Fancy & sophisticated places for dining in the country’s most cosmopolitan city:

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It has been a while since I last wrote about Zurich’s culinary scene. That does not mean that I have not dined here any more. Quite the opposite, I have headed to my home country largest city pretty often looking for a fine meal at one of its many (Michelin) fine dining restaurants. And this must be no surprise as Zurich really has dressed up in this respect in the last decade or so.

All the restaurants I am going to mention are such ones that I have gone to in the course of the past two and a half years. And I have visited them all for the first time. While some of them are fine dining venues with everything that goes with it, others are more casual. Yet every one of them offers high-quality cuisine.

For a better understanding, I will make three categories. These are the following ones: first “FINE dining in Zurich city”, second “CASUAL fine dining in Zurich city” and third “(casual) fine dining OUTSIDE OF Zurich”. I am not going to make a difference with the latter as to being more formal or informal, but I will mention it in the text. And there will be three blogposts to cover all the venues I visited, one for each category.

One more remark before I start with the establishments that fall in the first category, “FINE dining in Zurich city”. Should you be interested in the fine dining scene in the Olten and Aarau area, my home region, I have recently made some posts about it (overview, Olten town, Aarau town, Olten-Aarau region).

1. Restaurant Marktkueche (district 4)

vegan cuisine in stylish however laid-back atmosphere

Since 2014, the young chef, Tobias Hoesli, has been serving his vegan creations in Zurich’s district 4, the city’s nightlife quarter. What began as a bistro with light cuisine has blossomed into an upscale fine dining venue with one of the best vegan cuisine in town.

The food is not only well prepared, of great quality and carefully done, but also nicely arranged.

As to the ambiance at Marktkueche, it is a whitetable restaurant, however it has a pleasant, relaxed feel.

Staff is amiable, knowledgeable and eager to give you more information on the dishes by request.

On offer here is a tasting menu only, from four (79 SFR/US$) to eight courses (139 SFR). In terms of accolades, the dining spot has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand and 15 Gault Millau points.

2. Restaurant Sala of Tokyo (district 1)

traditional Japanese cuisine in prime location

This is Switzerland’s oldest Japanese restaurant and probably also one of the country’s best. It was established in 1981 and has been led by Lorenz Muster, who lived and cooked in Tokyo for two years, since 2013. In 2018, the dining spot moved to its current location, which cannot be better, just off Bahnhofstrasse and only one minute away from Zurich’s main station.

When I dined here, the weather was fine enough for having been seated in the outdoor area.

So, I could not get a feeling for the venue’s ambiance. However, I liked the decor, which is typical Japanese with lots of pale wood. Though, it is a bit more playful (original pendent lamp).

The service here is friendly yet subtle (they do not overpower you), it is like the Japanese usually do it.

You get here authentic traditional Japanese fare although a bit modernized.

This especially when it comes to certain cooking techniques (sous vide) or European products used for desserts. In terms of food offerings, you can make your choice out of three options. There is the kaiseki menu based on a strictly regulated meal sequence. Furthermore, you get here nabemono hotpots, where all diners cook and eat from the same pot. Or you dine here “izakaya-like”, you order a number of dishes and eat it family style, preferably.

Sala of Tokyo is listed in the Michelin Guide and has 16 points in the Gault Millau one. Dining here does not come inexpensive. Yet consider in this context the cost of high quality produce, the chefs from Japan and the prime location. The kaiseki option is 150 SFR in the least expensive version. The hotpots cost 79 SFR per person, also with the less expensive meat. And single dishes are available from 5 to 195 SFR. Desserts are available from 4 SFR (one mochi) to 16 SFR.

Our party of three opted for the kaiseki menu, and we thought it to be an excellent choice. Everything we had was of prime quality, carefully done and attractively presented.

3. Restaurant La Rôtisserie (district 1)

modern French dining with best views (river, city & Alps)

This is one of several restaurants that are part of The Living Circle group. In my mini series about Zurich’s restaurant scene I am going into two others as well (Restaurant Widder and Restaurant Alex Thalwil). La Rôtisserie is located at the historic luxury Hotel Storchen Zurich, directly on the river Limmat.

Chef Stefan Jaeckel is in charge here at this awarded fine dining spot (one star Michelin and 17 points Gault Millau). Its setting is very nice indeed, featuring views of the river, the Grossmuenster church and the Alps. The interiors are a feast for the eyes with a high ceiling and large picture windows.

The food is a feast as well, optically and for the stomach. On offer here is a modernized French cuisine with multiple influences from Asia and elsewhere.

You can choose either from an à la carte menu or go for the tasting menu. As to the latter, there are four to seven courses costing from 160 to 205 SFR/US$. Regarding the former, starters are available between 32 and 44 SFR/US$, mains between 62 and 110 SFR/US$ and desserts/cheese between 18 and 26 SFR/US$.

The ambiance inhere is upscale but not too much on the posh side. You feel at ease here. Service on my visit was friendly and accommodative, maybe a bit too rushed at the beginning. That might have been because our party of four was the first onsite. Bottom line: we spent a pleasant evening at this restaurant, where the food was the real star along with the prime location.

4. Ristorante Ornellaia (district 1)

UPDATE: new management as from May 2023 (Antonio Colaianni left end of April 2023)

upscale Italian cuisine, centrally located at beautiful venue

This is a place to impress your dinner companions! The elegant and sophisticated dining spot is just off Bahnhofstrasse, located at a stately building that used to house a bank (Volksbank). The same is true for its interiors, which I found beautiful. The place boasts a large open cuisine, separated by a glass pane. You can see all the action inhere, and this from almost every table. There are splendid stone walls where the windows lost their original purpose yet were thoughtfully embedded in the overall design. Having said that, the room is quite long and narrow, and the tables seem a bit too tightly packed.

The chef and manager here is Antonio Colaianni whom I knew from his former Restaurant Gustav (my post). He is a locals’ darling when it comes to high-end Italian cuisine. After persuading his guests with high quality food at Restaurant Gustav, he delivers at Ornellaia too (one star Michelin, 17 points Gault Millau).

Apropos the name Ornellaia, this is about one of Italy’s most known wineries. And this famous Tuscan wine estate and the Zurich restaurant group Bindella teamed up to start this dining spot, as the Bindella family’s showpiece.

Although Ristorante Ornellaia is a chic place, the staff is not stiff at all. Quite the opposite, our server was relaxed and ready to joke. Also chef and manager Antonio Colaianni

made the round at the restaurant after the service to great his guests and to ask whether they liked it. He lent a hand at the kitchen as well, where he is not the actual boss. Antonino Alampi, chef de cuisine, is in charge, a longtime companion of Antonio Colaianni.

As to the food offerings, you can opt for the Menu Sorpresa, the Surprise Menu. Here you can decide on the number of courses (four to seven, from 135 to 190 SFR/US$). The vegetarian option is available from 120 to 175 SFR/US$. If you go for this menu, you get a glass of Ornellaia wine with the main course. The alternative to that is the à la carte menu. Starters here cost between 29 and 44 SFR/US$, mains between 46 (pasta) and 72 SFR/US$ and desserts/cheese between 17 and 25 SFR/US$.

5. Baur Au Lac Terrace (district 1, only in summer time)

very expensive international cuisine at traditional luxury hotel with the city’s most desirable garden (lake front)

The Baur Au Lac Hotel is without doubt Zurich’s is most traditional luxury hotel. It is known in town for an impeccable service and for its terrace, where the rich and beautiful meet. The emblematic hotel is located just off Bahnhofstrasse, right by the lake, as its name says it. A friend of mine had suggested to have lunch here to get a look at the newly designed premises. And I had liked the idea! While Restaurant Pavillon (two stars Michelin, 18 points Gault Millau / UPDATE: will be closed end of 2023/concept change) is the Baur au Lac’s signature place in terms of culinary delights, the Baur au Lac Terrace had been an unknown entity to me in terms of food quality.

Of course, I had checked the offer and the prices before coming here. As expected, it was top end budget wise. You get here dishes to share from 15 to 58 SFR/US$. In case you want to be really decadent, you can also order French caviar for 230 SFR/US$ or Beluga caviar for 510 SFR/US$ … There is also a “raw section” (18 to 48 SFR/US$). Plus you find a few dishes from the garden in the range from 16 to 38 SFR/US$. Mains are available between 34 and 54 SFR/US$. If you want to have your meal accompanied by a side dish (you should), you have to shell out another 8 to 16 SFR/US$.

To end the meal, you can either go for the pastry display (4 to 12 SFR/US$) or opt for the dessert menu (7 to 23 SFR/US$).

And how was it? Admittedly, the Baur Au Lac Terrace’s setting is truly breathtaking! This must be Zurich’s most beautiful hotel garden with a large stretch of lawn, stunning old trees and lake views!

As to the newly designed terrace, it is nice too, although the big parasol hinders you looking at these stunning trees. Food was good, however we only got a super tiny portion of seabass. After removing the skin, I could have eaten it in three bites! Having lunch here comes with a hefty price tag! Service was kind and professional, the clientele is mixed, business people, seemingly affluent locals and international travelers.

6. Restaurant Widder (district 1)

This is the second restaurant of The Living Circle group I am writing about (first: La Rôtisserie). At helm here is Stefan Heilemann, a highly awarded chef (two stars Michelin, 18 points Gault Millau). And he has been doing so since summer 2020 (before Restaurant Ecco at Hotel Atlantis, now Hotel Five Zurich). As it is the case with La Rôtisserie, Restaurant Widder is at a luxury hotel, Widder Zurich.

It is located not far from Bahnhofstrasse in the city’s splendid old town. In contrast to its “sibling”, it is housed in several historic buildings, one of which is the home of the restaurant in question.

The chef is indeed a skillful one! He knows how to combine masterfully traditional French techniques with Asian influences. He especially has a preference for Thai cuisine.

On offer at his place is a tasting menu with four to six courses (240 to 300 SFR/US$). There is also list of supplements that can be added to the menu. On it you find for example pig ears “Thai style” or a Scottish grouse.

The premises are nice. There is an open cuisine with a chef’s table plus two dining rooms. The original historical style was retained yet spiced up with contemporary touches.