Zuercher Geschnetzeltes
Thin slices of veal in a white-wine and cream sauce with mushrooms and a sliver of kidney, served with golden butter rosti. The dish that defines Zurich-style cooking.
Where: Zunfthaus zur Waag, Kronenhalle, Zeughauskeller
Zurich eats in three registers at once. There is the canon: Zuercher Geschnetzeltes (sliced veal in cream and mushroom sauce) with golden rosti at zunfthaus dining rooms like Zunfthaus zur Waag, dating back to 1636. There is the fine-dining city, with two-star kitchens stacked on the hills above the lake, where Heiko Nieder cooks Asian-accented menus at the Dolder Grand and Andreas Caminada's IGNIV serves the sharing format that changed how Switzerland books a tasting room. And there is the post-industrial new Zurich, the arches of Im Viadukt, the gravel garden of Frau Gerolds, MAME's specialty roastery on Josefstrasse and in Seefeld, the Vietnamese-Asian counters of Langstrasse. Tie it all together with a Luxemburgerli at Spruengli on Bahnhofstrasse.
Eat your way through Zurich
Map of Zurich
Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Zurich, pinned. Click a pin for the page.
Must-try dishes in Zurich
The plates that define eating in Zurich.
Rosti
Coarsely grated potato pressed and pan-fried in butter until a deep golden crust forms. Switzerland's national starch, eaten under Geschnetzeltes or with sausage and onions.
Where: Zunfthaus zur Waag, Kronenhalle, Le Dezaley
Luxemburgerli
Spruengli's miniature macarons, sandwiched with cream filling: about half the size of a Parisian macaron, lighter, less sweet. Eat within 48 hours of buying.
Where: Confiserie Spruengli, Cafe Spruengli Paradeplatz
Fondue Moitie-Moitie
Equal parts Gruyere and Vacherin Fribourgeois melted with white wine, garlic and kirsch. The Swiss national fondue, eaten with bread cubes on long forks.
Where: Le Dezaley, Restaurant Swiss Chuchi
Raclette
Half-wheels of Raclette du Valais cheese melted under a heat lamp and scraped onto boiled potatoes with cornichons, pickled onions and dried meats.
Where: Le Dezaley, Restaurant Swiss Chuchi
Birchermuesli
Rolled oats soaked in milk or yoghurt overnight, mixed with grated apple, lemon juice, hazelnuts and honey. Switzerland's quietly canonical breakfast.
Where: Haus Hiltl, Cafe Spruengli
Restaurants to know in Zurich
A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Zurich.
Kronenhalle
The canonical Zurich room: Hulda Zumsteg took over the Hotel de la Couronne in 1924 and the place still serves Swiss bourgeois under original Chagalls.
Signature: Zuercher Geschnetzeltes, Tafelspitz, Mousse au chocolat
Widder Restaurant
Stefan Heilemann's two-star room inside the Widder Hotel: classical French technique meets an Asian travelling notebook, with a Friday-only four-course lunch.
Signature: Friday lunch tasting
IGNIV Zurich by Andreas Caminada
Andreas Caminada's two-star Zurich outpost inside the Marktgasse Hotel. Daniel Zeindlhofer runs a fine-dining sharing format engineered for the table.
Signature: Sharing tasting menu
The Restaurant at the Dolder Grand
Heiko Nieder cooks two-star tasting menus on the Adlisberg: modern European with Asian accents, exact technique, Wednesday to Saturday evenings.
Signature: Multi-course tasting menus
Zunfthaus zur Waag
A guildhall serving dinner since 1636 on the Muensterhof. The Zuercher Geschnetzeltes with butter rosti is the canonical version. Closed Sundays.
Signature: Zueri Gschnaetzlets with butter rosti
Zeughauskeller
A vaulted former armoury beside Paradeplatz: long shared tables, beer steins, Wienerschnitzel, calf liver, pork knuckle. Open daily 11:30 to 23:00.
Signature: Kalbsgeschnetzeltes, Schweinshaxe, Bratwurst
Where to eat by neighborhood
Niederdorf and Old Town (8001/niederdorf/old-town/altstadt)
The cobbled east bank of the Limmat: fondue cellars, zunfthaus dining rooms, historic chocolate cafes and the bratwurst window at Sternen Grill on Bellevue.
Best for: Fondue, Raclette, Bratwurst, Historic dining
Bahnhofstrasse and Paradeplatz (bahnhofstrasse/paradeplatz)
The retail spine and confectionery heart of Zurich. Spruengli at Paradeplatz, the Zeughauskeller behind it, and the Widder Hotel a few blocks west.
Best for: Confectionery, Afternoon coffee, Business lunch
Kreis 4 and Langstrasse (8004/kreis-4/langstrasse)
The city's most polyglot eating quarter: pan-Asian counters, late-night bars, Helvetiaplatz market on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the new wave of natural-wine rooms.
Best for: Asian, Late-night, Wine bars, Market
Kreis 5 and Zurich-West (8005/kreis-5/zurich-west)
Post-industrial arches and warehouses. Markthalle Im Viadukt for produce and brunch, Frau Gerolds Garten for summer pop-ups, MAME on Josefstrasse for specialty coffee.
Best for: Brunch, Coffee, Cocktails, Markets
Seefeld (8008/seefeld)
The east bank of the lake, between Bellevue and Tiefenbrunnen. Razzia for art-deco brasserie dinners, MAME Seefeld for filter coffee, lake-side promenades for everything else.
Best for: Lakeside lunch, Brasserie, Specialty coffee
Enge and the West Bank (8002/enge)
Quieter west-of-the-lake neighbourhood, anchored by the Hurlimann Areal (the former brewery, now a spa and dining complex) and the grand hotels along Mythenquai near the lake.
Best for: Hotel dining, Lakeside walks, Spa lunch
When to come hungry in Zurich
Peak food season: May to October for terraces, lake-side dining and market produce. December for Christmas markets and fondue weather.
Local dining hours: Lunch 11:30-14:00, dinner 18:00-22:30. Most kitchens close between services. Sunday closures common across old town and zunfthaus rooms.
Tipping: Service is included by law. Round up to the next franc or leave 5 to 10 percent for genuinely good service. Never expected, always welcome.
Zurich food, FAQ
What food is Zurich known for?
Zurich's signature dishes include Zuercher Geschnetzeltes, Rosti, Luxemburgerli, Fondue Moitie-Moitie, Raclette. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.
What are the best food neighborhoods in Zurich?
TableJourney editors map Zurich by district. Niederdorf and Old Town, Bahnhofstrasse and Paradeplatz, Kreis 4 and Langstrasse, Kreis 5 and Zurich-West are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.
Where should I eat fine dining in Zurich?
Editor picks in Zurich include The Restaurant at the Dolder Grand, IGNIV Zurich by Andreas Caminada, Widder Restaurant, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.
Are there food tours in Zurich?
TableJourney covers 3 editor-picked food tours in Zurich, with what each shows you and how much to budget.
Does Zurich have good vegetarian or vegan food?
TableJourney's Zurich dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.