Schloss Schauenstein

Fürstenau, Switzerland

Sustainable Restaurant Award 2019

A fairy tale dining experience built on the foundations of Swiss hospitality

On the Pass

Andreas Caminada

Why go? Schloss Schauenstein could have been plucked from the pages of a storybook. Housed in a remote castle perching atop a mountain in Fürstenau – the smallest town in the world – it’s the Swiss Alps at its most atmospheric. Opened in 2003, the oak-panelled restaurant also hides nine charming boutique bedrooms, while its romantic locale and fine-tuned menu makes it a destination-dining experience worth making a trip for.

Who’s behind it? Local boy Andreas Caminada, who fell in love with fine dining after visiting Jardin des Sens at the age of 20. His restaurant empire includes Igniv, which has outposts in St Moritz and Bad Ragaz and casual Remisa near Schloss Schauenstein. He also heads up a chef foundation to foster new talent and publishes a biannual bookazine, Caminada Documenta, where he discusses his culinary inspiration.

The dining experience: An enveloping, evocative dining room and friendly service gives way to a menu of exciting incarnations of modern Swiss cooking. Ranging from characteristic preparations with a single ingredient to a mélange of intricate, surprising flavours and nuanced presentation, it epitomises Swiss precision. The menu enriches the senses, with dishes like beef tartare with dill, smoked horseradish and beetroot and smoked trout with variations of carrot.

Sustainability at heart: The restaurant is this year's winner of the Sustainable Restaurant Award thanks to its efforts to respect the environment and nurture the community.