When my friend first told me the name of the restaurant she wanted to check out together, I knew the chances of me falling in love with it were high. There are few things in life that I enjoy more than reading and eating. The quality of the material is tantamount in both cases.

The food is in line with the Italian atmosphere of the place – but not at all in the pasta & pizza overload sense – no, here you get the refined version of Italian cuisine. It’s no surprise really, the walls are plastered with cooking books and only those that have won prestigious awards, so with that sort of inspiration inundating the place there’s absolutely no way the chef could go astray.

One of the many things I like about this place is that the portions aren’t overwhelming so you can quite comfortably have a three course meal and since the prices are scaled down accordingly (compared to other higher-than-average-end Swiss restaurants), the heart attack often endured upon requesting the bill in Zurich is somewhat diminished.

For those impressed with the food, the owner provides some of his secrets in his own cook book. I haven’t bought mine yet, so that means I have to pay another visit – I think it’s fairly obviously that this is my carefully calculated way of creating an excuse to visit Cucina e Libri again soon.

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Cucina e Libri | Restaurants (Italian) | Main Meal CHF 37
Fröhlichstrasse 39 | Kreis 8 Seefeld | +41443832139
Tue 12:00 – 14:00, Wed – Fri 12:00 – 14:00 & 19:00 – 23:30, Sat 19:00 – 23:30

On a Sunday morning if my bagel and egg Benedict craving is one of my waking thoughts then I know I’ll be trekking across the city to Bohemia where, in my opinion, the American brunch experience is more than worth the journey.

If you like the sound of brunch without the limited company of gipfelis, zopf and bircher museli, go check out Bohemia. Especially if you like the idea of carrying out your weekend gluttony in a newly renovated chic and tasteful vintage American diner style restaurant.

The bagels aren’t the only bread-substance to have received my seal of approval, the pancakes are also divine with a generous helping of toppings. For the carb averse brunchers there are healthier options but I can’t say I’ve tried them yet – simply because I’m hooked on the bages…Just know that you’ve got to be ready to give into temptation when you set foot in here.

Bohemia is conveniently located at Kreuzplatz,  so you have two choices for your post-feast walk – the funicular up to the Dolder is just a stone’s throw away so you can venture up the hill and go for a wander in the forests or you can go for a stroll along the lakeside. Trust me, you’ll need to walk off your feeding frenzy if you’re to make room for dinner later!

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Bohemia | Coffee & tea, Restaurants (American) | Complete brunch CHF 35
Klosbachstrasse 2 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern | +41443837060
Mon – Wed 06:45 – 00:00, Thu – Fri 06:45 – 01:00, Sat 09:00 – 01:00, Sun 09:00 – 00:00

If you’re looking for pizza that emerges from the oven and retains its freshly bakedness until it reaches your stomach, then you need to head to Rosso (at least if a pit stop in Naples, Italy, is not on your itinerary). There are a few intriguing things about this restaurant:

a) It’s hard to find because there is no sign outside stating you have indeed arrived at Rosso (which also means it’s virtually impossible to stumble upon accidentally)

b) It’s very minimalist in design as it’s located in an old warehouse but still manages to look modern and chic.

c) Despite it being hidden in the depths of Hardbruecke’s hipsterness, it is always packed! So much so that it used to be closed on Saturdays, which I am pretty sure is unheard of in most other cities. It’s now open on Saturdays, due to popular demand, I presume.

I’ve tried a few things on the menu but I have to say, the best choice for anyone in need of really tasty comfort food is the pizza. Actually, even in the summer I tend to opt for pizza. The list is short but most definitely sweet with Bufala featuring in the most-eaten-by-yours-truly ones. I have to admit the pizza chefs look more like college students than pizza experts; don’t let that fool you, they know how to use their wood oven and will take that smirk of your face within minutes – that of course being one of the joys of real wood ovens!

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Restaurant Rosso | Restaurants (Italian) | Pizza CHF 24
Geroldstrasse 31 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41438182254
Mon – Fri 16:00 – 00:30

I know that the photo I’ve included may serve as a deterrent rather than as an enticement, but that’s precisely the point I want to make here. There is nothing about the outer decor that screams “give me a whirl”, but once you step inside and smell the food you’ll realize the exterior is merely a camouflage technique. If Beyond was so deliberately welcoming from the outside, they wouldn’t be able to serve all the people flooding in – it’s already teeming with people on most days as it is!

I stepped in out of curiosity, incidentally while intending to head to Chiang Mai (check out the Chiang Mai Thai Shop article). My friend and I decided it was a bit over zealous to want to eat outside in February so we stepped into Beyond instead.

I had been bemoaning the lack of proper Chinese food in Zurich for a long time but my incessant whining has now been silenced. I fell in love with the aubergine all over again after tasting the impossible to pronounce delicacy that I had here. True to Chinese style cuisine, this place is best visited with a posse of tasty food seekers in tow as each dish is pretty huge. You’ll definitely get the best of the experience if you order lots of dishes and share them.

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Beyond | Restaurants (Asian) | Main meal from CHF 20
Zollstrasse 20 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41430433668347
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 23:00, Sat – Sun 17:00 – 23:00

This restaurant is one I think a tourist would tend to walk past unless they know what they would find awaiting them inside. My inability to take a fantastic picture of the place probably exemplifies this statement. The locals are clued in though, clearly, as booking a table there requires organizational skills only the Swiss seem able to master with ease. I, on the other hand, have been known to beg for tables on occasion and this is one place worth losing face for.

The food is European/Swiss an I highly recommend the Cordon Bleu – it’s by no means a unique dish as you may have noticed while dining your way around Zurich, however, I’m convinced that of the dozen or so places in which I’ve ordered it, Bederhof offers the juiciest and crispiest ones.

Although I’m a fan of the food, my favourite part about this place is actually the bar. It reminds you of being in a very upmarket pub in England. That’s not to say it has a snobby feel to it, it simply emanates good taste and cocoons you in cosiness.

If you happen to have been shopping in Sihl City, rather than shoveling down one of the many fast food options there, just take a two minute stroll over to Bederhof for a post-shop drink.

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Bederhof | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Swiss)
Brandschenkestrasse 177 | Kreis 2 Enge | +41442851500
Mon – Fri 11:30 – 14:00, Sat 18:00 – 00:00, Sun 18:00 – 00:00

There are a few imitations of this concept in major cities around the world, but what makes this one special is that it was the first of its kind – this is where people first flocked to with the desire to attempt to not-so-dexterously lift their forks to their mouths in pitch darkness. It is also where I first succumbed to poking a finger in my glass as I poured my water to ensure I didn’t spill it everywhere and where I hope eating with my fingers will be confined to unless I travel to a country in which it is considered standard.

I don’t want to spoil the experience for anyone by outlining it all here seeing as the mystery of it all was what made it so fun, but there are some highlights I have to share to entice you into going. The image you see above shows how your evening will start. Once you’ve taken a look at the menu you’ll be escorted to your table conga style by the blind waiter or waitress who will be actively involved in your dining experience.

If you’re lucky, you’ll end up next to some people who haven’t realised that just because they can’t see, it doesn’t mean people around you can’t hear you. The couple next to us were on a first date and it’s thanks to the setting of this particular restaurant that we got to observe a hilariously cringeworthy exchange of sweet nothings.

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Blinde Kuh | Art & culture, Restaurants (European) | Whole experience CHF 80
Mühlebachstrasse 148 | Kreis 8 Seefeld | +41444215050
Lunch Wed – Fri 11:30 – 14:00 | Dinner Mon – Thu 18:30 – 23:00 Fri – Sun 18:00 – 23:00

As someone who is half Japanese and who has spent their youth developing their tastebuds in Japan, I can safely say I am extremely picky when it comes to Japanese food abroad. I’m a merciless judge and when an inauthentic place charges me a large sum of money, as is often the case with Japanese food, anger doesn’t come near to covering my sentiments.

Luckily, if you bump into me at Ooki you won’t have to witness the wrath of this Japanese food enthusiast, the ramen here is the best I’ve had outside Japan. The soup is the highlight of this dish so make sure you go when you’re in the mood for something warming and comforting.

Mr. Ooki does offer a summer variant to the dish that is very popular in Japan but since it was advertised in Japanese I didn’t see many people ordering it. Take it from me, it’s delicious so it’s worth asking about.

If noodles aren’t your thing you can try Katsu-curry or snack on some Onigiri. The place is casual enough to be your new regular lunch joint but you’ll find once you walk in its got enough charm to have you wondering what dinner might be like there. On a cold winter evening I would go as far as to say a noodle dish here is on par with fondue for comfort level.

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Ooki | Restaurants (Japanese Ramen) | Noodles CHF 22
Bäckerstrasse 39 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl
Mon – Fri 11:45 – 14:30 & 18:00 – 23:30, Sat 18:00 – 23:30

If the sun is out and you’re wandering around this trendy part of town in search of something to keep you fuelled long enough to negotiate the rest of Josefstrasse, then Chiang Mai is your port of call. From the outside it appears to be a Thai food shop and, well,  that’s because it is. The place isn’t exactly a restaurant and yet it offers the tastiest Thai food I’ve had in Zurich.

Forget the fancy fusion joints that offer modern decour and funky ice teas – this place will fill you up and satisfy your itch to go to Thailand (actually, it could also make you want to go even more…) for only 15 CHF. That’s 15 CHF for a box of curry so big that I often have to ration it over two lunches.

The choice isn’t very extensive, usually two curries and a soup, but I’d much rather be told to choose from 3 sublime dishes than have to navigate around a list of 50 iffy sounding dishes.

One thing you need to bear in mind is that if you eat in it’s an extra 3 CHF per dish and you’ll be sitting on a tiny stool. I suggest you take out and sit in the sun with everyone else.

Don’t forget to take cash, realizing you don’t have any once you get to the till (like I once did) will end in a wild goose chase for an ATM. The nearest one is at the main station, by the way.

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Chiang Mai Thai Shop | Snacks, Restaurants (Thai) | Small meal CHF 12
Josefstrasse 13 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41442718252
Mon 10:30 – 18:30, Tue – Fri 10:30 – 19:00, Sat 09:30 – 17:00

Despite not being a girly girl and despite never being able to maintain manicured hands due to my climbing, I found this place really enchanting and am contemplating using the cold weather as a hiatus from climbing just so I can pull beautifully manicured hands out of my ski gloves this year. Just for a change.

Schminkbar is tucked away behind Bahnhofstrasse and is the perfect little oasis in the middle of all the shopping chaos that surrounds it. Upon entering you’re faced with a bar where you can order a hot tea or perhaps a prosecco, whichever you find relaxes you more. If you come just in time for your appointment, don’t fret, you will get some tea and a fruit kebab during your treatment anyway.

What I find so appealing about this place is that you won’t find an air of pretentiousness that can sometimes waft around such salons. Since my nails never resemble anything other than tools that help me grip walls, I usually feel embarrassed about presenting them to a manicurist. Here I felt like it’s ok to walk in with claws and expect to leave with hands fit for a magazine spread.

The quick manicures and pedicures are perfect for those of us in a perpetual hurry who still want to look polished – they only take 30 mins or so max!

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Schminkbar | Relaxing | Manicure CHF 30
Beatengasse 9 | Kreis 1 City | +41433330808
Mon 11:00 – 20:00, Tue – Fri 09:00 – 20:00, Sat 09:00 – 18:00

This isn’t a shop for shopaholics, or perhaps it is. It depends on how you sate your addiction, by buying one-off expensive pieces or buying large quantities of lesser priced items. If you’re the former addict, then this place may be your downfall.

I have to admit I do not own anything from here (yet!), as it is the kind of place you walk out of 200 CHF poorer with only a hat, albeit a beautiful hat, to show for your investment. However, I find it’s the optimal place to go to on those days I aspire to be more, well, eclectic. The inspiration you get from this place is enough to place it on my list of favourite shops. It’s quite simply a breath of fresh air from all the mainstream brand boutiques you find on Bahnhofstrasse.

Even the layout of the shop beckons you to wander in and take a little gander at what they have to offer – it’s almost as if the clothes are walking on their own little catwalk!

If you fall in love with something and then kick yourself for not having the guts to buy it then and there, their new online shop will erase all your regrets.

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Eclectic | Shopping
Werdmühlestrasse 7 | Kreis 1 City | +41433448042
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 18:30, Sat 10:00 – 17:00