Our Favorite Zurich Restaurants: Where to Eat in Zurich, Switzerland

From traditional Swiss cuisine to world class chocolates and the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant, Zürich, Switzerland’s restaurant scene is as international as it gets. As a cookbook author, TV chef, and part of a Swiss-American couple who has been traveling to Zürich for 30 years, here are some of my personal recommendations for Zurich restaurants.

Zurich is known as an international finance and tech powerhouse, but it’s also a fabulous city for foodies. The food in this city reflects both its cultural history and its international appeal.

As someone who is married to a Swiss-American and has traveled to Switzerland regularly over the past 30 years, I’m unabashedly in love with the Swiss food scene. Yes, France has some of the best food in the world. And the New York City restaurants is hard to beat. But Zurich restaurants are some of my favorite!

If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland and wondering where to eat in Zurich, I’ve compiled a list of some of my personal favorite picks here. Whether you’re looking for a casual lakeside meal with the whole family or a special date night out with a Michelin recommended tasting menu in a centuries-old historical building, these are some of the best Zurich restaurants to add to your itinerary.

Note: this restaurant guide will continue to be updated regularly as we discover more restaurants to love on our frequent trips to Zürich, Switzerland.

Zeughauskeller

Zeughauskeller is a Zurich must. The traditional Swiss restaurant is located in the city’s shopping and baking district, right by Paradeplatz near the Bahnhofstrasse. Its location makes it a great stop to include during sightseeing in Zurich.

Housed in a 15th century military armory (Zeughaus translates to “armory”), Zeughauskeller is a showcase of history on the walls as well as on the plate. You’ll still see plenty of military weaponry displayed throughout the large restaurant.

Inside, the restaurant’s tall ceilings and large tables make it feel like a boisterous food hall, which makes Zeughauskeller a great spot for families and larger groups.

Make sure you book a reservation in advance, otherwise you may be waiting a while for a table at this popular restaurant. It’s definitely one of the more popular restaurants with tourists.

The food here is classic Swiss cuisine, with hearty portions. Service is fast — they are adept at turning tables quickly here — but also friendly, fun, and welcoming.

What to order: Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, Wiener Schnitzel or Pork Schnitzel, and Älpermagronen (alpine macaroni), house beer brewed by a local brewery

Address: Zeughauskeller
Bahnhofstrasse 28
8001 Zurich

Lunch and dinner hours: Daily 11:30 to 23:00; hot meals served all day until 22:00

Approximate price for two: CHF 90 to 150 with drinks. Mains range roughly CHF 20 to 45.

Dress code: casual.

Good for: large groups, families

For more information or to make reservations, visit the Zeughauskeller website.

Kronenhalle

When you’re in the mood for the ultimate fine dining Swiss experience, there’s no restaurant perhaps more suited for this than Kronenhalle.

This Michelin-recommended restaurant has been serving traditional Swiss cuisine in Zurich for more than a century. Located at the edge of Old Town across from Lake Zurich, and near the Opera House and Bellevue, this restaurant has been serving classic Swiss cuisine since the 1920s.

Art lovers will especially enjoy dining at Kronenhalle. Here you’ll find original works from Chagall, Picasso, Miro and others adorning restaurant walls.

What to order: Sliced veal Kronenhalle with rösti, ribeye with pommes frites, and any of their seafood dishes. During our visit, Alain ordered the grilled sea bass fillet and I ordered the special of the day: shrimp ravioli.

Address: Kronenhalle
Rämistrasse 4
8001 Zurich

Lunch and dinner hours: Daily 12:00 to 24:00 (the kitchen closes around 22:30). Kronenhalle Bar opens at 17:00.

Approximate price for two: CHF 180 to 300, with drinks. Main courses run roughly CHF 28 to 68.

Dress code: This is a white tablecloth, fine dining establishment, so go for business casual to dressy attire.

Good for: special occasions, VIP business meals

For more information or to make reservations, visit the Kronenhalle website.

Zum Königstuhl

Red and white checkered tablecloths topped with the white linens highlight classic local cuisine in this busy, bustling traditional Swiss restaurant.

Located on a quieter side street in Zurich’s Niederdorf, Zum Königstuhl is a restaurant with old world charm. The ambiance is lively and there is a kids menu, making it a great place for families.

What to order: cheese fondue – there is a separate fondue menu! Plus Swiss classics like Älplermagronen mit Kartoffeln (alpine pasta), Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, and raclette. They are also known for their cordon bleu.

Address: Zum Königstuhl
Stüssihofstatt 3
8001 Zurich

Lunch and dinner hours: daily from 11:30 – 23:30

Approximate price for two: CHF 130 to 220, with drinks

Dress code: everything from casual to dressy goes here. We opt for smart casual or business casual, but there were diners around us wearing nice sweatshirts and jeans.

Good for: families, small groups, fondue night

For more information or to make reservations, visit the Zum Königstuhl website.

Hiltl

Did you know that the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant is in Zurich, Switzerland? Hiltl opened in 1898, and now has several locations throughout Zurich. Still owned and operated by the Hiltl family, the popular vegetarian spots continue to impress with their delicious plant-based dishes.

Alain and I have dined at the main restaurant, Haus Hiltl, a few times now. During our recent visit, we enjoyed the restaurant’s popular buffet. This is no ordinary buffet, with around 50 different dishes that span Swiss, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, French cuisine and more.

Haus Hiltl is a large, two-story restaurant with a wide variety of seating options. We were seated uptairs with a lovely view of the bustling city streets. A short walk from the main train station and right on the tram lines in the bustling shopping district, this is a great spot to grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner while you’re exploring the city.

What to order: the buffet is the most popular choice here, where you can find plant-based Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (made with seitan)

Approximate price for two: CHF 70 to 120. The buffet is priced by weight; a typical plate costs CHF 25 to 40.

Address: Haus Hiltl
Sihlstrasse 28
8001 Zurich

Hours: open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Check specific location for hours, as they vary.

Dress code: casual to business casual

Good for: families, casual groups

For more information or to make reservations, visit the Hiltl website.

Mere Catherine

Tucked into a courtyard in the Niederdorf, near the Lindenhoff and Grössmunster, is Mere Catherine. A short walk from the River Limmat in Old Town, the location makes it a great spot to dine while you are out and about exploring Zürich.

This charming French bistro serves traditional French food with some Swiss influence. Here can enjoy classic dishes like escargot, coq au vin, beef tartare, and bouillabaisse, while sipping on of their long list of lovely French wines.

To be completely honest, our experiences at Mere Catherine have been mixed. Alain has had a wonderful meal here with his brothers. But during our last visit, the meal was fine, but we were seated at a table on the terrace right next to the open window of a basement bar’s dishwashing station, which ruined the ambience a bit.

But, I still think Mere Catherine is worth a visit to check it out if you are in Zurich craving French food. I know we will likely be back again (hopefully seated in a different spot!).

What to order: moules frites, beef daube, tarte tatin.

Address: Mere Catherine
Nägelihof 3
8001 Zürich

Lunch and dinner hours: Monday to Friday 11:30 to 15:00 and 17:30 to 23:00; Saturday and Sunday 11:30 to 23:00

Dress code: casual to business casual

Good for: date night, casual small group gatherings

For more information or to make reservations, visit the Mere Catherine website.

Santa Lucia

Zurich has plenty of Italian restaurants, and Santa Lucia is one of our Go To spots for reliable Italian food. Our family first ate at Santa Lucia’s Niederdorf location a few years ago. Most recently, Alain and I dined in the Old Town location.

Santa Lucia is owned by the Santa Maria restaurant group, which opened Zurich’s first wood-fired pizzeria in 1965. So pizza is always a good option here. But the pastas and risottos are also solid. I like that you can choose your own adventure with the pastas: order the sauce, then choose the pasta shape and whether or not you want to add any proteins.

What to order: wood-fired pizza (20+ varieties!), pastas, risottos

Approximate price for two: CHF 70 to 120 with drinks

Address: Santa Lucia Paradeplatz
Waaggasse 5
8001 Zürich Switzerland
Santa Lucia Niederdorf
Marktgasse 21
8001 Zurich

Lunch and dinner hours:

Dress code: casual to business casual

Good for: families, casual group gatherings

For more information or to make reservations, visit the Santa Lucia restaurant website.

The Old Crow

This intimate, cozy bar in Old Town is Alain’s favorite – and quickly becoming mine, too! Located on a quiet cobblestone street just steps from the River Limmat, we love stopping by The Old Crow to enjoy a drink before dinner.

With more than 1,700 spirits available, including 900 whiskeys, The Old Crow specializes in rare spirits. They have an impressive list of creative cocktails, and of course, can make all of the classics.

If it’s just two of you, grab a spot at the bar if you can. It’s the best people watching and you can often chat with owner/head bartender Markus Blattner while he mixes drink magic behind the bar.

What to order: classic cocktails or sips of any of their rare spirits or whisky; we’ve heard their currywurst is good here but have not yet tried it

Address: Old Crow
Schwanengasse 4
8001 Zürich, Switzerland

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 17:00 to 00:30, closed Mondays and Sundays

Dress code: casual

Good for: drinks before dinner in Old Town or the Niederdorf

For more information, visit The Old Crow website.

Münster Bar

If you’re dining in the Niederdorf, check out Bar Münster for a drink before or after dinner. It’s located almost right in the center of the Niederdorf, making it a short walk to many restaurants.

This is a cozy, unfussy, welcoming space that fills up quickly. Drinks are solid, and so is the small snack menu. Service is friendly and helpful, and the atmosphere is lively yet not too loud to hold conversation.

What to order: any of the classic cocktails

Address: Bar Münster
Münstergasse 30,
8001 Zurich

Hours: Monday to Thursday 5:00 pm – 12:00 am, Friday 5:00 pm – 2:00 am, Saturday 2 pm – 2 am, Sunday 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Dress code: casual

Good for: drinks before dinner in Old Town or the Niederdorf

For more information, visit the Bar Münster website.

Confiserie Sprüngli

Sprüngli is one of the places we always have to stop in at least once during our time in Switzerland. During summers when the whole Schotland family would gather at their house outside of Zurich, Alain and I would stop by one of the many Sprüngli locations on the way home from our day’s adventure and pick up some Luxemburgerli macaron cookies or a chocolate torte to bring for dessert.

Since 1836, it has been passed down through six generations of the Sprüngli family. It is now run by the nephews of Richard Sprüngli, who was the 5th generation to head up operations.

Address: Sprüngli Paradeplatz
Bahnhofstrasse 21
8001 Zurich, Switzerland

With 18 shops in Zurich alone, Sprungli also has locations in Aarau, Baden, Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lucerne, St. Gallen, Zermatt, Zug and Munich. Hours and menus vary in each location.

For more information and to find the location nearest you, visit the Sprüngli website.

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