Restaurant 1 at CERN
Restaurant 1 reopened on 20 March after a complete refurbishment. The main cafeteria at CERN now offers an improved selection of dishes and a bigger seating area. It also uses a people counting system to control queues and avoid peak times.
Being a physicist at Cern is a bit like being a policeman. It’s hours of boredom interrupted by brief periods of exhilaration and excitement.
Open every day
Restaurant 1 is the main dining place at CERN. It offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Its food is usually cheap, compared to restaurants in Geneva, and it is also quite tasty. However, the selection is limited and it can be very crowded during the lunch hours on work days.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the restaurants at CERN have had to reinvent themselves in order to adapt to the health restrictions. They have introduced new ranges, new distribution methods (click & collect and take-away meal jars), and have expanded the outdoor seating area.
Restaurant 2 (R2) now opens until 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, for the benefit of all CERN staff. In addition, R2 offers a “anti-waste” operation where unsold items and short-expiring products are available at 50% discount from 2:30 p.m. onwards. This is a valuable offer for the pocket and for the environment. A heated tent has also been added to the restaurant, increasing the number of seats by two hundred.
Menu
The food is really good, usually cheap for Geneva, and the variety is huge. It can get overcrowded during lunch hours on work days but usually quiet before and after. Staff is always nice.
At the moment Restaurant 1 is the only open restaurant on the CERN sites. You can still order your meals the day before via MyNovae and collect them from the self-service section in R1. Salads and daily specials are served in ReCircle boxes that can be returned for reimbursement or exchanged at any Novae restaurant.
Table service will be available from 15 October 2018. This service is available at Cote Bistrot, which is located next to the entrance to the Glass Box.
Desserts
The CERN restaurants are closed, except Restaurant 1 and a large cafeteria in B774. In their place, there is a Click & Collect service (ReCircle box) which allows you to order your meals the day before on MyNovae and collect them at any time during opening hours (from 11 a.m. onwards).
The buffet offers a wide choice of warm dishes, from lasagna with eggplant to filet de perche. There is also a varied selection of desserts, including fruit tarts and chocolate cakes. You can also choose to have your meal delivered in a ReCircle box for a small fee. The service is very efficient, and self-service is highlighted. In addition, there is a good choice of seating. In the summer, there is also an outdoor terrace.