elmira

This modern restaurant is located in the basement of a former silo on the Löwenbräu brewery site. The open kitchen, which is practically integrated into the dining area, delivers creative dishes with a focus on sustainability and seasonality, often using ingredients sourced from the immediate vicinity. A set menu of five or seven courses is proposed – this can be vegan, vegetarian or include meat/fish. To accompany your meal, there is an interesting selection of wines, or you could sample the house-made juices – the charming, laid-back staff will gladly talk you through your options. The overall atmosphere is pleasingly relaxed and informal, and the chefs might even come to your table for a chat. N.B. There is a reservation system and you pay in advance.

Pay-First Fine Dining, No Formalities

• Elmira lets you choose the menu and pay for the seven-course experience with drinks in advance. This “pay first – eat later” model means you dine without a closing bill and the kitchen already knows guest counts and dietary choices, reducing on-the-night formalities and food waste.

Sustainability at the Core

• The restaurant emphasizes seasonal, local ingredients and proactive waste reduction: fermentation is used to extend ingredients, leftover vegetable skins are turned into powders, portions are tailored to avoid waste, and even bread leftovers can be taken home or repurposed into new creations.

Open, Chef-Driven Experience in a Historic Setting

• Dining unfolds in a historic granary with an industrial ambience, where guests can watch the kitchen in action and even have chefs serve at the table. The concept highlights a chef’s-table atmosphere, where the team works with notable autonomy and engagement, including progressive staff policies like a four-day work week.

Signature Ingredients

• Charred Leek (Act 5 Charred Leek): Elmira's star ingredient and centerpiece of the menu. This simple vegetable is transformed through a special technique to achieve texture and sweetness reminiscent of asparagus, melting in the mouth when paired with black fermented garlic and miso cream. The dish exemplifies Elmira’s plant-forward, technique-driven philosophy and the restaurant's emphasis on seasonal Swiss produce.
• Leek Skin Powder (from charred leek remnants): A sustainable byproduct repurposed into a fine powder to add depth and umami to dishes without waste. This ingredient showcases Elmira’s commitment to zero-waste cooking and creative reuse of components from the leek, the star vegetable.
• Black Fermented Garlic: A signature seasoning used with the leek in Act 5, providing deep, savory sweetness and complexity that contrasts with the leek’s delicate texture.
• Miso Cream: A bridge sauce accompanying the leek, imparting umami and creaminess with a Japanese miso character, reinforcing Elmira’s modern, globally nuanced flavor profile.
• Swiss Wagyu Beef: A standout meat option referenced as a signature component in Elmira’s multi-course menus, signaling a refined, premium element within the restaurant’s diverse offerings. The meat plays a supportive role within the overall tasting concept, highlighting sustainability and precise sourcing.