Restaurant Le Café du Tramway

The story

Restaurant Le Café du Tramway history and reviews in Lausanne

Heritage meets modern comfort

Classified as a historic venue since 1895, Restaurant Le Café du Tramway in Lausanne reopens with a refined approach to French bistronomy. The dining room now accommodates forty guests across two intimate private salons, while a shaded terrace opens to the street during warmer months. This careful revival preserves original wood paneling and stained glass windows alongside contemporary hospitality standards.

A Loire influenced wine philosophy

Owner Mathilde Deschamps draws on fifteen years of management experience at Swiss luxury properties to curate a cellar focused on her native Loire region. She frames service around familial gatherings and ancestral hosting traditions rather than rigid formalities. Her selections guide diners through crisp whites and structured reds that complement the evolving menu without overwhelming the table.

Seasonal dishes and precise execution

Chef Samuel Betard translates these hospitality principles into a rotating seasonal menu that blends traditional techniques with modern plating. Recent offerings include a celery sphere paired with toasted cocoa beans and octopus, alongside a gold bream ceviche brightened with clementine and yuzu. The Gault&Millau jury awarded thirteen points for this precise bistronomic approach, particularly noting the perfectly seared duck breast and the flawless tarte tatin that closes the meal.