This blog post was updated on November 2, 2018.
Over a melting pot of cheese, travelers uncover the melting pot that is Zurich. Being right in the center of Europe, this Swiss city diversifies with a mix of cultures, people and even languages. There may be four different ways to order up a pot of fondue or a truffle or two while in Zurich, but this city without question leaves no confusion for taste buds. A visit to Zurich wouldn’t be complete without these classic eats.
Geschnetzeltes: The mouthful of a word to order lives up to its name. Geschnetzeltes are a Zurich area food claim to fame. The hearty dish consists of pieces of veal in a creamy mushroom sauce. Geschnetzelte also tends to come with a side of rösti, a potato cake of sorts. One of the most historic places in Zurich to order Geschnetzelte with rösti is easily Restaurant Zeughauskeller. The former arsenal storehouse is now a restaurant, where the scene mixes with locals, tourists and bankers in finely pressed suits. The building hails from 1487 when it served as a place to store and maintain weapons, hence all of the bows and arrows still hanging on the walls.
Chocolate: Sometimes you must follow your nose when you travel and in Zurich and throughout the rest of Switzerland, and that whiff will often lead you to a chocolate shop. Zurich crawls with opportunities to sample one of the city’s biggest attractions, Swiss chocolate. One of Europe’s most renowned confectioners, Sprüngli, started in Zurich. The brand began in 1836 just beyond the main train station of Zurich. If you want to see a chocolatier in action, you will find those dressed in white creating their chocolaty masterpieces in full view at Läderach. This confectionery store in the center of Zurich dates back to 1962. While newer in the chocolate scene, Läderach has established a name for itself in terms of fresh chocolate, pralines and truffles. Visitors should enter the shop in central Zurich to actually see the art of Swiss chocolate in action as the chocolatiers make anything from simple truffles to chocolate Santa’s right before you.
Fondue: Just as a nose in Switzerland always meets the scent of chocolate at some point, you won’t have to travel far in Zurich to find a bubbling pot of cheese. Fondue is one of Switzerland’s true gifts to the world, a meal in which you can dip bread into melted cheese and no one will judge you. While dozens of restaurants in the city offer fondue on the menu, if you are looking for a different way to feast on pots of cheese in Zurich, Hotel Ambassador near the Opera house has a deal for you. The hotel offers picnics where you can book the rooftop terrace for two or for friends. As you enjoy fondue-fork-dropping views of the city, Lake Zurich and the snow capped mountains just beyond, you can also snuggle up to a tasty helping of true Swiss fondue.
World Record Breaking: For most visitors to Zurich, chocolate and fondue might come to mind in terms of the city’s food scene. However Zurich does offer some quirks when it comes to cuisine. This town can break records, specifically at Hitl right in the heart of the city. With the approval from the Guinness Book of World Records, this Zurich institution is the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world. Opened in 1898, Hitl is still all in the family. The massive restaurant complex fills with diners who aren’t afraid to have a meal without meat. You can feast on the Hitl buffet for a sampling of all of its tasty dishes, all while soaking up the atmosphere of one of Zurich’s quirky, world record-breaking establishments.
Want to try these tastes of Zurich? Check out air berlins flights to Zurich on OneTravel.
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Photo: Suzy Guese
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