Sprüngli is a Zürich institution, selling chocolate, pastries, cakes, as well as sandwiches and other savory delights. The main location at Paradeplatz has a traditional café above the shop, with a cozy interior and lots of windows looking over the busy Paradeplatz.

Since they are a chocolate shop, they use their high quality chocolate for their drinks as well. We always order their house-made 70% dark chocolate with whipped cream, which is usually served on the side so you can spoon it in gradually.

Instead of a croissant, we prefer the truffle brioche, with a chocolate truffle baked inside the bread. But go early, as they can sell out quickly. We also can’t resist their very rich Bircher Müesli, often with seasonal berries.

Best to make a reservation, especially on weekends, essential if you are more than 4. If you like the hot chocolate, they sell it as a shaved chocolate mix in their shop downstairs.

What to drink: 70% Grand Cru house-made hot chocolate with cream or Chocolate Dalgona with hazelnut crunch and grand cru chocolate foam

What to eat: Truffe Brioche, seasonal Bircher Müesli

Website: www.spruengli.ch

Address: Bahnhofstrasse 21, 8001 Zürich

Confiserie Bachmann is a bakery and chocolate producer from Lucerne, well known in Switzerland but not internationally. Their shop on the Bahnhofstrasse has a bakery down stairs and a chocolate shop upstairs. 

The chocolate shop is known for its chocolate river staircase and chocolate waterfall wall upstairs. They say the wall has 2000 liters of liquid chocolate, but I find that hard to believe. But it makes for a good story.

Bachmann is known for their Schutzengeli (aka guardian angel) chocolate truffles, served on little golden wings. Part of the proceeds from this chocolate go to a charity. Of their many flavors, I enjoyed cinnamon and dark chocolate, which were good if a bit sweet for my taste. You can buy prepacked boxes or they can pack you a custom box as you choose the flavors you want.

The upstairs chocolate shop shares a space with Lindt, where you can get many of the Lindt products. But that part is not so special; better to visit the nearby Lindt chocolate factory instead.

We also like their bakery, which sells our favorite Butterzopf bread (Sunday bread in Switzerland) and a fantastic apple strudel pastry that you can take to go. They also have sandwiches and other snacky items, good for a picnic.

Confiserie Bachmann

Location: Bahnhofstrasse 89, 8001 Zürich

Open: Mon - Fri 6:45 - 20:00 / Sat 7:00 - 20:00 / Sun 10:00 - 18:00

Website: www.confiserie.ch

MOON is a vegan bakery with absolutely delicious pastries and cakes. We love their cardamon buns and seasonal creme buns.

They also sell Kürzi Kakao chocolate, which is a small batch "bean to bar" chocolate maker in Zurich.

Location: Bertastrasse 4, 8003 Zürich

Open: Wed - Sat 9:00-19:00 / Sun 9:00 - 16:00 / closed Mon & Tues

Website: www.moonshop.ch • instagram

MAME was started by award winning baristas, who won the World Brewers Cup Champion 2018. True to their motto “The best coffee is the coffee you love,” the staff are great at helping you find a flavor you’ll love or something new to try.

They have a wide variety of beans, showcased on their “Flavor Wheel” which displays the flavor profiles associated with their currently available beans. Our favorite is Pearl Espresso, which is a Brazilian bean with chocolate notes.

If you are a curious taster, you can order a sampler trio of espresso or filter coffee, trying three different beans. If you are hungry, they have croissants and cakes throughout the day and a small lunch menu.

Locations

MAME has a new, bizarre but convenient, location on the Bahnhofstrasse, sharing space with the Cadillac showroom.

We usually visit their MAME Seefeld cafe, a short walk from Stadelhofen and Bellevue, with a clean modern cafe, popular with English-speaking expats. If we are near the Viadukt, we'll stop by their MAME Josef cafe, which is small and friendly, full of neighborhood locals.

See MAME locations in Zurich.

ViCAFÉ & SERI@ Bakery are a perfect coffee/croissant combo for any Züri morning and a nice takeaway breakfast for a train journey.

You'll find these two at the BRIDGE gourmet market, in the Europaallee shopping area next to the main Zürich train station (see on map).

Location: Europaallee 20, 8004 Zürich
Open: Mon-Fri 7:00 - 18:00 / Sat 8:00 - 18:00 / closed Sundays

ViCAFÉ serves excellent coffee (we always order a flat white), roasted themselves in Zürich.

Across from the ViCAFÉ counter, you'll find the SERI@ Bakery self-serve bakery shelves. Although mostly known for their fantastic baguettes and parisian style bread, SERI@ Bakery make excellent croissants and pain au chocolat.

Before ordering your coffee, self-bag your pastries and pay with them together with your coffee.

Other locations

You can also find SERI@ pastries at Jelmoli, Monocle Cafe, and Der Hofladen in Seefeld. Learn more.

ViCAFÉ has espresso bars all over the city. See ViCAFE locations.

Café Henrici is an easy choice, a nice place to chill while wandering the Niederdorf cobblestone lanes. We like most everything here, starting with large variety of coffee drinks including cold brew, filter coffee, chili macchiato, shakerato, etc.

We often end up here for an easy lunch, sharing Flammkuchen so we can try all the flavors and homemade iced tea. For dessert, I'm partial to their apple strudel with vanilla sauce.

We also like their cocktails, a great place for a late afternoon spritz or after dinner drinks.

Location: Niederdorfstrasse 1, 8001 Zürich

Website: www.cafe-henrici.ch

Friendly neighborhood vibe at this hip cafe in Kreis 4. We usually go in the mornings for their good coffee and delicious homemade cakes (with gluten-free and vegan options). their weekend brunch is popular and should be reserved. Also fun for apero and after dinner drinks, with a fun variety of cocktails.

Location: Stauffacherstrasse 141, 8004 Zürich

Website: fuerdich.ch

miró manufactura de café is a specialty coffee roastery founded in 2013. They make exceptional coffee, with a variety of freshly roasted single-origin coffees. It's one of our favorites in the city and we'll often take a walk with this destination in mind.

They have a small selection of sweet and savory snacks. We're partial to their poppyseed cake, which makes an occasional appearance.

We love their cafe in Kreis 4. But we also love their little takeaway shop in Zürich HB, our favorite to bring on the train for a day trip. If you descend the escalator from the Bahnhofstrasse, miró is on the corridor straight ahead.

Location: Brauerstrasse 58, 8004 Zürich

Website: www.mirocoffee.co

We love this charming café right off the for Bahnhofstrasse shopping street. I often meet friends here for a morning coffee or after work drinks.

Their quiet courtyard is a lovely place to escape the busy shopping streets. On chilly days, you can warm up inside and admire the courtyard from the tall windows that let in all the light.

In the mornings, they have a nice assortment of freshly baked pastries from local bakeries. I like their fresh ginger tea and the kids like their hot chocolate made with Lindt chocolate. In the afternoons, we like their generous meat and cheese apero platter, which is a perfect accompaniment to a refreshing spritz.

What to drink: classic hot chocolate with cream (or fresh ginger tea)

What to eat: apero platter

Address: Kappelergasse 16, 8001 Zürich

Website: www.milchbar.ch

Burgermeister makes our favorite burger in Zurich, with a juicy patty and buttery bun. The regular fries are great, but we usually order our preferred sweet potato fries.

The basic hamburger starts at CHF 15.50, a fair price in Switzerland, as "gourmet" burger places and Swiss restaurants typically charge CHF 25-35 for a burger.

In recent years, burger joints have popped up all over Zurich, but most are terrible and should be avoided. Burgermeister is definitely an exception and worth walking a few minutes extra to reach.

They have a few locations in Zurich. Burgermeister Kaserne is very near the main Zurich station, offering both takeaway and table service. Burgermeiser Oberdorf is in the old town, near Bellevue and Stadelhofen, good if you are doing a walking tour of Zurich. This location is counter service with indoor seating.

VITO is a cool pizza place at Europaallee, right next to the main Zurich train station. It's delicious, fast, affordable and convenient.

They sell pizza by the slice, unusual in Zurich, from long oval pizzas. You can order a slice, third, or whole oval. A slice with salad is usually plenty for me. If we go with a group, we might order a third from a few different flavors to share.

Your slice is baked/heated, then you can add a few toppings like rucola, parmesan, chili oil, etc.

The dough is really tasty and they have interesting topping combos, including seasonal variations that change frequently. They always have a vegetarian and vegan option.

It's a casual place, where you order at the counter and grab a table, inside or out. But at lunch and apero times, VITO can be very busy. So if your group is 4+ and you don't want to wait (particularly in winter when the outdoor seating may be closed), make a reservation.

Prices start around CHF 9.50/slice.

Location: Europaallee 4, 8004 Zürich

Menu: https://www.vito.ch/menuengl

Open daily.

Pizzeria Margherì is our favorite pizza in Zurich at the moment. Their Napoli-style crust is fantastic: chewy and crisp in the right ways. Their DOP San Marzano tomato sauce is bright and so flavorful, it's almost a shame to cover it with any toppings.

But we also love many of their topping combinations, including the pistachio+mortadella+burrata pizza. I just can't get enough. They also have a few fried options, including calzones, which are tasty but a little heavy, so better to share.

Location: Limmatstrasse 273, 8005 Zürich

Website: https://www.margheri.ch/

Reservations recommended.

For a fresh and healthy lunch, we love Kaisin, serving nourishing poké rice bowls with Japanese and Hawaiian flavors.

You can order their signature bowl combos or create your own from a large menu of ingredients and sauces.

I usually order the "Kind of Spicy" bowl with salmon, seaweed, mango, edamame, cucumber with wasabi lime sauce, ginger and wasabi covered nuts. I swap out the sushi rice for in half black rice and half kale.

The portions are generous, so the small bowl is more than enough. But we like to order the big bowl and take half home for lunch the next day.

They have several locations in Zurich, including the main station. We usually end up at:

• Europaallee shopping area - Eisgasse 10

• Near Bahnhofstrasse shopping - Talacker 35

• Near Operhaus in Seefeld - Dufourstrasse 23 (cozy seating in the adjacent lounge)

See more locations.

Website: kaisin.ch

Napulé is a small takeaway pizza shop making authentic Neapolitan pizza. The dough is lush and toppings fresh and flavorful. The folded "Pizza a portafoglio" is an affordable option (starting at CHF 13) that you can more easily eat on the go.

We usually get full pizzas in boxes and have our picnic at the Operahaus plaza, which has lots of chairs. Or you could sit on the benches along the lake or steps along the river.

Our favorite flavors are Bella Italia and the Mortadella pizza with pistachio cream. While we wait for the pizza, we often get drinks at the Coop across the street, which has a grocery in the basement floor.

In the evenings and especially weekends, the line can get pretty long. So we suggest calling in your order before you walk down there.

Location: Stadelhoferstrasse 42, 8001 Zürich

Website: https://www.napule.ch/de/stadelhofen

Luigia is a casual Italian restaurant with a lively atmosphere and delicious food. We particularly love pizza, which has thick Napoli-style crust and fresh, tasty toppings. They also have a wide variety of pasta dishes and main dishes with both authentic flavors and contemporary combinations.

It's family-friendly and often filled with cheerful groups celebrating birthdays and friends meeting after work. It's a convenient location, just a couple blocks off Zürich Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping street.

Location: Talstrasse 61, 8001 Zürich

Website: https://www.luigia.ch/

Reservations recommended.

Pizza Derby is fun pizza joint in the hip Wiedikon neighborhood, serving up tasty pizza from their super hot ovens. To cut the pizzas, they serve them with scissors instead of a knife, which makes everyone who hasn't seen that before laugh.

The salads are made with care with tasty seasonal extras like figs. The tiramisu is homemade and so good that it's gone seconds after it hits the table.

Their house wine is served from vintage ceramic jugs, a southern Italian tradition the owners have lovingly brought back from their holidays. Everything about this place is friendly and welcoming, filled with locals, friends and neighbors.

They don't take reservations, so just swing by and wait for an open table.

Location: Sihlfeldstrasse 85, 8004 Zürich

Website: https://restaurantderby.ch/

The Zeughauskeller restaurant, located in the center of Zurich, is a popular spot for both locals and visitors. The traditional eatery offers hearty casual dishes such as Wiener Schniztel, Zürcher geschnetzeltes, Rösti, cordon bleu, and cheese and sausage salad, all served in a warm and friendly environment.

It's housed in a 15th century building that used to house an armory, keeping many of the original architectural features.

It's a popular spot, so best to make a reservation to avoid a long wait or if you have a large group.

The Wilde Kaiser Wienzeile bar brings the best of Austrian vibes to Zürich. They elevate traditional Austrian classics like Wiener Schnitzel and crispy Backhendl with high quality ingredients, careful prep and pretty plating.

We loved their homemade lemonade, trying both the ginger holunder and raspberry yuzu flavors. I was too full for dessert, so I tried their delicious Viennese coffee. But friends tell me the apple strudel is on point.

The whole place has a cool vibe, with stylish furniture, cool mosaic floor, and interesting details at every turn.

The bar also offers a selection of Austrian wines and a laid-back atmosphere perfect for enjoying a leisurely meal or catching up with friends over a Kaffee.

Location: Zähringerpl. 17, 8001 Zürich

Website: www.kaiser-wienzeile.ch

Reservations always a good idea, even for lunch.

Swiss Chuchi Restaurant, located in the heart of Zurich old town, is a popular spot for traditional Swiss dishes.

If you want fondue in summer (Zürichers only eat it in winter), this is your best bet, with a wide array of flavors and lots of options for dipping. They also have meat fondue (popular with the Swiss for Christmas), dipping thinly sliced meat in broth or oil.

Important Note! Although fondue is a shared dish, prices are per person. You can't order just one portion to share. It's ok if you want to taste your companion's fondue, but they expect each person to order a main.

In addition, they have good versions of all the Swiss-German classics like Zürcher Kalbsgeschnetzeltes (sliced veal in a cream sauce), rösti, bratwurst, spätzli, capuns, and Älpermagronen (Swiss mac and cheese).

Reservations are a must, even at lunchtime. And sometimes you have to wait, even you do have a reservation. They cannot guarantee an outdoor table, but you can request one when you arrive.

Prices are high, so maybe check the menu beforehand so you aren't shocked.

Location: Rosengasse 10, 8001 Zürich

Website: hotel-adler.ch

Sternen Grill is a Zürich institution, known for serving the best bratwurst in town, with their signature hot mustard and "Bürli" rolls. They have a few other sausages like the Swiss "cervelat" and spicy links, as well as delicious roasted chicken. Our kids also like their German-style potato salad as a side.

This sausage stand is next to the Bellevue tram, with mostly takeaway business. But they have outdoor tables in the alley and an indoor dining area upstairs. We usually get our sausages to go and eat them by the lake.

Location: Theaterstrasse 22, 8001 Zürich

Open: daily 10:30 to midnight, until 11pm on Sun & Mon

Website: www.sternengrill.ch

Tip: it's much cheaper to get your drinks at the Coop grocery next door (in the basement), also more selection

Bauschänzli is fun beer garden on a tiny island on the Limmat river in Zurich. At the self-service counter, you can order all the classics: bratwurst, roast chicken, fried fish, ribs, fries as well as pasta, Flammkuchen, and apero platters.

It's a popular place to meet friends after work and on weekends, with a good selection of local beers on tap, refreshing cocktails, and wine by the glass to quench your thirst.

The outdoor terrace has fantastic views of the city, with famous landmarks like the Grossmunster in view. You can't reserve a table on the terrace, first come first served. But you can reserve the lounge area for groups, minimum order CHF 55/per person.

Location: Stadthausquai 2, 8001 Zürich

Open: daily from 11:30

Website: bauschaenzli.com

The Fischergarten at Zürihorn is a fun outdoor beer garden along the shores on Lake Zurich. They serve typical beer garden food like sausages, fried fish, burgers and salads.

Good place with kids since they can spill into the park and play. Lovely place to meet friends to enjoy twilight on the lake and enjoy nice local wines, refershing cocktails and seasonal beer on tap.

If you prefer a full service restaurant, you can reserve a table at their adjacent Fischerstube restaurant with table service and bigger menu.

Location: Zürihorn park

From Bellevue in the city (near the Opera house), a nice walk along the the lake promendade about 20 mins to reach the restaurant. Or ride the bus to the Chinagarten stop, then a short walk through the park. Or boat from Bürkliplatz to the Zürichorn stop.

Open: daily from 11.30 until late

Website: www.fischerstube-zuerich.ch

Fischer's Fritz is a delightful lakeside restaurant, offering fresh fish from Lake Zurich and a cool beach vibe. It's a great place for leisurely lunch with friends, afternoon drinks, relaxed family dinner, and even a date night.

The food is summer casual, with lots of fish dishes and fresh salads as well as burgers, schnitzel and fries. I usually get the Knusperli (fried fish) with the fresh catch of the day. They also have a nice selection of wines from local vineyards.

Most tables are along the water (with umbrellas for shade), where you get a great view down the lake to the alps in the distance.

Although it's adjacent to the campground, it has a slightly more of formal feel, not a beach bar with people running around in swimsuits. But kids are definitely welcome and have plenty of room to run around.

Best to make a reservation. If they are full, they often have a few tables available for walk-ins.

Location: Seestrasse 557, 8038 Zürich
It's 10 mins by bus from Zürich Bürkliplatz to the Stadtgrenze stop in front of Fischer's Fritz (ticket part of Zone 110). There's metered parking across the street.

When you arrive, walk through the campground parking and follow signs to the Terrasse and Restaurant, slightly to your right. Don't get lost amidst the camper vans and tents to your left.

Website: www.fischers-fritz.ch

I love a lot of gelato places in Zurich, but Rosso Arancio is my favorite. I love the creamy texture and fresh flavors, particularly strawberry and pistachio. The flavors here aren't quite as intense as at other gelaterias, but I find them smooth and balanced, very enjoyable.

I also like that they are making fresh gelato throughout the day in machines you can see. So I know the product is fresh and handmade.

Location: Stauffacherstrasse 37, 8004 Zürich

Open: April to Oct daily 12:00 - 22.00

Website: www.rosso-arancio.ch

Gelati am See is a cute mobile ice cream stand that spends the summer along Lake Zurich (see on map).

All the flavors are delicious, but we love the more interesting options like Black Sesame and Blood Orange that cycle through the menu.

They always give you a tiny "taster scoop" on top of your regular scoop so you can try another flavor. So be ready with your taster flavor when they ask.

This gelato is a perfect destination when strolling the Gold Coast, which is full of other ice cream vendors, but none as good as this one. On sunny afternoons and weekends, the line is often long but always worth it.

Gelateria di Berna is a family-run gelato joint that brings a taste of Italy to Switzerland. Founded in Bern, their gelateria now has expanded to Basel and Zurich. They have many creative flavors, including vegan options.

We usually go to the Wiedikon location (Brupbacherplatz, Weststrasse 196, 8003 Zürich), which has the biggest selection, a cool neighborhood vibe and often a long line on weekends and evenings.

They are also at Frau Gerolds Garden (Geroldstrasse 23b, 8005 Zürich) and a stand near Europaallee (Zollstrasse 119, 8005 Zürich)

• https://gelateriadiberna.ch/

Eisvogel is a tiny corner shop in north Zurich, serving up six flavors of homemade ice cream every day. Using local fruits and seasonal ingredients, they create unique and delicious treats that cater to the neighborhood's tastes.

With a laid-back vibe and a commitment to quality, Eisvogel is a popular spot for locals looking to satisfy their sweet tooth with a scoop of artisanal goodness.

Ottostrasse 15, 8005 Zürich

Hasta Ice Cream is one of our favorite summer treat in Zürich, with lots of interesting flavors like ginger, kulfi, black sesame, bergamot, and even Swiss-inspired Basler Läckerli. It's conveniently located in the old town, right next to the Grossmünster cathedral.

Location: Zwinglipl. 3, 8001 Zürich

Website: https://www.hasta.ch/

Open: April to October, daily 12:30 - 18:30

Gelati TELLHOF is one for our favorite gelatos in Zurich, with multiple locations around the city. This location near Europaallee has a small shop with indoor and outdoor seating.

They always have interesting flavors like Blood Orange and Black Sesame.

Gelati TELLHOF - Tellstrasse 20, 8004 Zürich

https://www.gelati1998.ch/en/

Eisladen Zürich is a cute little ice cream shop in Zurich. Everything is handmade in small batches, with good quality ingredients and you can tell the difference.

They always have interesting seasonal flavors that we can't resist like salty peanut butter, strawberry basil, and white chocolate tonka bean.

The friendly staff and laid-back atmosphere make it the perfect spot to satisfy your sweet tooth on a hot day.

Birmensdorferstrasse 101, 8003 Zürich

This historic Swiss chocolate brand comes from Lugano, which a tasty range of chocolate pralines, truffles, and bars. We particularly like their amaretti cookies dipped in chocolate. Great for gifts, as this is a brand that those outside Switzerland are not familiar with.

In summer, they have delicious, creamy ice cream. Their chocolate ice cream has the most intense flavor of any you'll find in Zurich. In winter, they have decadent hot chocolate and good Italian style coffee.

Limmatquai 74, 8001 Zürich

vanini.swiss

Gelatissimo is one of our favorites, with a truck parked at Zurich Bullingerplatz most of the summer. They also have a truck at Katzenseelake, fun if you want a little nature outing from the city. They always have new and exciting flavors to try, usually with at least once vegan option.

Dieci Gelateria in Niederdorf has a takeaway gelato stand, a nice place for summer dessert if you are strolling Zurich old town. We like all their flavors, but usually get Amarena and Pistachio. They also have a small cafe with very good pizza and classic Italian dishes.

Niederdorfstrasse 40, 8001 Zürich

www.dieci.ch

Excellent gelato in the old town.

Limmatquai 32, 8001 Zürich

https://www.dieci.ch/

Gelateria Bongusto is run by a Swiss couple from St Gallen, making homemade gelato from Swiss milk and other local ingredients for over 40 years.

In summer, they share space with a cafe in the Niederdorf, where you can get their yummy gelato and homemade cookies. We particularly like their multi-colored chocolate dipped cones. Not a million flavors, but delicious ones like salted caramel and passion fruit.

They sometimes have a gelato truck on the Polyterrasse (big terrace above the old town overlooking Zurich).

Location: Niederdorfstrasse 37, 8001 Zürich

Website: bongusto.me / Instagram