The story
Zum Alten Stephan, at Friedhofplatz 10 in Solothurn, runs a traditional kitchen that earned the Michelin Bib Gourmand for 2026, recognised for good-quality, good-value cooking. The restaurant describes itself as the oldest in Solothurn, and it is run by chef Stefan Bader with front-of-house led by Tamara Bader.
The kitchen's motto is "Einfach, aber das richtig gut", roughly "simple, but really good." Bader aims for unfussy plates where well-prepared ingredients carry the dish, not elaborate decoration. He trained under his predecessor Andy Zaugg and later worked in stages with two German chefs who hold three Michelin stars, Dieter Müller and Nils Henkel. Ingredients come from a long-standing network of producers.
Gault&Millau awarded the restaurant 14 points for 2026 and counts it among Solothurn's highest-rated tables. The reviewer found the coconut-chocolate-raspberry pot a delicious finish, while the gourmet menu was less convincing than in earlier years. Guests can dine in the Stadtbeiz (up to 45 people), the upstairs Sääli (up to 25), or on the terrace (up to 45), and the house also hosts business dinners, family celebrations and civil weddings.
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History
good quality, good value cooking
The «Alte Stephan» is a culinary institution in Solothurn and ranks among the city’s highest-rated restaurants. However, the team led by Stefan and Tamara Bader has become far less ambitious than in the past—the gourmet menu was quite a disappointment. The rustic smoked ham praline with bacon mustard served as an acceptable opener, but the bread came with ice-cold, clumpy cottage cheese and pesto. The rice accompanying the eel fillets fried in Chasselas batter with curry mayonnaise was also served cold. The shrimp cocktail with a classic British Marie Rose sauce was well executed, yet we still wondered what place a simple shrimp cocktail has in a gourmet menu. Next came a scallop ceviche that was almost overshadowed by an excessive amount of salad on the plate and overly dominated by the orange dressing. There was almost nothing to criticize about the neatly seared pork loin steak, paired with a fried egg and, unfortunately, slightly clumped tomato orecchiette. We then ordered the main course from the à la carte menu: a large portion of veal sweetbread with diced morels, a solitary carrot, fried potatoes, and one spear each of white and green asparagus, rather boldly presented as “accompanying seasonal vegetables.” To finish, the creative coconut-chocolate-raspberry pot was delicious.
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