Zunfthausrestaurant Pfistern

The Restaurant Pfistern occupies one of Lucerne’s few remaining guild halls. Benefitting from views of the Chapel Bridge, it is where tradition meets modernity – its rustic yet refined rooms and terrace on the banks of the Reuss are a mecca for devotees of fine dining.

Seasonal and fresh, its cuisine blends Swiss and Mediterranean traditions. The dining experience is contemporary: imaginative, yet in harmony with local traditions.

The name Pfister comes from the Latin «pistor», which was what the Romans called their bakers.

The Pfister Guild was founded in Lucerne in 1408 by artisans, bakers and millers. The guild hall was where the “great and the good” of this segment of society gathered and where assemblies were held to agree the flour and bread prices and consider the membership of aspiring guild members.

In the wake of a number of changes of owner, 1977 saw the guild hall sold to the Lucerne union of master bakers and pâtissiers; under the newly established Zunfthaus zu Pfistern cooperative, the building was refurbished and reverted to its original purpose.

Amongst the principal activities of the union are the forging of cordial relations amongst master bakers, the application of the spirit of the original guild to the modern day, and the revival, where appropriate, of ancient customs such as the Bread Market and annual Pfistern Festival.