If Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse gets the lion share of human traffic when it comes to shopping, then Utoquai, the eastern side of the lake, is popular for just strolling along the waterfront. It is where crowds celebrate a sunny Sunday afternoon in the winter or every day of the summer. My wife always compares it to the Greek island of Spetses.

Strolling is nice but a place to sit and eat is also necessary. Restaurant Grill Pumpstation is located at the ideal “latitude”: close enough to Bellevueplatz to go by walk, far enough to feel like Spetses.

A great location is good for a restaurant; a great location with good food even better. I have not tried many items of the menu because I practically stuck with the first thing I tried: Pumpisspiess, a beef skewer whose taste won my loyalty. The portion goes for CHF 18.50 but comes without a side dish. So ordering French fries would add another CHF 7.50 to the bill.

At around 18:00 or 19:00 in the evening it may get very hard to find a table, especially on the side closer to the lake. I personally recommend taking a swim at that time and coming to the restaurant after 20:00 to enjoy the late evening mood including the sunset (photos).