If you’re headed to Interlaken and have a vegetarian in your group, you’re probably wondering if you’re just gonna survive on salad and cheese. Don’t worry, I scoped out the best vegetarian eats in Interlaken & how to plan for stress-free meals during my recent trip with my family.
Jump Into a Specific Section :
- What to Know BEFORE travelling
- Items to Bring from Home
- Vegetarian Favorites from Switzerland Grocery Stores
- Restaurants & Eating Out
- More Switzerland Travel Guides
- FULL 10-DAY Switzerland Itinerary
- Vegetarian’s Guide to Lucern
- Vegetarian’s Guide to Zurich
What to Know BEFORE travelling to Interlaken
- Book a Place with a Kitchen. We stayed in an Airbnb (linked in my itinerary!) and it made all the difference. In my opinion, most restaurants in the Interlaken area were… fine. Just fine. For the price, they didn’t blow us away, and it’s not where I’d spend my foodie budget. (save that for lucern and Zurich instead!)
- Grocery Stores will be your best friends. There’s a Coop and Migros on nearly every block – and they’ll become your besties. Stock up on fruit, yogurt, cheese etc., Bring some ingredients from home and combine them with grocery store items to make stuff like sandwiches,
- It’s so freaking expensive. No really, I’ve never seen food this expensive in my life. A regular pizza can run you $35-$40. That’s why I recommend DIYing your breakfast from groceries, packing a lunch while you’re out exploring and save your restaurant budget for dinner when you can sit down, relax, and enjoy a chill meal
- Don’t Expect Tons of Vegetarian Labelling. While Switzerland is veggie-friendly overall, not every menu is clearly labeled. As soon as we were handed a menu, we would ALWAYS ask which of the options were vegetarian because that pasta that might be vegetarian back home might not be here.
- Tap Water is Yummy! Switzerland has some of the cleanest tap water in the world – and you’ll find public fountains all over Interlaken for free. Bring a reusable water bottle to avoid buying bottled water because buying bottled water gets expensive ($4 a bottle)
Things to Bring from Home
I highly recommend some niche grocery staples & ready to eat packets those lunches easy to throw together & delicious. It’ll also end up cheaper because as we’ve already covered, things are super expensive in Interlaken. We brought these & they really came in handy :
- Tamarind Rice Paste. I know this is super niche but we grabbed a bunch of the from the grocery store and just mixed it into some cooked rice for a super easy on-the-go lunch option.
- Mini Spice Kit. We brought mini ziplocs with garam masala, chaat masala and red chili powder because they can revive any bland meal.
- Protein Bars. Pick one with fiber to keep things running smoothly, I got the SimplyProtein ones and they were good.
- Instant Ramen or Freeze Dried Meals. If you’re looking for the Indian version of this, cumin club has instant Indian food options that taste pretty good too. Ready-to-eat MTR meals & Bhel Puri can also do the job here.
Anything non-perishable you can use to through together a quick lunch is worth through into that suitcase!
Vegetarian Grocery Store Favorites at Migros & Coop
Grocery stores and I become best friends during the trip, which inevitably meant I have some favorite grocery store items I kept revisiting! There were so many coop and micros vegetarian options but these were my some of my favorites:
- A lot of the CHEESE, particularly the gruyere cheese, is local to Switzerland and makes for a delicious, protein-packed addition to sandwiches and breakfast
- Fresh Pasta. Most of the grocery stores would have fresh pasta in the deli meat section, that was super soft and yummy. My personal favorites were the gnocchi and the tortellini, combined with some olive oil, fresh garlic and marinara sauce.
- Fresh Bread. It was super soft and made for yummy sandwiches or even toast in the morning/
- Ovomaltine. A chocolate malt drink that tastes really good cold or hot.
- Local Wine. They’re reasonably priced and there’s so many great options. I liked the Dole les Monts most of the ones I tried.
- Laugenbrötli (pretzel buns) – Soft, salty, and delicious. These paired with the spreadble cream cheese tasted really good.
- Ready-to-go Iced Lattes – you’ll find a bunch of these in every single grocery store!
- Bircher muesli cups – Swiss classic made with oats, fruit, and yogurt
- Local Swiss Beer – at the grocery store or any restaurant!
Pro Tip: Migros doesn’t sell alcohol, but Coop does – if you’re looking to grab a bottle of wine or beer for your Airbnb nights, go to Coop!
Vegetarian Restaurants in Interlaken
These are spot in the heart of Interlaken or a quick train/bus ride away.
- SuperMaxx Burgers – this is an Indian-owned joint near the Interlaken Ost, with fresh & hot chai, as well as delicious samosas, and veggie + paneer burgers. My only regret was finding this on my last day of the trip.
- Vanini Gelato – the pistachio gelato here was so so good. they had a bunch of other options as well and poured fresh Swiss chocolate on top!
- Velo Cafe & Bar – great place for coffee and bites like avocado toast, falafel wraps and smoothie bowls.
- Any of the Indian Restaurants have vegetarian options! (Chotivala or Madras Jungle is a good start)
- Layaly Beirut – great falafel, pita and if you tell them you’re vegetarian they make the mezzo platter vegetarian friendly.
- El Azteca – mexican, veggies options + margs!
- Farm Fridge – there’s a bunch of these around the area to grab fresh Swiss milk and cheese to snack on!
- Ristorante Da Salvi – this was in Grindelwald but the pizza, eggplant parma and drinks were great! make sure to ask for the chili oil and drown everything in it. The tiramisu was absolutely divine too!
Vegetarian-Friendly Swiss Foods to Try
A lot of authentic Swiss food has meat but if you are looking for vegetarian food in Interlaken and dying to try some Swiss food, these are some great options:
- Rösti (it’s most comparable to a hashbrowns)
- Älplermagronen (most comparable to mac & cheese – ask for it without bacon)
- Cheese fondue with bread + potatoes (I will say, the fondue was not for me but many people seem to really love it!)
- Birchermüesli
Final Thoughts
Traveling to Interlaken as a vegetarian might seem intimidating at first – especially when you’re surrounded by menus full of fondue, schnitzel, and sausages – but with the right planning, it’s totally doable (and even delicious!).
Whether you’re sticking to vegetarian food for religious reasons, health, or just personal preference, this guide gives you everything you need: from the best vegetarian restaurants in Interlaken, to smart tips for shopping at Migros and Coop grocery stores, to go-to vegetarian Swiss dishes like rösti and Birchermüesli. You’ll also find handy vegetarian travel tips for Switzerland, including phrases to use when ordering and budget-friendly food hacks that’ll save you $$$.
We made this guide after navigating Interlaken with Indian parents (read: spice lovers), picky eaters, and vegetarians – so it’s built for real-life family travel. Whether you’re headed on a scenic day trip from Interlaken, grabbing vegetarian grab-and-go options for the train, or searching for Indian food in Interlaken, I hope this helps make your trip a little easier (and tastier).
Bookmark this post for your trip, share it with your travel group, and feel free to drop any questions – especially if you’re looking for more vegetarian Switzerland travel recommendations!
More Vegetarian-Friendly Travel Guides
- 10-DAY Switzerland Itinerary (Interlaken, Lucern, Zurich)
- Vegetarian’s Guide to Lucern
- Vegetarian’s Guide to Zurich
- 5-DAY Itinerary in Maui, Hawaii
- New Jersey to Quebec Road Trip