Restaurants in Switzerland
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Hiltl
Hiltl has been a fixture of the Zürich health-nut scene since the turn of the century. It endured some lean times as it tried to establish itself in a hostile, meat-munching culture, but these days its combination of stylish vegetarian dishes and warm, family-run ambience pull in the crowds.
reviewed
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Zeughauskeller
The menu (in eight languages) at this huge, atmospheric beer hall offers 20 different kinds of sausages, as well as numerous other Swiss specialities, including some of a vegetarian variety.
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Blindekuh
Eat and drink in total darkness. Run by people with impaired vision as a means of sharing their experience, this restaurant is booked out months in advance for dinner, but lunch (plus some last-minute evening) reservations are possible.
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ù bobba
A cultured crowd gathers at this dining spot near the opera house, decked in red and gold, oozing attitude and flaunting what must surely be one of Geneva’s hottest roof terraces.
reviewed
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Manora
Rather tasty buffet food, including extensive salad and dessert bars, are served at this quick-eat Swiss chain.
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Adler's Swiss Chuchi
Adler's Swiss Chuchi may be touristy, but it remains one of the best places in the city to enjoy decent, simple versions of national specialities. Watch out for their fondue and the raclette (melted cheese bolstered with rib-lining additions like ham and potatoes). A great cockle-warming experience.
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La Terraza
Set in a 12th-century building that has housed fishmongers, dukes and scribes over the years, La Terraza oozes atmosphere. High-back chairs and monochrome shots of bella Italia give the vaulted interior urban edge. When the sun’s out, sit on the riverfront terrace for favourites like clam and rocket spaghetti.
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H
Terrasse & Casa
Terrasse is a glass shoebox with wooden decking over the water, sun lounges overlooking a weir (illuminated at night) and comfy sofa seating – a perfect spot for Sunday brunch or a drink at any time of day. Casa, by contrast, cooks up Italian food in a cosy, country-style timber-framed house.
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Il Grissino
With 'bump knees with your neighbour'-style seating (claustrophobics beware), this oft-packed pizza and pasta joint emits a boisterous vibe. Choose from more than 30 different pizzas; the large is big enough for two (unless you're super hungry).
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Le Vaudois
Classic local Swiss cuisine, concentrating on fondues and meat dishes like the nationwide fave, Zürich’s émincé de veau à la zurichoise (thin slices of veal prepared in a creamy mushroom sauce, Sfr32.50).
reviewed
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Café du Vieil Ouchy
A simple but charming location for fondue (Sfr23.50), rösti and other classics. Follow up with a meringue smothered in crème double de la Gruyère (double thick Gruyère cream).
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Steinbock
While there are dozens of phoney and/or overpriced Swiss restaurants lining Höheweg, this humble tavern is one in which locals also eat. Another good option for Swiss food is the Hirschen.
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Le Dezaley
Tucked away in an alley below the Grossmünster, this is a little part of French Switzerland in Zürich and regarded as one of the places to try fondue.
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Pizza Roma
For crisp wood-oven pizza, hearty pasta dishes and the silkiest tiramisu this side of Bellinzona, head to this low-slung haunt.
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Acqua Osteria
For a special experience, head to these converted waterworks beside a quiet stream and the club Kuppel. The atmosphere is a heady mix of glam and industrial, with brown leather banquettes, candles and chandeliers - one over the open kitchen made from cooking utensils - inside bare concrete walls and floors. The food is Tuscan and the fact the ever-changing chalkboard menu is written in Italian might be more pretentious if this weren't multilingual Switzerland. Staff will explain all, but do book if you want a table. Basel's beautiful people drink in the attached lounge bar.
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Q
Cyrano
Try to ignore the horrendous orange building and be soothed by the crisp interior and white linen. Out of the kitchen comes a mix of local cooking with broader Swiss and Mediterranean strands. The spadellata di camoscio al ginepro e sugo di caccia con spätzli al burro e cavolo rosso alle mele (pan-cooked chamois with juniper and game sauce, butter spätzli and red cabbage with apple) is a mouth-watering autumn Swiss country feast.
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Café Du Pont
There's no question this is a kitschy spot that takes the movie scene a little overboard - all the entrées are named for classic films and TV screens periodically play previews. Still the cavernous place (think industrial) has a feisty vibe. The mostly American menu serves lots of Tex-Mex, pasta, burger and seafood dishes with better than average results. A favourite with the expat community, it's also a good (and noisy) spot to bring the family.
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Sankt Meinrad
Soft, creamy decor in this one-time corner bistro allows you to concentrate on the creative cooking emerging from the partly open kitchen run by Tobias Meinrad Buholzer. Just thinking about the Toggenburger Rindsfilet in Kakaobohnen rosa gebraten mit Pastinaken-Karotten-Gemüse und Petersilien-spätzli (medium-rare Swiss filet steak in cocoa-bean sauce with parsnips, carrots and parsley Spätzli ) gets the mouth watering.
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Le Jardin Thaï
With palms spreading overhead, low lights and rapid service, this is one of the good Thai eateries in town. There’s a broad choice of rice, noodle, vegetarian, fish and meat options. The curry de crevettes vertes au lait de coco (green prawn curry in coconut milk) is good for those who don’t like it hot. This hotel restaurant has La Palmeraie (same details) as its bed mate, a good spot for Swiss cooking and mussels.
reviewed
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Susu's
Downstairs is good for everyday coffee or a casual lunch of spicy corn soup, while the stylish bar/restaurant upstairs is suitable for everything from a romantic tete â tete to a company get-together. The seasonally changing menu innovatively mixes Asian and Mediterranean influences, but usually finishes with Schoggiträume (chocolate dreams) - four shades of delicious chocolate mousse served in a line of shot glasses.
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Restaurant Gletscherstube
Around two hours from Fiescheralp, you reach Restaurant Gletscherstube. This cosy wooden hut sits below the Eggishorn at 2363m on an Alpine pasture grazed by sheep. It’s a superb spot to refuel over lunch (mains around Sfr16) or spend a peaceful night close to the Aletsch Glacier. From here, you can already glimpse the peak of 3740m Geisshorn and the spindly Fusshörner that rise above the Aletsch Glacier.
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L’Adresse
Something of an urban loft with a fabulous rooftop terrace, it is all hip at The Address, a hybrid fashion/lifestyle boutique and contemporary bistro at home in renovated artists workshops. The Genevan address for lunch, brunch or Saturday slunch (a cross between tea and dinner, ie a casual evening ‘meal’ of cold and warm nibbles, sweet and savoury, shared between friends over a drink or three around 5pm) …
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Café Romand
A tatty sign leads you into an equally unpromising looking arcade. A few steps in and a push of the door takes you out of the 21st century and back to another era. The broad, somewhat sombre dining area littered with timber tables attracts everyone from bankers to punks for traditional food, ranging from fine fondue to cervelle au beurre noir (brains in black butter). The kitchen operates all day, rare for this town.
reviewed
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Hatecke
Edible art is the only way to describe the organic, locally sourced delicacies at Hatecke. Bündnerfleisch (air-dried beef) and melt-in-your-mouth venison ham are carved into wafer-thin slices on a century-old slicing machine in this speciality shop. Take a seat on a sheepskin stool in the funky café next door to lunch on delicious Engadine beef carpaccio or Bündnerfleisch with truffle oil.
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