Restaurant Le Caveau — Restaurant in Val de Bagnes

Looking for a good meal after a day on the slopes we popped into Restaurant Le Caveau in Verbier.

Looked promising and I was keen to have a raclette, that Alpine staple of melted cheese dribbled over small fresh potatoes and thin sliced dried meats, all delightfully garnished with sour pickles and onions.

What could wrong? I mean it couldn’t be simpler n’est-ce pas?

Hmmm, after ordering I soon realised the naïveté of my ways. Well after my ski mates began dipping into their mushroom fondues a small cold plate was thrust in front of me.

This was bizarre so I asked the waiter: Where was the familiar half-moon cheese and heating device? You know, the apparatus that would allow me to scrape off the melting treat and drizzle it onto my steaming potatoes?

Obviously affronted, he answered: We do not do it that way; we bring you the cheese if and when you need it.

I was incredulous and asked how that could possibly work, especially on such a busy night.

He continued wearily: As I said … when we see you need more cheese … we bring it. Annoyed at my temerity he added that this was their system and it had worked perfectly for over a hundred years. Monsieur. He added this in an attempt at civility that failed patronizingly.

Overlooking his rudeness I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. I mean, one hundred years …

Mistake. As I feared the congealed cheese blobs arrived sporadically or not at all.

The CTS (Cheese Transporting Staff) were obviously preoccupied with a couple tables full of giggling chalet girls who certainly didn’t need but nevertheless got a constant and copious supply of melted cheese to ease their day fluffing beds.

When I complained that my cheese supply was failing the response was blunt: Don’t panic, monsieur - you’ll get it.

This was Aeroflot-level service, and didn’t improve when I soon finished the meager and over-cooked issue of floury miniature potatoes. Negotiating a resupply was received with disinterest and by now familiar disdain.

The price of this unexpected gastronomic punishment? An eye-watering €40/$43. Stratospherically expensive when you consider that the two main ingredients are the dining equivalent of the ubiquitous Swiss Army knife.

And as we left this highly overrated canteen I couldn’t help but be reminded of the adage: The only expensive meal is the one you did not...

!AVOID AVOID AVOID! We recently had dinner, raclette, at Le Caveau. Despite the food being satisfactory, the behaviour of one of the waiters was incredibly rude and unprofessional and left a sour taste in our mouths. Instead, I would recommend going to Le Chamois, slightly higher up on 9 rue de Medran.

Detailed account: Last Wednesday, we have raclette at Le Caveau. The waiters control the cheese melting and bring you plates with the cheese on which means that you often need to grab the waiters attention every time you want a refill, not easy at Le Caveau. A friend of mine politely suggests to the waiter to keep an eye on us as "we really like the cheese". The response from the waiter, bald with mutton chops which we will call Alex was "I don't care". Surprising for a well known establishment... We talk to one of the other waiters, Igor from Belgium regarding his colleague who says that Alex was just having a bad day... Fine, it happens to everyone, we move on. The following Friday, another friend insisted on trying Le Caveau and we reluctantly oblige. Our booking was for 21h15, we arrive at 21h having left drinks earlier. The restaurant had many empty tables. We say hi to Alex (who had shaved since shaved his mutton chops)and ask politely whether we could already sit down at our table. Alex replies "No, your booking is for 21h15 and not 21h00". We politely point out that there are plenty of empty tables but Alex decides to storm off... We see Igor again who tentatively tries to explain that Alex is having another bad day. This time we simply decide to leave and head to Le Chamois where we had a nice raclette accompanied by...

Le Caveu restaurant is an absolute gem! Every time we visit, we are greeted with a warm and friendly atmosphere. The staff is incredibly friendly and goes above and beyond to ensure a perfect dining experience.

This year, we had the pleasure of bringing our newborn with us, complete with a giant stroller. The staff at Le Caveu were so accommodating and understanding, finding us a table with ample space for our little one and all their gear. It truly made us feel special and cared for.

The raclette at Le Caveu is simply out of this world. It's no wonder it's considered the best in Verbier! The cheese is perfectly melted and served with a variety of delicious accompaniments.

Overall, Le Caveu is a must-visit restaurant for anyone looking for a fantastic Swiss dining experience. From the warm and friendly staff to the incredible food, it's a place that keeps drawing us back year after year. We can't wait to return for another round of raclette.

Oh…I forgot to mention the wine cart with very interesting local wines. Enjoy a Wite chardonay from Valais, it’s simply perfect with every cheese dishes.

All the best...