by Six Senses
Go for lunch on the sun terrace or dine in Six Senses’ brasserie restaurant at night to savour the wood-fired flavours from its menu of grilled vegetables, locally-sourced meat and fish, and fine wines. Wild Cabin’s seasonal fare is bursting with flavour and looks incredibly vibrant on the plate, while the bar offers the best Old Fashioned cocktail in town. The ambience is one of relaxed luxury and the waiting staff always seem to know when to attend the table without crowding you.
Price: £££
Contact: sixsenses-cransmontana.com
On the mountain
Cabane des Violettes
Michelin-starred chef Franck Reynaud runs the lunch service at this historical mountain refuge at an altitude of 2,208m, which commands uninterrupted views of the surrounding peaks. In fact, he ski-tours up to it every morning and shows similar dedication to his craft by serving hungry skiers authentic Swiss Alpine flavours using locally sourced ingredients.
In fact, one of the most satisfying cheese fondues in the Alps is found here, along with Reynaud’s signature wine, which is made from one of the only white-grape varieties grown in the Valais. It’s always a full house, though, so be sure to make a reservation.
Price: ££
Contact: cabanedesviolettes.ch/en/
Mayen de la Cure
One for adventurous groups of skiers, this pre-booked dining experience involves skinning up one of Crans-Montana’s waymarked ski-touring climbs. The destination is a picnic spot for a platter with an aperitif as the sun sets, followed by a headtorch-lit ski descent to a private dinner of fondue or raclette at Mayen de la Cure, a traditional mountain restaurant.
It’s an immersive experience that delivers fresh views of the mountain and you’ll have earned the right to feast on raclette afterwards – accompanied by some of the best white wine from Crans-Montana’s vineyards, of course.
Price: ££
Contact: mayendelacure.ch
Chetzeron
Located up in the clouds at 2,112m, the stylishly cuboid Chetzeron is actually a converted former gondola station. It boasts a jaw-dropping vista of the mountains, through its huge window and from its terrace. The concrete interior, which also houses a luxury hotel, uses renewable energy and is softened with architectural touches of wood and stone. The menu is as splendid as the surroundings, too, whether you’re enjoying a Valaisan platter of meat and cheeses accompanied by Champagne on one of its four sun-drenched terraces or digging into a fondue in the cosy dining room.
Price: £££
Contact: chetzeron.ch
How we choose
Every restaurant in this curated list has been expertly chosen by our ski expert, following years of experience on the slopes. We cover a range of budgets, from piste-side huts to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every skier’s taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations, with options both in the resort and on the mountain. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations.
