Zurich Restaurants and Dining

(Zurich, Switzerland)

Many clusters of restaurants and cafes are spread all over Zurich, along with endless bars and cheap eateries. Zurich definitely features a number of gastronomical hot spots, where dining venues are at their most concentrated and servings at their most generous. This is particularly so around Neumarkt, where ethnic dishes are a firm favourite.

For the best value dining in Zurich, tourists often choose restaurants with daily specials and fixed-price menus, where you can enjoy the 'Tagesteller' or 'plat du jour' (dish of the day). Dedicated vegetarian restaurants are becoming increasingly popular here, where Swiss 'röstis' (fried shredded potatoes) and fondues are just some of the many favourites.

Where to Eat

If you are looking for the best value dining and are happy to eat simple food, then one of the restaurants at the University of Zurich complex may be for you and those open to non-students are known as 'mensas'. Pizzerias are also extremely inexpensive and offer plenty of flexibility, often remaining open from 11:00 until 23:00 or later.

The main restaurants in Zurich are found in large quantities around the city's Niederdorf district (Kreis 1) and in particular along the Löwenstrasse, close to the River Limmat, main train station (hauptbahnhof) and both the Bahnhofstrasse and the Bahnhofplatz.

Fine dining is also plentiful along In Gassen, one of the busiest streets in Zurich, and also on Münstergasse, where the Spanish-themed Bodega Espanola Restaurant is amongst the oldest in the whole of Switzerland and dates back as far as the 1870s.

In the very heart of the Niederdorf, the Niederdorfstrasse itself is also home to more restaurants, all of which are surrounded by a series of pubs and bars. Those looking for late-night dining will find that Zurich's popular Cantina Restaurant remains open until 03:00 each morning at the weekend. Many value eateries also line stretches of Glockengasse, Löwenstrasse and Münsterhof, and areas around the Limmatquai.