Lugano Swiss Bistro in Carmel {Foodie Review}

Earlier this summer, my family and I went on a road trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea. During our stay, we had the pleasure of dining at Lugano Swiss Bistro, a charming restaurant that serves Swiss, German, and French cuisine.

While indoor dining has been temporarily suspended in Carmel, Lugano Swiss Bistro offers outdoor patio dining, as well as curbside pickup. I suggest making a reservation ahead of time, as these outdoor tables do go fast!

After perusing the menu, we decided to order Swiss Onion Soup to start and a dinner salad. My husband loved the soup and ate every last bit of it!

The tableside fire and patio heat lamps helped take the chill out of the air, in fact, it was quite cozy.

My husband ordered the Schnitzel made with pork loin. For those not familiar with Schnitzel, it’s a thin slice of meat that has been breaded and fried. The Schnitzel came with a side of red cabbage and Spätzle, which is a German pasta.

I had a bite of his dish and the Schnitzel was tasty! It reminded me of Tonkatsu, a Japanese dish that’s a pork cutlet made with panko breadcrumbs. My hubby thoroughly enjoyed his dish, even the cabbage!

There are several varieties of Schnitzel. My daughter opted for the Chicken Schnitzel which came with a side of mixed vegetables and Spätzle. Take note that there is also a Schnitzel Holstein, which is a Chicken Schnitzel with a fried egg on top.

I’m a huge fan of cheese and since we were dining at a Swiss restaurant, I just had to order the Swiss Cheese Fondue! The restaurant uses a mix of Gruyere, Emmenthaler, and Appenzeller cheese in the fondue pot.

We each had our own long-stemmed fondue fork and took turns dipping bread cubes, broccoli, and apples into the melted cheese. I was surprised by how much I liked the flavor combination of tart green apples with the Swiss cheese! We ordered a sausage to go with the fondue and cut it up into smaller pieces to dip into the cheese.

My daughter’s favorite dessert is Creme Brulee. Although we were stuffed, we ordered the sweet treat and it was the perfect way to cap off the evening!

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Lugano Swiss Bistro. If you’re ever in Carmel, I highly recommend it. Also, if you’re traveling with your dog, Lugano’s is pet-friendly and they even have a doggie menu.

Lugano Swiss Bistro is located in the Barnyard Shopping Village in Carmel. To learn more about the restaurant, visit their website. Also, don’t forget to check out their Facebook page to get the latest updates!

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary meal which helped facilitate this review. All images & opinions are 100% my own.