3 Best Restaurants in Stein-am-Rhein, Eastern Switzerland

Perched on a gentle bend in the Rhine at the end of a colorful string of half-timber buildings, this family-friendly Italian restaurant offers an inviting riverside terrace and a wide variety of pasta options such as spaghetti with pesto sauce, Gorgonzola gnocchi, and risotto with mushrooms. The large menu also offers pizzas, meats, and fish—all served with a side of Swiss hospitality.

Yet another local establishment with a beautiful frescoed facade, this one glows with a deep-red wood-hued interior that invites passersby into the warm little Weinstube. Inside, dark antiques surround a Kachelofen (tile stove), and candles glow on the tables. The menu mixes Swiss staples with Italian flavors—you'll find spaghetti arrabbiata alongside the traditional Wurst-Käse-Salat (sliced cervelat sausages and cheese cubes with onions drizzled with oil and vinegar dressing—it's tastier than it sounds). If you're tired of meat, there's a good selection of crisp salads as well.

Small bakeries abound in Switzerland, but this one, run by Schaffhausen-based Ermatinger, offers such specialties as homemade pralines, fruit tortes, and other butter-laden confections. The locals also stop here for light snacks (the muesli is tasty), lunch (tomato-mozzarella sandwiches are the way to go), or a scoop of homemade ice cream.