The first thing that stands out about My Place is the furniture – all designer and vintage fare from the 1960s onwards, and all for sale. Perhaps you are awash with cash, in which case you can purchase a piece of furniture there and then.

Most people, including the writer of this humble piece, will have to make do with the food and drink on offer, and it’s by no means a hard lot. The coffee at My Place is proper strong, and they offer a great selection of snacks such as tartelettes, ciabattas, salads and birchermüesli. They also serve a Swiss beer called Appenzeller on tap, you ought to give it a try.

My Place makes for a pleasant stopover if you’re in the area. It offers welcome respite from all the art at Kunsthaus Zürich and is handy for a tipple before watching a play at Schauspielhaus around the corner. During the day My Place is popular with students from the nearby schools and universities, while evenings are a more quiet affair.

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My Place | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Toast Hawaii CHF 7.50
Hottingerstr. 4 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 00:00, Sat 10:00 – 00:00

Kafischnaps is a café during the day and a bar in the evening. While many bars in Zurich close their doors early on Sunday, this venue is open until midnight and is also open every day of the week (a big plus in my books).

The beautifully tiled space harks back to its former life as a butcher’s at the turn of the last century. Exuding warmth and calm and a welcoming atmosphere. Besides the usual list of drinks, you get a variety of alcoholic coffees and a vast selection of specialty fruit schnapps (hence the name). Another great feature is that they serve breakfast until 16:00 every day. However, they do have to close the bar at midnight every day as they’re in a residential area.

Upstairs, Kafischnaps also has five rooms to rent (B&B) – for a bargain by Zurich standards.

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Kafischnaps | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Rooms from CHF 44.00
Kornhausstrasse 57 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern | +41442154040
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 00:00

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

When I first arrived in Zurich I immediately went to this place to stock up on some Japanese essentials. There is a Japanese food corner in Globus and Jelmoli but the selection is by far the most extensive at Nishi. You can buy rice in bulk (up to 10kg) and you can find fresh ingredients such as lotus root and proper tofu (not just the tetra pack kind). I was most happy about the ice cream and spent a few minutes wondering how much trouble they must go through to bring frozen goods to Switzerland from Japan.

If you’re looking for some Japanese bits and bobs for around the house like little decorations and kitchenware, then Nishi most likely has what you’re looking for. If you’re a Japanese television drama and film fan you can rent DVDs for CHF 4.00 or so. It may be a small shop, but it’s equipped with a myriad of nostalgia inducing objects for the Japanese residents of Zurich. For non-Japanese visitors it provides a great selection of food to get acquainted with.

Don’t forget, there is much more to Japanese food than sushi so get yourself over to Nishi to stock up on the alternatives, some of which you can taste at Ooki (check the Ooki article).

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Nishi | Shopping
Schaffhauserstrasse 120 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern | +41443631163
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 18:30, Sat 09:00 – 16:00

When I first heard about this place I was very sceptical – it had been described to me as a Japanese cafe by one person and as an anime fan’s dream by another. To some the latter may sound delightful, but for me it’s something I’d seen enough of back home.

To my surprise it was actually an unorthodox harmony of the two – in terms of decour it was a mix between a sweet little European cafe and anime haven but what really took me aback was the confectioneries on display. Vegan, gluten free and lactose free options galore along with interesting combinations such as green tea and blueberry cake. Oh, and I mustn’t forget the truffles, when I go next I’ll be indulging in the absinthe pralines.

If you would rather experience afternoon tea as opposed to simply consuming it, then give them a call and book yourself an afternoon of indulgence and relaxation. They’re so popular that for weekend service you’re advised to book at least a week in advance.

If you find yourself smitten with their beautiful cakes you can even sign up for a cake decoration course or their vegan, gluten and lactose free baking course.

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Miyuko | Coffee & tea | Small cake CHF 5
Beckenhofstrasse 7/9 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern | +41443502143
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 18:00, Sun 09:00 – 17:00

My friend suggested I check out a place that I had yet to realize was going to land its way into my top 3 restaurants in Zurich. I am eternally grateful for the recommendation.

I love this place for a number of reasons, the food being a pretty obvious factor, of course. Aside from offering mouth-watering dishes, some rather unusual ones too, for very reasonable prices by Zurich standards, the wine selection (now presented on an iPad as well as on the wall) is delightfully extensive. The atmosphere really lends itself to sipping on indulgent wines in the company of your favourite people.

The first couple of times I ordered the Tavolata, which is definitely amazing value – for CHF 55.00 you will be treated to an array of antipasti, sort of tapas style in their presentation, followed by two pasta dishes that lead to the finale of meat. For the quality you get, I can’t think of anywhere else that offers the same bang for your buck (and without making you feel cheap either).

More recently I’ve been exploring the regular menu and today’s beef goulash with spaetzle (a Southern German and Swiss specialty) was divine despite my not even being that great a fan of speatzle. They may have changed my mind about the little blobs of eggy dough, or is it, perhaps, maybe, that I have become a little Swiss?

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Zum Alten Löwen | Restaurants (Swiss/European) | Tavolata CHF 55
Universitätstrasse 111 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern | +41433431169
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 14:00 & 18:00 – 00:00, Sat 18:00 – 00:00