The Café de l’Amitié: Friends First!
Edouard Amoiel
21 juin 2026
Transforming a place steeped in memories is a real challenge. The Café de l'Amitié rises to the challenge with finesse, while retaining the establishment’s name and its spirit of togetherness. With its meticulously prepared cuisine, warm atmosphere, and the joy of sharing, this new spot has already found its audience.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the “new” Café de l’Amitié is the feeling that it has always been part of Geneva’s culinary landscape. It’s as if this place had always been here. In a way, that’s not entirely untrue. In another life, in another form, we’ve already spent a few evenings there. The walls are the same. The story, however, has changed.
A Time for Reunions
A group from the kā studio team decided to revitalize this spot, keeping its name. Because, really, it’s hard to imagine a more evocative word. Friendship. Bonds. Reunions. Sharing. Everything we hope to find when gathered around a table.
Located in the “Golden Triangle” of Eaux-Vives, just a few meters from the bustling Rue Henri-Blanvalet, the restaurant seems to exist in a world of its own. Behind the large floor-to-ceiling windows, every detail has been carefully considered. Nothing has been left to chance. This is largely thanks to the vision of Margaux de Lisle, one of the founders. The entire space exudes a sober, relaxed, and meticulously crafted elegance—never ostentatious.
No caricature
The Café de l’Amitié celebrates Switzerland without resorting to caricature. It is not a folkloric restaurant. It is a place rooted in a heritage that is both loved and respected. Here you’ll run into friends, fellow diners who’ve become acquaintances, and familiar faces you haven’t seen in a long time. It’s a place to call home rather than just a stop along the way.
In the kitchen, Jonas Bolle seems to have finally found the setting he’d been waiting for. His talent was already well established. His schnitzels, Caesar salads, and even his famous “smash bikini” already had their fans just a few meters away. But this new restaurant allows him to expand his creative horizons, to explore and further assert his personality. In the dining room, Mattia Baracchetti calls the shots with confidence. Between the terrace and the dining room, he sets a natural pace while overseeing a wine list that’s already particularly appealing and, above all, intelligently priced.
Shared Cooking
The spirit of the place naturally comes through on the plate. The cuisine is designed for sharing, with no pressure. Some might wonder about certain fall-inspired dishes despite it being summer. A cordon bleu in early summer can sometimes divide diners. I’m torn. But I prefer to look the other way—to observe the cooking techniques, the seasoning, and what’s actually happening on the table.
Like this remarkable pizzetta fritta topped with beef tartare, artichokes à la barigoule, lovage, and ricotta cream. Officially meant to be shared. Unofficially, I would have gladly kept the plate all to myself. The same goes for the mussels served with confit new potatoes and enhanced by a particularly inspired Casimir sauce. A seafood dish that has all the makings of a future house specialty.
Rosemary French Fries
Next up, the Swiss ribeye steak, served with salsa verde and a few grilled zucchini, reminds us that simplicity is often an underrated quality. The cooking is precise, the seasoning spot-on. The hand-cut matchstick fries, flavored with rosemary salt, add that extra touch of soul that elevates these “simple” potatoes. We skip dessert this time, despite the temptation of a chocolate mousse created in collaboration with the Orfève chocolate house. We’ll save that for our next visit.
Because that’s exactly the feeling that lingers as you leave the Café de l’Amitié: the desire to come back. To come back and experience that atmosphere, that energy, and that cuisine that never tries to impress at all costs. A personal, generous, and masterfully executed cuisine that prioritizes enjoyment over showmanship. And then there’s something else. The satisfaction of seeing young entrepreneurs continue to believe in Geneva despite the obstacles the city sometimes imposes on those who want to start a business. For that, too, they deserve to be commended. The Café de l’Amitié truly lives up to its name.
