Discover more SoToSo Restaurants!
LAUCH
Article in collaboration with the team at LAUCH
Eating with soil awareness
Purely Plant-Based
LAUCH in Basel is a modern, plant-based restaurant that places great importance on regional and seasonal ingredients.
LAUCH was created by the team behind the renowned Basel restaurant Zum Goldenen Fass, which launched an innovative pop-up on Klingentalstrasse in September 2021. The temporary project turned out to be a great success. When the pop-up came to an end, the search began for a permanent home for LAUCH, and one was found. Since May 2025, the restaurant has been based at Klybeckstrasse 241 in Basel.
For the team, this was a natural next step and a response to something they felt had been missing from Basel’s culinary scene: a fully vegan restaurant. The new location not only offers more space but also features a charming garden that enhances the overall dining experience. Thanks to a network built up over many years, the team can rely on numerous local producers, including farmers who grow lentils specifically for the restaurant.
In the evening, the LAUCH team serves two refined multi-course tasting menus, with the option to order individual dishes à la carte. At lunchtime, guests can enjoy two uncomplicated vegan plates, including soup and salad. The dishes are accompanied by carefully selected natural wines from the region, as well as a range of creative non-alcoholic pairings.
FOCUS TOPICS
IN THE KITCHEN
Seasonal and Regional Cuisine
LAUCH places great importance on using regional and seasonal ingredients. Although the range of products has expanded slightly with the shift to a fully plant-based kitchen, around 90% of the ingredients still come from the immediate region.
Sustainable Labels and Relationships with Local Producers
The restaurant team works closely with regional producers and primarily uses organic products. They know the producers personally, along with their soil-friendly farming methods, ensuring both sustainability and top quality — even when not all ingredients are certified, as certification can be financially unfeasible for small-scale producers.
Fresh and Minimally Processed Ingredients
No ready-made products are used in the kitchen. Everything is made in-house, giving LAUCH full control over the freshness and flavour of its dishes.
IN THE RESTAURANT
Sustainable takeaway boxes for leftovers
The kitchen plans and prepares meals carefully to minimise food waste. If there are any leftovers on plates, guests are welcome to take them home in sustainable takeaway containers. These are made from eco-friendly cardboard and, where possible, reusable materials to reduce both food waste and rubbish.
Respectful work environment, fair pay, and staff wellbeing
At LAUCH, a respectful, family-like working atmosphere is actively nurtured, with open and regular communication within the team being a given. Fair pay and employee wellbeing are just as important as a culture of appreciation and collaboration.
THEIR PRODUCERS
-
Gärtnerei Hoch-Reinhard
Hoch-Reinhard Nursery in Fischingen, Germany, is a family-run business with a long-standing tradition, now in its third generation. The company has been committed to organic farming since 1979. Across approximately 50 hectares of open fields, as well as in modern greenhouses and polytunnels, an impressive variety of crops is cultivated. A dedicated team of 60 to 80 employees ensures that fresh produce is available at local weekly markets, in the farm shop, and through a subscription service — also available to customers in nearby Switzerland. -
TUYU TOFU
TUYU TOFU is a Basel-based tofu producer founded in 2020 by Jinhee Park from South Korea, her husband Thomas Heiber, and his sister Marlene Labhart. They craft high-quality organic tofu using Swiss soybeans, with a strong focus on sustainability and local ingredients. In addition to traditional tofu varieties, they offer silken tofu, smoked tofu, kongbizi (soy pulp), and homemade soy milk. Their products are available in reusable containers to minimize waste. -
pureTaste
PureTaste is an innovative fermentation manufactory based in Basel, founded in 2017 by Matteo Leoni and Petra Körner. They specialize in refining regional organic ingredients through fermentation, without using artificial preservatives or flavor additives. Their range includes vegan charcuterie, kimchi, fermented seasonings, and vinegars. PureTaste combines traditional fermentation techniques with modern culinary approaches, emphasizing sustainability and reducing food waste. -
Brauerei Ferment
Founded in Basel in 2018, this unique Swiss brewery—led by microbiologist Caroline Kulangara and her husband—crafts soy sauces using traditional Japanese Koji fermentation with organic Swiss ingredients. Steamed soybeans and roasted wheat are inoculated with Aspergillus oryzae to create koji, which then ferments slowly in brine for over a year, developing a delicate balance of sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, acidity, and umami. Their dedication to quality and craftsmanship results in a soy sauce that embodies both scientific precision and a deep love for Japanese culinary tradition.