FAIRMONT GRAND HOTEL GENEVA

FAIRMONT GRAND HOTEL, GENEVA

by Alana Dunsmore

As a parent eating out can be a little stressful. My husband and I enjoy eating at elegant places, but we don’t enjoy the anxiety that often comes with it. However, at Il Vero Restaurant, Fairmont Grand Hotel in Geneva, we got both elegance, as well as a welcoming atmosphere during our recent family brunch. From the moment we are greeted by the hostess to when we leave, we truly feel we are at a family friendly restaurant, while still being at one of the classiest eateries in the city.

This amazing Italian restaurant and its breathtaking views of Lake Geneva contributed to a relaxing family staycation for us after we had to cancel our summer holiday due to COVID.

ELEGANCE FOR MOM AND DAD, FRENCH FRIES FOR THE KIDS

The kitchen crew of II Vero restaurant work hard to create appetising dishes and in addition to their brunch menu, they also offer an authentic Italian lunch and dinner. After the personal welcome for my son upon our arrival, the second sign that little guests are truly welcome comes when a waiter asks my son if he would like French fries with his Caprese salad starter. No surprise what he says!

Mom and dad meanwhile, enjoy a five-star experience of their own. Typically, the Sunday brunch is a self-serve buffet but due to COVID they have alternated the format. My husband and I agree we prefer it this way. Basically, they do all the work for you. They provide menu.cards and you choose what you would like to try. Instead of you going back for more, they make the second trip (just tick a few more boxes on the menu card)! This means I get to totally relax, enjoy the view and my family time! Throughout the meal the waiters come to collect your menus (one for each course) but then give them back when they serve the plates. This allows you the option to try more dishes, if you please. So, don’t worry even though you’re not going up to the buffet you will still be able to sample everything!

NOT JUST A BREATHTAKING VIEW

The hotel is located on Quai du Mont-Blanc and the terrace of the restaurant faces Lake Geneva. We were given the option of sitting in the dining room, which is stunning, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sit on the elegant yet inviting terrace. The terrace is charming and perfect for a serene brunch. There is soft green grass on the floor, lots of beautiful greenery and big comfy chairs. Everything you need to sit back and relax while soaking up the views.

Although the interior is very elegant, we don’t feel stressed about my son moving around. Inside and outside is very big, so there is plenty of space for him to explore when he gets antsy. Definitely NOT stuffy. This is confirmed by two other kids also roaming around while their family enjoy their meal.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU – Starters

We start with freshly squeezed fruit juice but there are lots of other options (including alcoholic for an additional fee). It is hard to choose, but my son goes for classical orange juice and my husband and I pick tropical pineapple, no one is disappointed with their choice. The starter menu includes many choices such as raw vegetables, a variety of salads, charcuterie and frittatas. My husband and I choose;

Fattoush salad
Melon, feta, and avocado salad
Thai beef salad
Beef Carpaccio
Steamed prawns
Spinach frittata

We agree everything is delicious, but funnily enough we both pick the Thai beef salad as our personal favourite. It is a nice tasty addition to the plate with all the various starters – even if it doesn’t seem to fit an Italian theme typically

ROUND TWO OF THE MENU – Main Course

For the main course you have two options: duck or tuna. Tuna isn’t a household favourite for us, so we both choose the duck. It’s also not usually something I love, so, it is a delightful surprise because it is scrumptious and perfectly done! To accompany the duck, we have Moroccan rice, seasonal vegetables, pont-neuf potatoes, and vegetable pizza. We also have bacon, it is a brunch after all!

PROPER FAMILY MEAL

If you’re going to do it, you might as well do it right! We couldn’t say no to a little sweet ending, so even though we were all full, we agreed we could make a little room for dessert. There is a very impressive list, so it is hard to choose because there is something for every taste, but we choose:

Lemon meringue pie
Strawberry pie
Strawberry cake
Rum baba
Praline choux
Chocolate and cacao streusel verrine

Although some dishes appear a little differently than expected, everything is very tasty, and the portions are a perfect sample size! The strawberry cake doesn’t come in traditional cake form – more of a deconstruction or a twist, but it is my favourite. My husband’s favourite is the streusel, while my son loves the strawberry pie.

THE COST

Adult 85chf
Children (age 0-6) FREE
Children (age 6-12) 40chf
Price includes unlimited amount of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

OUR VERDICT

This family brunch Fairmont Grand Hotel Geneva receives a big thumbs-up from my 7-year-old! He says “It’s good, fancy and yummy! The adults definitely agree. It’s everything we would want in a family brunch. A wide range of food choices, delicious, quality food and very much kid friendly plus can’t beat the view of the lake! We admit for some families it might be a bit pricey, but we appreciate a treat every once in a while, and this experience is well worth it, because the food, environment and service are all excellent.

NOTE:

Our meal at II Vero Restaurant was sponsored. We only write about restaurants we like and which we think our audience will appreciate.