What is in season in Zurich, and what to order when the market changes.

Next up in Zurich

Polarzauber Christmas Market at Zurich HB

19 Nov to 24 DecCheese fondue, Glühwein, Swiss market food

Hotels for these dates

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.
Festivals this seasonSechselaeuten19 Apr 2027Street Food Festival ZurichExpected 27 May to 28 Jun 2027

Going to Sechselaeuten?

Hotels in Zurich, 19 Apr 2027

Holidufrom USD 221 a night

Hotels for these dates

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.
Festivals this seasonPolarzauber Christmas Market at Zurich HB19 Nov to 24 DecKnabenschiessenExpected 10-12 Sep 2027

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.

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