After nearly eight years at Hotel Bad Bubendorf, Chef Flavio Fermi returns to his hometown to open a new restaurant in the St. Johann neighborhood. It features his signature Mediterranean cuisine at this historic location within a 10-minute walk from Basel’s crimson Rathaus (town hall).

During Flavio Fermi’s time at Osteria TRE in Bubendorf, with partners Eveline and Roland Tischhauser, the restaurant earned 16 points from GaultMillau and one Michelin star. At im Ackermannshof, his new restaurant in the city of Basel, he once again works with the Tischhausers. The cuisine reflects his Swiss-Italian roots, as well as his experience working in elite kitchens around the world, from Berlin to Bangkok.

Mediterranean Cuisine at im Ackermannshof

Flavio Fermi’s modern take on Mediterranean cuisine focuses on local, seasonal products from the region whenever possible. His menu sometimes includes a slight nod to Basel’s culinary traditions. For example, the Sardische Fasnachtkiechli comes from Sardinia. The fried dough, however, reminds Fermi of the crisp sweet pastry served in Basel during its famous Fasnacht (carnival) celebration. His version is filled with goat cheese and seasoned with thyme and orange zest.

Im Ackermannshof includes both indoor seating at the restaurant and bar, as well as an outdoor courtyard. A large picture window in the lobby gives you a chance to glimpse the work going on inside the kitchen.

Unofficially considered the top chef for Italian cuisine in this region of Switzerland, Flavio Fermi brings his talent back to Basel in an accessible location for locals and visitors alike. Opening a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic seems like a daunting task — especially when several have come and gone from this location in recent years. Despite these challenges, he remains positive, and focuses instead on sharing his “creative craftsmanship” (“kreativem Handwerk“) with his guests.

im Ackermannshof, Restaurant und Bar, St. Johanns-Vorstadt 19/21, 4056 Basel, +41 61 551 22 44, restaurant@ackermannshof.ch.