Restaurant Avena — Restaurant in Zermatt

Unfortunately, we had a deeply disappointing and upsetting experience here.

From the moment we arrived, we were treated very differently from other diners — particularly in comparison to another couple seated at the bar without a reservation, who received warm, attentive service. In contrast, we received no menus (until we had to ask), no water, no drinks offered, and no check-ins throughout our meal. We weren’t asked if we wanted dessert or more drinks, and waited over 30 minutes before finally asking for the bill ourselves. Even then, we had to get up and pay at the counter.

Other diners around us were offered complimentary bread and an amuse bouche (a soup), none of which we received. This wasn't a case of being forgotten once — it was a consistent lack of basic service, while others were treated completely differently right beside us.

To make matters worse, the head chef/owner greeted us with an aggressive tone, shouting that it would be 30 minutes before we could order — which we were more than fine with. The rest of the team, including the head barman, actively ignored us as they served those around us.

All of this led to an experience that felt not just neglectful, but discriminatory. It’s extremely disappointing to be made to feel so unwelcome in an establishment of this kind.

I truly hope the team reflects on this. Every guest deserves respect and fair treatment — regardless of...

My husband and I visited Zermatt for 3 days. Unfortunately for us we found this restaurant on our last night in Zermatt. We wish we had found it when we arrived, we would have eaten every meal there. The restaurant has a very elegant decor and we were seated immediately. Since we had a big lunch we asked if we could split an appetizer and an entree. Our waiter said no problem, then he came out with 2 small portions of a carrot ginger and curry soup which was a gift from the chef. My husband is a very picky eater and he loved it. It was the best carrot soup I ever tasted. I even asked if I could get the recipe. For our appetizer we had pork with carrots and spinach in a cream sauce. It was excellent. For our entree we had Swiss cheese stuffed ravioli in a sage cream sauce. Again, excellent. For dessert we had the chocolate cake with ice cream, homemade whipped cream and fruit. Perfect end to the meal. After raving to our waiter about how good the food was, the chef came over to the table to talk to us. He explained to me how to make the carrot soup. He is the owner and chef of the restaurant for 20 years. If you are ever in Zermatt go to Avena, it will be the best meal you ever had. This review is coming from an Italian-American who loves to cook and try new foods, I highly recommend it. I wish I could have...

This was an unacceptable experience.

From the outset, we were sidelined while others — including walk-ins — received attentive, courteous service. We were ignored for basic essentials: no menus, no water, no drink offers, no check-ins. We waited over half an hour before chasing down the bill ourselves, then had to walk up and pay without acknowledgment. Nearby tables were given complimentary items we were blatantly excluded from. This wasn’t a slip — it was a pattern of disregard. The chef greeted us with hostility, shouting about wait times we were already prepared for. Staff deliberately avoided us while catering to others.

This wasn’t just poor service — it felt targeted. No guest should be treated as invisible. I hope this team seriously reconsiders how...