Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville

Only a 15-minute drive from Lausanne, this restaurant, known simply as Crissier by its regulars, has a long and illustrious history. Since Frédy Girardet was first awarded three stars back in 1975, the Restaurant de l'Hôtel de Ville has successively showcased the talents of a stunning cast of great chefs, including the likes of Philippe Rochat, Benoît Violier… and now Franck Giovannini. At the head of an impressive kitchen team, he crafts high-flying dishes. The extensive à la carte lineup is truly decadent and consummately backed by a slick front-of-house team, on hand to satisfy the customer’s every whim. Among the many signature recipes, we recommend the Bresse poultry and the strawberry and lime soufflé – both of which are for two. Beautifully balanced and skilfully crafted dishes, flanked by painstakingly curated wines and served in stylish dining rooms.

• A living three-star lineage: The room trades on continuity, with Giovannini writing new cards inside a very classical grammar.
• Menu cards published like editions: Seasonal ‘Carte’ numbers with scheduled changeover dates through the year.
• Two-person signatures: Certain dishes and soufflés are explicitly structured for two, encouraging shared pacing.

• Cardoons of Crissier: A local speciality treated as a main event, including in a truffle-focused tartlet.
• Black truffle: Used repeatedly across the winter card, from cardoons to veal sweetbreads and lobster.
• Shellfish, especially langoustines and lobster: Handled in high-classical French forms, including roasted-in-shell preparations.
• Bresse-style poultry and regional birds: A recurring centrepiece in the restaurant’s canon.
• Caviar: Worked into seafood courses as a saline, luxury accent.

Three-star institution in Crissier, outside Lausanne, led by Franck Giovannini and built on classical French technique with Swiss precision. The Winter 2026 Carte No. 68 lists a full, luxury-leaning range, from oysters with Champagne and ‘Impérial’ caviar, to cardoons of Crissier with black truffles, to Brittany lobster roasted in the shell with black truffle and coral, alongside signature references like Bresse-style poultry and soufflés designed for two.