After Seven

The story

After Seven in Zermatt: Michelin-Starred Fine Dining at Backstage Hotel

After Seven is a fine dining restaurant at Hofmattstrasse 4 in Zermatt, part of the Backstage Hotel, and it holds one Michelin Star for 2026.

Six courses, six amuse-bouches

Chef Florian Neubauer writes a new menu every winter. Each of its six courses is preceded by a separate amuse-bouche, a format he keeps to with some stubbornness. Gault&Millau scored the kitchen 17 points in 2026 and singled out the seasoning, noting that the dishes stay harmonious even when the combinations turn daring.

On the plate

A welcome soup of celery essence, sour clover and olive oil comes first. Next is Neubauer's take on Caesar salad, built on a Parmesan tartlet with chicken-skin crisps. The beetroot gazpacho with beetroot tartare is topped by a scoop of wasabi ice. Caviar appears twice, first as a macaron, then with potato, egg yolk and calamansi.

Fish is a strength. Skrei arrives with chorizo, mussels, sea asparagus, artichokes and smoked mussel sauce, and a small hiramasa course comes wrapped in a daikon rose with yuzu. For the main, beef tea is heated in a repurposed old coffee machine, followed by sirloin and a shallot filled with oxtail.

The Backstage setting

The hotel is the work of Heinz Julen, and the theatre starts at the door with torches, a glass lift and Julen installations throughout. A large chandelier hangs over the dining room. Service wears suspenders and bow ties, and Margaux Thurm leads the team and pours Valais wines. A few floors down is a club, where the service crew mixes drinks and the chef takes a turn as DJ.