Au Vieux Navire

The story

Au Vieux Navire Saint-Prex: A Century of Lakeside Cooking

The kitchen and its lake tradition

Au Vieux Navire in Saint-Prex has anchored Swiss Romandy cooking along the Lake Geneva coast for more than a century. The building sits between local vineyards in Buchillon, where the kitchen treats the lake itself as the primary pantry. Recent recognition from Gault & Millau highlights how consistently the team handles lakeside cuisine staples without relying on heavy sauces. The menu stays rooted in regional waters, letting perch, pike, and char dictate the daily offerings.

Signature plates and seasonal variations

Diners typically start with the farandole de perches, which places three distinct preparations on a single ceramic dish. Other options include whitefish baked in a light cream sauce or finished with lemon and paprika. The kitchen also turns out golden seared scallops resting on smooth potato mash alongside a firm pike quenelle. Sweet endings usually arrive as a generous rum baba or a curated café gourmand.

Terrace dining and the wine list

The dining room maintains an authentic, relaxed atmosphere that shifts quickly to the outdoor space when weather permits. Guests at the elevated terrace eat directly under the open sky while tracking boats across the water below. The cellar matches this straightforward approach with an extensive list focused on crus from the immediate shoreline. Every glass pairs naturally with standard Romandy culinary traditions and fresh catches.