Karls Kraut — Restaurant in Lucerne

If you’re looking for a fancy vegan restaurant for a date in Switzerland, Karl’s Kraut is probably your best option. Located just outside of Luzern’s old town (Switzerland’s most touristy city), Karl’s Kraut offers organic and locally sourced vegan dishes in a warm and intimate setting. We had the starter: Karl's Apéro-Plättli 15.50.- (vegetable sticks served with a homemade dip, roasted caramelised herb nuts, vegetable crisps & various topped crostinis), followed by Polenta Balls 29.00.-(Polenta balls with roasted coconut Szechuan vegetables, red cabbage, pak choi, carrots & edamame topped with a yuzu mayonnaise, sesame coral and coriander oil), and a Burger with sliced baked potato 28.00.- (smoked tempeh burger breaded with cornflakes, tartar sauce, fresh red cabbage, iceberg lettuce & pickled red onions served with spicy oven potato slices) and finally we shared a dessert plate, Karls Dessert Surprise 14.50.- (variation of small...

I would definitely classify Karl’s Kraut as a fine dining experience. First of all it is situated by the river and illuminated with warm candlelight which gives it an atmosphere like you’re on a romantic date in Paris. The menu is varied enough to be interesting but succinct with only a few options for each course. We ordered the starter of vegetable sticks, dip and bread and I was blown away by the freshness of the ingredients and creativity of making veggie sticks and dip into a restaurant quality experience. For our mains, we got the bread dumplings and the portobello mushroom dish. Both of which were so unique and delicious that I was pretty blown away. Love the use of fresh plant ingredients to make unique, healthy dishes as opposed to using faux meats.

Also, there is a glass floor in the toilet that you can look through and see a long drop into a well!

If I have the money I’d love to come...

The atmosphere was pleasant and enjoyable. While parking in the area can be challenging, it’s not unmanageable. The food was good, though not particularly memorable. A notable highlight was the restroom, which was uniquely designed and added a fun touch to the experience.

Service started off strong, but it appeared that a server shift occurred, and attention to our section diminished. Several tables, including mine, finished their meals and were left waiting for checks without follow-up. At one point, five tables were in the same situation. Once someone requested the check, it triggered a chain reaction where most tables quickly followed suit—except one group that hadn’t noticed what was happening. Their confused reaction actually added a bit of unexpected entertainment, which contributed to my high rating...