Top burger bars in Geneva

Urban ecology meets fast food culture in this gourmet burger joint. With two colourful locations, near the train station and in the city’s student neighbourhood, Holy Cow! has a vast choice of the classic American protein fix. Cranberry and Camembert cheese on a moist chicken breast, chilli beans and avocado on a juicy beef patty: with their local meat and products, this burger bar takes its’ clients’ taste buds on a world tour. Vegetarians are not forgotten and are offered a delicious selection of elaborate tofu sandwiches. 

Celebrity chef Philippe Chevrier loves his mum Denise. This affection has taken the form of a five star burger at Globus’ top quality food court. On the ground floor of their town centre location, Denise’s – Art of Burger attracts hundreds of gourmet food lovers every day, at lunch. Pricier than your average beef patty, the products are particularly well selected. A simple yet perfect meal. American breakfasts are also served in the mornings.

In the mood for a hearty meal in a unique décor? At the Restaurant de l’Aviation, you can have it all. Located right next to the airport, clients of this meat-oriented diner have a privileged view of hundreds of planes, as they come and go. The burgers are big and all the ingredients are all homemade. The perfect place to land a good dinner, before taking off for new adventures.

“It’s greased lightning” in this all-American diner. Like a scene out of 1950s movie set, this tiny corner near the train station is a perfect cliché of milkshakes, hot dogs and of course, typical Yankee burgers. With the city’s historical American Market, right upstairs, nostalgic expats flood into to this place to get a taste of home. With flexible opening hours and a yummy selection of homemade food, American Dream Diner is a great place for a tasty meal.

Who said burgers were bad for diets? At L’Atelier, the calorie count, just like the level of refinement, reaches new peaks. With carefully selected local products, the talented chef of this classy restaurant has concocted a foie gras burger (goose liver) that must be tasted at least once in a lifetime. The melt-in-your-mouth effect is instant with this burger fit for a French king.

Established by a crew of passionate snowboarder buddies, this restaurant has become the reference for fancy hamburgers in Geneva. Goat-cheese and honey, avocado and beans or high-quality Swiss cheese are just some of the topping choices on the menu, composed exclusively of local products. With locations in both Plainpalais and Eaux-Vives, both joints are usually packed with hip patrons tucking in. 

You won’t find overloaded patties at this American-style burger joint in the Pâquis. The boys behind this recent addition to Geneva’s increasingly large burger scene like to keep things simple. There are just three options on the menu – hamburger, cheeseburger and bacon cheeseburger – and the focus is on the meat – juicy, succulent and cooked medium rare, unless you specify otherwise. A bit of ketchup, lettuce, tomato and pickles, with fries and coleslaw on the side, and that’s your lot – a burger, straight up. While it’s a contrast to the more elaborate approach of other burger restaurants in town, Hamburger Foundation’s focus on quality and taste is a wise move and keeps punters who know their patties coming back. Testament to its success is the fact that it actually started life as a roving food truck which still touts its burgers around town (locations change daily – see the website for details) before demand led to this permanent outlet which, pleasingly, has a satisfyingly-stocked bar.