The story
On the Herrenacker in the heart of Schaffhausen, the Wirtschaft zum Frieden has stood since 1445. This low, timbered house has been a guesthouse for centuries — once a tavern called the "Gaissenbock," later a butcher’s shop, always a spot where people gathered. Today, it is run by Heidi and Fabrice Bischoff, who have filled its old walls with a quiet, inviting warmth.
The kitchen here is guided by a simple principle: a small menu allows for freshness and quality. Dishes shift with the seasons and the market, with daily recommendations from chef Fabrice Bischoff. The cuisine is rooted in the Mediterranean yet feels entirely at home in this Swiss setting. Starters might include a carpaccio of smoked swordfish with miso mayonnaise and bottarga, or grilled avocado with a crayfish cocktail. Main courses range from a classic Eglifilet meunière with lemon butter sauce to an Iberico rack of Pata Negra with red wine jus. There are vegetarian options like lemon ravioli with basil and pecorino, and desserts such as tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream or a classic dark chocolate mousse.
The Bischoffs’ commitment to clear flavours and a generous atmosphere has been recognized: the restaurant is currently Michelin Recommended, a nod to its consistent quality. The dining rooms are cosy, the service attentive, and the wine list — boasting over 100 selections — is well worth exploring. Whether for a leisurely lunch or a laid-back dinner, Wirtschaft zum Frieden offers classic cuisine in a space that has been quietly hosting guests for nearly six centuries.
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On a summer evening, the cozy little garden of the traditional “Friedens” at Herrenacker is packed to capacity. This poses no problem for the service under the ever-present hostess Heidi Bischoff, and (almost) none for her husband Fabrice in the kitchen either. As a refreshing start, there is a slightly frosted gazpacho with a subtle heat, and the “crazy salad” with bacon bits, croutons, egg, and sprouts is flawless as always. But the true highlight of the meal comes from the lukewarm scallops in a hemp seed crust, served with a sweet-and-sour calamansi mayonnaise, paired alongside a swordfish carpaccio and crisp green asparagus. Rather than ordering the house classics—beef fillet, veal sweetbreads, or mullet fillets à la meunière—we follow the chef’s recommendations for the main course. The beef tagliata with arugula, parmesan shavings, crispy pommes dauphine, and seasonal vegetables is just as excellent as the veal strips with porcini mushrooms, spätzle, and a vegetable bouquet—the fact that button mushrooms were served instead of porcinis we simply brush off. The dessert proves a bit more challenging: we have quite a hard time biting through the firm creole banana nougat with coconut ice cream. Excellent local cuvées.
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