Wine, sourdough & good vibes:
Vinothek 1620
WORDS BY
STUDIO VOILE
IMAGES BY
CHRIS GARSIDE
One of the most charming spots in Andermatt – and far beyond – is Vinothek 1620, located in one of the oldest buildings in the village:
a place for a great glass of wine, and often much more.
Owner Dani tells us how he ended up opening a wine bar in Andermatt, what makes a good wine, the secret behind his sourdough, his inimitable Pizza al Taglio Romana – and about the bakery he’s launching this winter.
I grew up in Rome, though my family is originally from Piedmont and Tuscany. At 18, I moved to Scotland and spent 14 years in the UK, living in places like Edinburgh and later London – always working in hospitality, like in pubs and restaurants. That’s also where I met my wife Elodie – she’s French. We both worked in a wine bistro, completed our sommelier training and met our business partner Al, who was a regular guest at the time. Al lives in Andermatt and wanted to open a wine bar here. He offered us the chance to build something together. So we left London and moved to Andermatt in August 2018. In the beginning, our offering was quite modest – but over time, it evolved into what the Vinothek is today: a mix of wine bar, bakery and bistro, with its very own character.
My passion lies in hospitality, farming – and, of course, wine. Elodie and I spent countless holidays visiting small wineries and producers. Our wine list is like a map of our personal taste: Barolos from Piedmont, Brunellos from Tuscany, Etna wines from Sicily, Burgundy, Bordeaux, wines from the Rhône and Loire valleys.
We import everything ourselves, exclusively from small, mostly organic or biodynamic wineries in Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain and Austria.
Bread became increasingly important to us, especially because we missed it so much in London. By a stroke of luck, I had the opportunity to learn the craft in France, working alongside a baker who used a traditional wood-fired oven. Today, we bake almost everything ourselves, using sourdough, ancient grains and plenty of time. Our flour comes from small biodynamic farms in the Canton of Vaud, as does the mozzarella. In addition to focaccia and bruschetta, we serve a Pizza al Taglio Romana: thick, fluffy and sliced – just like in Rome.
The tomatoes, artichokes and olive oil come directly from southern Italy – all organic and seasonal.
Gotthardstrasse 44, 6490 Andermatt
Reservations:
andermatt@1620.ch / +41 76 566 97 34
Opening Hours:
Sun–Thurs: 16:00 – 23:00
Fri–Sat: 16:00 – 00:00
Originally, Al had talked to us about opening a larger wine bar in Berlin or Lucerne. But Elodie and I fell in love with Andermatt immediately. The Vinothek is small, urban in spirit, yet nestled in the Alps. Music, lighting,
atmosphere – everything plays a role. In the evenings, you’ll hear jazz, blues, later some rock’n’roll. We want
guests to feel like they’re in someone’s living room.
Whether for a quick apéro, a spontaneous dinner or a long, relaxed evening – we’re open to everything.
Today, our winter team includes three full-time staff, and in the summer, friends and acquaintances help out
part-time. Everything has grown organically – we’ve never posted a job ad. People join us because they want to be part of the project.
The next step is the new bakery Tavola 1620, which we’ll open in winter 2025/26 – right across from the wine bar, in the former kebab shop. The name refers to an Italian tavola – a table where people gather and connect. It will be a bakery, a daytime café, a place to linger and grab something to go.
The menu: fresh bread, focaccia and baguette sandwiches, homemade pasta, antipasti and Italian tavola
calda dishes like lasagna or parmigiana. We’ll also offer fine wines, coffee, gelato and local craft beer – all artisanal and all made with great attention to detail.
