Schlüsselzunft: dining in the merchants' guild house
A guild house from 1488 on Freie Strasse and a restaurant since 1883: fine dining in the Zunftstube, simpler fare in the bistro, and more Basel history than many a museum room.
Photo: Eva, via Google Maps
Our verdict
At the Schlüsselzunft you eat in one of the finest houses in the city. The Zunft zum Schlüssel, the merchants' guild, is first mentioned in 1306, and Ruman Faesch had the present house built between 1486 and 1488.
It has housed a restaurant since 1883. If you want not only to see Basel but to dine in a place with 700 years of guild history, book here.
On the plate
The cooking is Swiss and European, with market produce, fish and home-made desserts. The Zunftstube is the house's fine-dining room; the bistro is the simpler, cheaper option.
Location
The house stands on Freie Strasse, the Old Town's shopping street, two minutes on foot from Marktplatz and the town hall. The Mittlere Brücke is five minutes away.
Our advice
For dinner in the Zunftstube, book ahead; at lunchtime the bistro is a good chance to see the house. Weekend opening hours are on the restaurant's website, as our sources do not agree on them.
Read next: Eating in Basel: specialities, prices and where locals eat and Basel Läckerli: history, recipe and the best addresses in Basel.
Sources: the establishment's website, Basel Tourismus, Google Maps (address, reviews, October 2026), timetables from transport.opendata.ch, walking times calculated on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Schlüsselzunft in Basel?
Do you need to book at the Schlüsselzunft?
Samuel Tschudin
Samuel spent eight years guiding groups through the Old Town, from Münsterplatz to the Rhine promenade. He builds his routes on foot, watch in hand, and cuts whatever does not fit into a real day. He would rather write that a visit is not worth the ticket than pad out a list.
