Zurich & Lucerne Travel Guide
Eating in Zurich and Lucerne
A food lover's guide to the region — the classic dishes of Zurich and Lucerne, cheese fondue and raclette, Swiss chocolate from Lindt to Spruengli, markets and supermarkets, wine from the lake and how to manage the prices.
Swiss food has a reputation for being hearty rather than refined, and in the mountains that is part of its charm: cheese, potatoes, cream and bread, made for cold days and long walks. But Zurich and Lucerne are also sophisticated food cities, with excellent restaurants, a strong vegetarian tradition, great bakeries and, of course, some of the best chocolate in the world. The challenge is the price. Here is how to eat well, from a fondue night to a picnic on a lakeshore.
The Zurich classic: Geschnetzeltes and roesti. The signature dish of Zurich is Zuercher Geschnetzeltes, thin strips of veal cooked in a sauce of cream, white wine and mushrooms, traditionally served with roesti, the golden fried potato cake that is the national side dish. You will find it in the guild-house restaurants of the Old Town and in traditional inns across the city; the Zeughauskeller, a beer hall in a former armoury near the Paradeplatz, is a popular and relatively affordable place to try it alongside sausages and other Swiss classics. Book for dinner, as the best-known places fill quickly.
The Lucerne classic: Chuegelipastete. Lucerne's speciality is the Luzerner Chuegelipastete, a large puff pastry shell filled with small meatballs or diced veal, mushrooms and sometimes raisins, in a rich cream sauce. It is a festive dish, served in the Old Town's traditional restaurants and historic inns, and it is the thing to order after a day on the lake. Lucerne Carnival brings its own treats, such as fried pastries dusted with sugar.
Fondue and raclette. Cheese fondue, a pot of melted cheese with white wine and garlic into which you dip cubes of bread on long forks, is the most famous Swiss dish, and it is at its best in autumn and winter. Many restaurants in the Old Towns of both cities serve it, some with special fondue rooms or chalets, and in winter, Zurich has fondue on boats and in pop-up huts. Raclette, melted cheese scraped onto potatoes with pickles and onions, is its sister dish. The etiquette: do not drink cold water with fondue, according to Swiss tradition; white wine or black tea is preferred. If you lose your bread in the pot, the tradition is that you buy the next round.
Vegetarian and modern Zurich. Zurich is home to Hiltl, founded in 1898 and recognised as the oldest continuously operating vegetarian restaurant in the world, with a vast buffet sold by weight that is one of the best-value lunches in the city. The city also has a strong modern dining scene, from Middle Eastern sharing plates to Michelin-starred tasting menus. The Kronenhalle, near Bellevue, is an institution where classic Swiss and French dishes are served under original works by modern masters, a splurge but an unforgettable one. For informal eating, the Langstrasse and Zurich West offer food from every corner of the world at more manageable prices, and the Im Viadukt market hall under the railway arches is good for lunch.
Chocolate. Switzerland gave the world milk chocolate and the conching process that makes chocolate melt smoothly, and Zurich is a chocolate capital. Visit the Lindt Home of Chocolate in Kilchberg for the giant chocolate fountain, the interactive exhibition and the tastings, then go to Spruengli on the Paradeplatz, a confectioner since the nineteenth century, for its famous Luxemburgerli, small, light macarons in many flavours, and its truffles. Small artisan chocolatiers in the Old Town and the Niederdorf sell handmade bars and pralines, and chocolate tasting tours make a good introduction. In Lucerne, the Swiss Museum of Transport hosts the Swiss Chocolate Adventure, and the Old Town has its own chocolatiers. Supermarket chocolate in Switzerland is also excellent and much cheaper; stock up on bars at Coop or Migros before you leave.
Bread, cheese and markets. Swiss bakeries are a joy, with crusty breads, butter croissants called Gipfeli, and the Sunday plaited loaf, Zopf. Cheese shops sell Gruyere, Appenzeller, Emmental and many mountain cheeses, and markets in both cities, such as the weekly markets on the Buerkliplatz in Zurich and along the Reuss in Lucerne, offer local produce. A picnic of bread, cheese, fruit and chocolate on the lakeshore or a mountain summit is one of the best meals you can have in Switzerland, and one of the cheapest.
Wine and drinks. The shores of Lake Zurich are lined with vineyards, and Swiss wines, little exported, are worth trying: fresh whites such as Chasselas, light Pinot Noirs from the German-speaking regions and more. Ask for local wines by the glass. Swiss beers range from big brands to craft breweries, and in winter, mulled wine and hot chocolate are sold at the Christmas markets. Tap water is excellent and free, and Zurich's many public fountains provide drinking water all over the city.
Managing the cost. Eating out in Switzerland is expensive, with main courses at sit-down restaurants often costing much more than in neighbouring countries. Save with lunch menus, which offer good-value set meals on weekdays, with the takeaway counters and restaurants of the Coop and Migros supermarkets, and with bakeries and food stalls. Service is included in prices, so tipping is optional: rounding up or adding a little for good service is appreciated. Book the restaurants you really want to try, and fill the rest of your meals with picnics and markets. You will eat well and keep enough budget for the mountain tickets.