Image by Christine Syrad

I was looking for a special place to go to for a special person’s celebration and, while I run the risk of tooting my own horn, I have to say my choice of restaurant was absolutely spot on for the occasion.

The restaurant in Hotel Greulich is quiet and modern and yet it manages to keep the atmosphere cosy and warm. The staff add to the place’s appeal – rarely have I encountered better service in Zurich.

The intrigue of this place lies in it’s Tapas-esque menu. The concept is called, “small plates” but the tidbit of food that appears in front of you is certainly more upmarket than your average tapas.

I opted for the Suprise Klein and was entertained with four different dishes (two as a started and two as a main) and thoroughly enjoyed the after taste of the experience. It was hard to encapsulate the ethnic genre of the food, so I’ll just say it was probably based on what inspired the chef on that particular day. My pineapple sorbet with pineapple chutney and rosemary pannacotta suggested he was going for tropical vibes.

If you’re in the mood for good food but not quite sure where your craving is headed, then give Hotel Greulich’s small plates a try. Be warned that it’s not cheap, but I do think you get value for money, which, you may have noticed by now, is not always the case in Zurich.

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Hotel Greulich | Bars, Restaurants (Various) | Surprise set CHF 68
Herman-Greulich-Strasse 56 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41432434243
12:00 – 13:45 & 18:30 – 21:45 daily

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Image by Christine Syrad

Sunday Brunching is one thing I’ve tried and tested many times here in Zurich and I’ve seen that some places do food better than others while others offer better atmospheres. Piazza is one of the places you go to for the atmosphere, although the food’s not half bad either. Just make sure you book yourself a spot since, as is often the case here in Zurich, brunch tends to be a busy ordeal and there’s nothing more heartbreaking on a Sunday than turning up to your favourite place only to find it’s booked out…again. If you do miss the boat, you can always come back for an afternoon snack or beers in the evening!

What I love about this place is its location – I think it’s safe to say that Idaplatz is still a little bit of a hidden gem buried in a residential part of town. In the summer it boasts a crowd of fun-loving people who happily rest their tight-jean-wearing bums on the benches while sipping on beers bought at the kiosk. When it’s still too early for beers you can sit in one of the charming bars lining the square, Piazza being one of them.

Some people describe the piazza as making you feel like you’re elsewhere in Europe and while I agreed at first, I now think it’s actually very typical of the relaxed side of Zurich visitors to the city tend to oversee because they expect it to be nothing more than a finance hub.

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Piazza | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Large brunch CHF 24
Idaplatz 2 | Kreis 3 Wiedikon | +41445589529
Tue – Sat 09:00 – 00:00, Sun 10:00 – 18:00

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Image by Miltiadis Sarakinos

I like places with which I can associate a color. If you have read my other articles: Mata Hari Bar (check the Mata Hari Bar article) is red, Paddy Reilly’s (check the Paddy Reilly’s article)is green. And then you may also have noticed that I like several restaurants near Stauffacher. So now I add one more spot from this area and, at the same time, one more color to the collection.

It is yellow and is located at the intersection of the Langstrasse and Badenerstrasse. Being within walking distance from Mythos (check the Mythos article) or Le Cèdre (check the Le Cedre article), it is a favorite “next destination” after a dinner.

It is called the Forum and for my intents and purposes it is a lounge-bar.

So once again, I find things I like: Sofas, located in the middle enabling a panoramic view of the venue and its visitors, a humidor, music at the right volume; conversation is possible. A mostly young (in the broader sense of the term) public adds a cool flare reminding me of the cliché from my student years: “there is always something going on there”.

If you go during the summer, you can sit outside and watch the crowds enjoying an evening out in the city. However, the big sliding doors would be open on a warm evening so even from inside you would feel being a bit outside.

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Forum | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Intern.) | Orange Juice CHF 5.50
Badenerstrasse 120 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41432438888
Mon – Fri 08:00 – open end, Sat – Sun 10:00 – open end

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Image by Miltiadis Sarakinos

“So where do we go now?” you asked your companion(s) that Saturday evening after dinner; it somehow felt too early to call it an evening and you had something like a bar with music in mind.

Or maybe you felt like having a tea or a snack that Saturday afternoon after shopping?

Read my other articles to get plenty of ideas for such occasions. Read this one to know a place that offers all in one for you: Café Terrasse.

The special thing about Café Terrasse is that there is nothing special about it: it is an excellent choice for all occasions. Centrally located near Bellevueplatz, the venue is open from early till late: for a snack, a complete meal, a tea, a late drink, inside or outside, with or without music.

There is a big central area with tables and plenty of light during daytime for the bourgeoisie that wants to feel pampered with a bit of luxury: yes, the moment of truth is when that big tea portion you ordered arrives.

Lights are dimmed later on and the mood adapts accordingly.

The outside: a garden terrace for the warm season, Zurich style (flip flops and tattoos on those areas of the body that can be decently exposed). For some intimacy, there is a small balcony terrace on the side of the river.

Last but not least: a bar area with a younger (or younger feeling) public and the appropriate (electronic) music. Sounded like house last time.

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Terrasse Café | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Espresso CHF 6.20
Limmatquai 3 | Kreis 1 City | +41442511074
Mon – Tue 10:00 – 01:00, Wed – Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

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Image by Miltiadis Sarakinos

I had received several invitations for after work parties at the roof terrace of the Helvetia hotel which opens around mid-May (weather permitting). The saying goes, the terrace offers a spectacular view. True. I finally got there on the last day of June 2010. 10 days of real summer in Zurich made it a must.

But unfortunately, in Zurich we have four seasons. Fortunately, they can all be enjoyed in different ways.

Here is where the bar inside with its imposing wooden design comes into play. The bar goes under the name “Helvti”. In the 80s it was the meeting point of journalists from the leftist newspaper “Tages Anzeiger” and other “rebels-without-a-cause” elements. Today it is the ideal meeting point not only for bohemians but also for petites-bourgeois fans of capitalism and globalization like me (who rebel only when their bonus is in danger) who just like to take a break and chat.

The perimeter is a sofa and the chairs for the table have left me the memory of worn-out leather. It is quite cosy and doesn’t feel loud. And now that smoking is prohibited, the pleasure factor has increased.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Helvetia Hotel Restaurant | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Swiss) | Orange juice CHF 4.80
Stauffacherquai 1 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41442979999
Bar: Mon – Thu 08:00 – 00:00 , Fri 08:00 – 02:00, Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 23:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Zurich

Image by Miltiadis Sarakinos

I approached the entrance of the bar and looked up the stairs. She was nearby; alone and smoking her cigarette; well dressed, good looking, a bit older than me, indifferent and bored? The textbook opportunity for making contact: “what would you tell me about the Goethe Bar?” I asked. “The bar is good, the restaurant would not be my first choice” she replied (restaurant and bar are separated). “The public tends to be upper class”.

We chatted a bit more about the bar and then the gentleman (noticeably older than me) came near the stairs and looked at her from up inside. “I am coming” she answered and went up hastily.

So one more spot in Seefeld to write about? You know what they say: one spot leads to another. I first noticed it from the tram station on the opposite side of the Seefeldstrasse. About two years ago when it opened. The bar is elevated so, once inside, guests see the human traffic outside especially when they sit along the big glass window facing the street (my preference). The crowd is a bit on the well-dressed side, not the student or teenager type with the sneakers; well dressed maybe because they just come from work. Or maybe because they are going out for the evening and this is the first station.

During the summer there is a more casual option: the few tables outside which often receive plenty of Zurich’s deep red evening light.

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Goethe Bar | Bars, Snacks | Orange Juice CHF 7.50
Goethestrasse 10 | Kreis 1 City | +41442222030
Mon – Thu 07:00 – 00:00, Sat 09:00 – 02:00 , Sun 09:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Zurich

Image by Ajuni

Literally translated, ‘Volkshaus’ means ‘house of the people’. The most accurate English term is probably ‘community centre’. Zurich’s version is located in the heart of the former working class area Kreis 4 and has been around since 1910, as is proudly proclaimed on the website.

Volkshaus is arguably best known for hosting gigs. This is one of the largest venues in town and the bands that play here tend to be on their way up to going stadium-size – or they are on their way down from world domination.

On the premises there is also a bookshop specializing in political science and psychoanalysis but they also stock more profane stuff such as the humble novel.

The sauna in the Volkshaus’s basement has just been refurbished and is now open for business, offering a hammam and sauna facilities in modern, slick surroundings.

Last but by no means least the café and restaurant have been refurbished a few years ago. Gone are the cobwebs of yesteryear, the place looks sleek but has retained a nice vintage touch. The best time to stop by here is in the afternoon, sitting by the huge windows and watching the world go by. This is community service with a difference.

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Volkshaus | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Swiss) | Pot of tea CHF 5.00
Stauffacherstrasse 60 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl
Mon – Tue 08:00 – 00:00, Wed 08:00 – 01:00, Thu – Fri 08:00 – 02:00, Sat 09:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Zurich

Image by Miltiadis Sarakinos

The 0815 bar in Seefeld opened in October 2008 and is the younger brother of the 0815 bar near the train station which is about 5 years older. Like all brothers that are not identical twins, the 0815 bars have their similarities and their differences.

The similarities:

A mix of architectural design, electronic music, snacks and drinks. I have tried the tapas but my favorite is the beefsteak tartar. My special wish, lots of toasted bread, was impeccably fulfilled.

The differences:

Think about the spot near the train station as somewhat crowded and noisy, the type of crowd having an after-work drink. A bit of pretension? Unavoidably. And there might be difficulty finding a seat (so choose the most interesting crows and squeeze in diplomatically).

Now leave the urban center and move towards the lake. Time to relax. After a swim in Bad Utoquai during the summer or a dip in the frozen lake after a sauna in the winter, 0815 in the Kreuzstrasse is a very valid continuation. It is less crowded than the older brother but busy, less pretentious but still cool and the crowds are no less handsome than near the train station.

In the Summer, there are tables outside. And every other summer, there is football: world cup or European cup. Two big screen TVs with different orientations are located inside. But you can follow the games comfortably even if you are sitting outside.

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0815 | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Orange Juice CHF 5.00
Kreuzstrasse 26 | Kreis 8 Seefeld | +41442420815
Mon – Fri 07:00 – 00:00, Sat 09:00 – 02:00

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Image by Miltiadis Sarakinos

Pur pur is a place with two faces. In the warm season you chill out on the terrace outside. At other times, you can relax in the oriental setting inside during the early hours but as the evening progresses, the venue turns into a night club with beautiful people and loud music (see photos).

The terrace has two sections. The front side, along Seefeldstrasse, is the “see and be seen” area where seeing really means “(people) watching”: something like the after-work drink for the professional crowds in their thirties.

If you are lucky you get to sit on the little sofa at the edge. The side terrace feels quieter: a place for focusing on the person you are with. The tables are decorated with nice red candlelight.

During major football events, there are two TV screens outside, one in the front terrace and one in the back. During the Euro 2008, the former had a visible region of dead pixels (which probably means the crowd didn’t really care about football).

Inside the venue you get to sit on pillows and smoke the hookah to get in some “1000+1 nights” mood. The first thing you notice when you find a nice free spot to sit is the little paper note telling from which time the spot is reserved for others. But there is usually enough time to enjoy an evening drink.

From the snacks, try the tartar. From the non-alcoholic cocktails I like the frullato.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pur Pur | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks | Non-alcoholic drink CHF 12
Seefeldstr.9 | Kreis 8 Seefeld | +41444192066
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 02:00, Fri 11:00 – 04:00, Sat 14:00 – 04:00, Sun 14:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Zurich

Image by Miltiadis Sarakinos

Are you looking for a restaurant combining quality, quantity, a good atmosphere, all at a reasonable price? In Zurich? For me, the Mexican Restaurant Desperado pops up high on the list; in the last 9 years, it has never disappointed me.

There are actually two Desperados in Zurich, one in Höngg and one in Wiedikon. I am a regular of the former.

The menu usually puts me in a dilemma because too many of its dishes appeal to my taste. But most often the winner is: fajitas a discrecion. This meal requires a minimum of two persons and implies unlimited rounds of chicken, beef and shrimp. To enjoy, follow the following strategy: leave out the chicken (nothing special) and concentrate on the beef and the shrimp which are superb. Reduce the proportion of carbohydrates: roll generous quantities of meat and shrimp in the tortillas and leave out rice, beans etc. And don’t order any appetizer before the fajitas.

Some of the deserts are masterpieces: I love the “helado de crema catalana”, yamm! A cigar from the humidor and/or an espresso can be the triumphant epilogue to the entire ritual.

The music is in cultural harmony with the rest of the venue.

If you take your friends to Desperado for your birthday party and tell them, preferably in advance, you eat for free.

The service is excellent; some waiters have been working there for many years.

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Desperado | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Mexican) | Fajitas à discrecion CHF 42.50
Limmattalstrasse 215 | Kreis 10 Wipkingen | +41443417040
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 14:00 & 17:00 – 00:00, Fri 11:00 – 02:00, Sat 16:00 – 02:00, Sun 17:00 – 02:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Zurich