Switzerland's first vegan doughnut shop, Mystifry was a pop-up that proved such a hit that it became a stay-up. Now in a permanent home in a picturesque historic street in Basel's old town, the bakery offers a rotating menu of six innovative flavours, all based on a vegan brioche dough that is cut, fried and decorated by hand in small batches. When we visited, peanut butter, lemon meringue pie and s'mores were among flavours on offer, served alongside locally roasted direct trade coffee. Don't pause on this place - once the sweet treats are sold, the shop closes for the day.

The city's best-loved coffee house and bakery: head to the Klybeckstrasse branch at any time of day to devour homemade cheesecake with a cappuccino alongside a loyal following of students, local writers, and remote workers. We love the lunch menu of salads, soups and open sandwiches. Inside the café, you'll find a florist at work, as well as an organic cold-pressed oil store, Oelist. A side venture of the Finkmüller founders, the carefully curated collection of top-quality oils includes everything from wild rosehip seed oil to organic hemp oil.

One of the most talked-about new districts in Kleinbasel is Erlenmatt, a regenerated freight depot that is now an experiment in sustainable urban development, with apartments, a school, a residential care home and an abundance of green parkland sitting alongside bars, restaurants and commercial spaces. Right in the heart of things is this innovative new craft brewery, where the kitchen serves beer-paired dishes until midnight, Tuesday to Saturday. Expect seasonal creations such as lamb curry and couscous, risotto Milanese with bone marrow, and braised red cabbage with king oyster mushrooms. The space is modern, sleek and sexy, and there's even a rail of clothes by local designers and some carefully sourced vintage pieces to peruse. Shopping before scoffing? We're there.

Even the classics come with a twist in Basel. Gasthof zum Goldenen Sternen is Basel's oldest inn, and enjoys a prime position perched on the banks of the Rhine. It has a spectacular late-gothic facade and magnificent baroque interiors, but we suggest skipping the dining room and instead opting to hire the restaurant's fisherman's hut - a stilted wooden boathouse right on the water. Order the fish, which you cook yourself at the table, fondue-style, and a bottle of chilled white chasselas, the classic Swiss wine to accompany any fondue, to savour by candlelight. Dusk dining experiences don't come more memorable than this.

Perfectly situated next to one of the best swimming spots on the Rhine, this local favourite specialises in regional, sophisticated and creative Swiss sharing plates. From March to September, a buvette (outdoor food stall) parks up outside the pretty townhouse facade; in the winter months, cheese fondues are added to the menu indoors. Jump in the river for a sun-soaked swim, then grab a seat for a colourful, veg-laden lunch. Think: orecchiette pasta with green asparagus, tomatoes and spinach, tender trout, and a watermelon, cucumber and bulgur wheat salad.

Across the Rhine from the vast Markthalle covered food market, Klara is a laid-back food court with various stalls in the more relaxed and bohemian side of Basel, Kleinbasel. There are nine international kitchens here, compared to the Markthalle's 40, plus a bar serving local craft beers and kombuchas. La Taqueria's tacos al pastor have a cult following, and at AfroLicious, founder Meaza serves Ethiopian and Senegalese favourites including injera sourdough pancakes and maffe peanut stew.