Where to Shop (Eat & Drink) in Lausanne: Ernest

Guillaume and his sister Virginie opened the doors to Ernest just a few weeks ago, but are creating a bit of a buzz already. What drew us in initially was the catchy logo–an older mustachioed gentleman, complete with a suit and tie, black and white–a simple statement. When we later found out the gentleman was Ernest, Guillaume and Virginie’s grandfather, the story is what made us stay. Ernest’s love for food and the creation of food is what created the concept for his namesake’s store, and now Guillaume and Virginie get to continue in this creative vein.

At Ernest, you can find a range of local products; from beer, wine, cheese, and meat, to sirups, crackers, biscuits, and breads. One of their popular (and extremely eye-catching) items, however, tends to be their already-prepared meals packaged in gorgeous glass jars. Some are family recipes, others are well-known regional dishes–all made with produits du terroir. The dishes change from week to week, depending on the season or even which festivals are around the corner.

The space alone is worth the visit, and apparently can be reserved for parties and gatherings. Shelves of wine and beer, charcuterie and cheese are stacked in the perimeter, with a large communal table right in the center–we can envision some great conversations happening at this table over a glass of local wine.