Le Restaurant / Le Relais

In 70 seconds to pizza paradise! That’s how long the ride takes on the longest escalator in St. Moritz. It leads from the catacombs of the «Badrutt’s Palace» directly into the «Chesa Veglia». This is the oldest farmhouse in the village (1685!) and the most successful of the eleven «Palace» restaurants. The formula: The «Chesa» is wonderfully straightforward, the menu full of familiar dishes, and the fact that it’s packed every evening despite the shift system only makes the venue more desirable. Veteran maître Alessandro Bellan (36 years at the «Chesa»!) and his team handle the daily rush with ease. In winter, guests are spoiled for choice: «Chadafö» grill? Pizzeria Heuboden? Or perhaps the small, refined «Fondue Stübli» (only three tables!). The boundaries between them are fluid. If you sit in the «Heuboden» because you’re craving one of the twelve pizza varieties, you still get the famous «Salade de homard entier à la mode de la Chesa Veglia» and watch fascinated as a whole Canadian lobster is cracked per guest for the sake of a lobster salad. When it comes to pizza, the «Dama Bianca» leaves the competition far behind: five different types of cheese (aged Parmiggiano and buffalo mozzarella dominate), plenty of black truffles, but no tomatoes. We can also recommend the ossobuco, lobster taglierini, and lamb chops; the «galletto» is likely even juicier. In the more upscale «Chadafö», the soups are not called «Las Schoppas» as they are elsewhere in the «Chesa», but «Les Potages». Of course, the classic onion soup with Gruyère croutons or the lobster bisque are not missing. The best dishes are prepared «à la broche»: lamb rack with Engadin herbs, Bresse poularde with rosemary «Blanc et Rouge». This is the house classic: Bresse poularde and Chateaubriand with Béarnaise sauce, served together on a large platter! Available for parties of four or more at 100 francs per guest.