The 6th edition of the popular food festival, Lausanne à Table, kicked off last month with a heart-warming fondue event that took place on the streets of Lausanne.
To mark the opening of this special gourmet festival, 13 restaurant owners installed tables in the streets, parks, squares, and water’s edge of Lausanne, and offered “pop-up” fondues to the first diners lucky enough to find a place.
With more than 80 events taking place this year over an 8-month period running from March to October, there is clearly something to suit everyone’s tastes! A quick glance down the event programme reveals a mouth-watering array of gastronomic occasions, many with a special accent on “le terroir”, and traditional home-made dishes created using local produce.
So whatever your fancy, be it monthly chocolate tasting on a boat going down Lake Geneva, surfing dinners where you move in groups from house to house to sample different dishes, apero and cocktail events, or monthly burger/beer tasting sessions, you are certain to find something that will appeal to you. Needless-to-say, there is a vast array of workshops for both children and adults, including everything from patisserie- and chocolate-making to Thai cooking!
The following is just a small sample of some of the main events that are featured on the festival website. Download the flyer to see the full program of events.
The 20 km’s brunch
Runners of the Lausanne 20 km, or cheerers, make the most of the welcome offered by the twenty or so restaurants along the route and everywhere in town, on Sunday, 23 April for the 20 km’s brunch: a terrace with music right on the route, an athlete’s brunch, a runner’s special, detox cocktails offered on presentation of the race number are some of the surprises prepared by the restaurateurs.
- Date: Sunday, 23 April
- Time: Varies depending on the establishments
- Place: In partner restaurants
- Registration: booking recommended with partner restaurants
- Full programme : www.20km.ch/a_table
A taste for the open air
Come and taste at the Jetée de la Compagnie, right by the water’s edge, some of the finest culinary delicacies that abound in Lake Geneva: chilli con fish, plancha of féra, fish burger or tartar of lake fish. In addition to tasting these dishes, you can learn about cuts of fish and preparing perch filets with Johannes De Graff, professional fisherman in Allaman, and Véronique Steffen from Poissons du lac.
- Date: Sunday, 30 April
- Time: From 12h to 17h
- Price: Portions between Fr. 10.- and Fr. 12.- (possibility to pay in Lémans); Open to all without registration (within the limits of available dishes)
- Place: La Jetée de la Compagnie
Open Wine Cellars in Town
A week before the Vaud Open Wine Cellars event, the Vins de Lausanne is organizing Open Wine Cellars in Town. Come and taste specialties from the five estates of the Vins de Lausanne, from Lavaux and La Côte, and discover the iconic venue of the Town Hall.
- Dates: Friday, 26 May from 4 to 8 pm and Saturday, 27 May from 10h to 19h
- Price: Free entry, as from age 16, free tasting, direct sales.
- Place: Town Hall
Lausanne Beer Celebration
This festival highlights the Swiss craft malting scene and promotes meetings with reputed foreign breweries. Tasting booths with brewers present who will explain their beers and tell their histories. Food booths, a home-brewing contest and other surprises will enliven these two days.
- Dates: Friday, 2 June; Saturday 3 June
- Time: From 16h to midnight (Friday)
- From 12h to midnight (Saturday)
- Price: Free entry; Purchase of the glass at the entrance CHF 6.- (compulsory); CHF 3.- per tasting (1 dl)
- Place: Cantine de Sauvabelin
1st August Picnic
In one of Lausanne’s most beautiful parks, the Esplanade de Montbenon, a local market with the best artisans from the area and fine products will let you assemble your picnic and savour it, with grass beneath your feet and looking out across Lake Geneva.
- Dates: Tuesday 1 August
- Time: 11h to 23h
- Price: Free entry; Cancelled in case of bad weather
- Place: Esplanade de Montbenon
Miam Festival
Following the success of the Lausanne Foodtrucks Festival in 2015 and 2016, the Miam Festival will be a proper festival of gourmet food! Restaurateurs, caterers, foodtrucks, craftsmen, producers, grocers, winegrowers and local brewers gather during three days to offer you gourmet food. The Miam Festival will also include a festive programme with culinary activities, workshops for children, masterclasses with leading chefs, workshops on wine, and cocktail demonstrations.
- Dates: Saturday, 3 June, Sunday, 4 June; Monday, 5 June
- Time: 18h to midnight (Saturday); 11h to midnight (Sunday); 11h to 21h (Monday)
- Price: Free entry, open to all
- Place: Place de la Riponne, Rue de la Madeleine, Place de la Palud and Place Arlaud
Yellow Mafia Market
The Quartier de la Cité becomes a traditional Asian market. Come to discover and taste the extraordinary variety of dishes and flavours from Vietnam, Japan, China, India and other Asian countries. Change of scenery guaranteed.
- Dates: Saturday, 17 June; Cancelled in case of bad weather
- Time: 13h to 21h
- Price: Free entry, no registration; Price of dishes: between CHF 5.- and 20.- per portion
- Place: Esplanade of the Cathedral and Escaliers du Marché
Time to eat!
Dozens of restaurant owners are each setting a table for four in a public location of the Vaud capital. The first four people to sit down will be able to savour a meal offered by our Lausanne restaurateurs. Over the previous days, clues will be scattered on our Facebook page to help you find the tables.
- Dates: Thursday, 7 September at lunchtime
- This event will take place regardless of weather.
- Price: Offered by Lausanne restaurant owners
- Places: In many parts of Lausanne (it’s up to you to find the tables)
Closing fondue
Come to the Valency Park to share a magnificent fondue with friends. Restaurateurs renowned for their fondue will serve the fondue pots and – we promise – we won’t forget the bread and the delicious local white wine.
- Dates: Sunday, 15 October
- Time: 12 am to 4 pm
- Price: Modest; Free entry, no registration
- Places: Valency Park
For more information on these and other events, visit: https://www.lausanneatable.ch
Lausanne à Table
www.lausanneatable.ch
www.lausanneatable.ch/event-food-list/ (English page)
