Essort

The Kirchenfeld district is one of Bern’s most upscale neighborhoods, and «Essort», located in the former US embassy, ranks among the city’s most distinguished restaurants. Since mid-2024, head chef Ben Jann and his wife Sara have been managing the front-of-house operations here, bringing both continuity and a refreshing new energy. This philosophy is especially apparent in the four- to six-course tasting menu, where it is clear that the kitchen favors skillfully crafted culinary surprises over mainstream fare. To begin, the marinated scallop and cucumber-thai basil sorbet were outstanding, followed by the confit butter trout with cauliflower and spinach on beurre blanc, which tasted excellent. For the main course, the tender Flat Iron steak from Simmental cattle stood out just as much as the lightly crisp Ticino polenta and the crunchy vegetable snippets. The finale featured expertly executed Nideltäfeli, accompanied by kalamansi, a champagne sorbet, and candied apple. Overall, a visit that is rewarding in every sense—deeply enjoyable, atmospherically rich, and entirely free of gastronomic gimmicks.