What is in season in Zurich. and what to order when the market changes.
Spring
- Baerlauch (wild garlic): From mid-March to early May, wild garlic carpets the forests around the Zurichberg and Uetliberg. Markets sell bunches at Helvetiaplatz; zunfthaus kitchens add it to soups, butters and pastas.
- Spargel (asparagus): Mid-April to mid-June: both Swiss white asparagus from the Aargau and green asparagus from the German border arrive on menus. Saltz and Razzia work it heavily during the short season.
- Sechselaeuten guild banquets: Third Monday of April: the guild banquets across Zurich's thirteen guildhalls are an invitation-only spring ritual, but visitors can join the public parades and watch the Boeoegg burn.
Summer
- Lake fish (Felchen and Egli): From May to October the lakeside restaurants serve Felchen and Egli (whitefish and perch) pulled from the Zurichsee. Best at Rapperswil and Tiefenbrunnen lakeside rooms.
- Stone fruit (cherries and apricots): Swiss cherries from late June, apricots from the Valais in July and August. Spruengli builds tortes around them; Hiltl works them through the buffet.
- Terrace season: May through September the Muensterhof terrace at Zunfthaus zur Waag opens, Frau Gerolds shifts to summer mode, and the lakeside bars at Bellevue and Buerkliplatz fill from 17:00.
Autumn
- Game (chamois, deer, wild boar): September to November is Wildsaison: chamois and deer from the Graubuenden and Glarus Alps appear at Kronenhalle, Zunfthaus zur Waag and most traditional rooms. Hirschpfeffer is the canonical dish.
- Pilze (forest mushrooms): Steinpilze (porcini), pfifferlinge (chanterelles) and Trompeten arrive in September. The Markthalle Im Viadukt stalls have the best foraged selection in the city.
- Federwiisser (new wine): October brings the cloudy young wine from the canton's vineyards. Le Dezaley and the Lavaux wine rooms run Federwiisser by the carafe.
Winter
- Fondue and Raclette season: November to March is when the city eats most of its melted cheese. Le Dezaley, Swiss Chuchi and the Niederdorf raclette cellars run full reservation books.
- Marroni (roast chestnuts): November to February: chestnut roasters set up across Bahnhofstrasse, Bellevue and Paradeplatz. A cone of marroni and a vin chaud is the Zurich Christmas-market standard.
- Christmas markets: Late November through Christmas: the Singing Christmas Tree at Werdmuehleplatz, the indoor market at Hauptbahnhof, and the Niederdorf streets fill with raclette stalls, gluehwein and lebkuchen.