Hello and happy Monday!
I’m finally back with some more plant-based food recommendations.
Work and moving has meant less time and energy for hobbies. But eating as much good plant-based food as possible is still very much a passion, so here are some more recommendations for vegan food in Zurich (for the first part of this series check out this post).
For every day: Simply Soup
This has become one of my favorite go-to’s for a quick & healthy lunch during the week. Their aim of making ‘delicious but healthy fast food available to everyone, everywhere at any time!‘ and their belief in fresh, seasonal andhomemade food definitely comes across in their dishes. Besides the obvious option of soup (always including a vegan choice, such as ‘lentil green-curry’ or ‘indian dhal saba’) they have salads, sandwiches and – the main attraction for me so far – their buddha-bowl style bowls. Currently they have a ‘Crunchy Kale Quinoa Bowl’ that I haven’t yet tried, as I’m too obsessed with the ‘Asian Soba Noodle Bowl’ (soba noodles, edamame, mango, avocado, carrots, broccoli, sesame seeds and a wonderfully flavorful sweet tahini dressing). They also sell delicious sweet snacks by Joeli’s (@hellojoelis) in cute little tubs: Raw Brownie Bites, Coco Kisses and Cacao Energy Balls (super yummy and they went down well with my work colleagues).
I like the bright interior, the positive and healthy vibe and the fact that Simply Soup is active on social media so you can always see what’s going on and what new items they have
Locations: There is one near the tram station Kalkbreite/Wiedikon (Kalkbreitestrasse 10), one near Stauffacher (Hallwylstrasse 24) and the most central one at Pelikanstrasse 19 (haven’t been to that one yet).
For special occasions: Marktküche
For vegan haute cuisine/fine dining this place is a MUST! All-vegan and all out amazing, this place is worth the hefty price tag. I took my boyfriend here to celebrate getting the job I wanted, and we were in heaven eating 5 courses of beautifully arranged dishes that were absolutely bursting with creativity and flavor. The service reflected the high quality of the place and added to our experience. If you’re visiting Zurich or have something to celebrate definitely make a reservation and let yourself be delighted by the amazing combinations of tastes and textures. (On the last Friday of every month they’re also open for lunch).
Location: Feldstrasse 98 (near Bäckeranlage)
Vegan buffet: Vegelateria (The Sacred)
I first found out about this fully vegan eatery and gelateria (!) via my HappyCow App, but only ended up going when one of my work colleagues mentioned it recently. Once there I kicked myself for not going earlier – this place is like a less stylish version of trendy vegetarian eatery Hiltl, but more exciting. The buffet is fully vegan and, while smaller than the one at Hiltl, has all kinds of interesting dishes (once you’ve been to Hiltl a few times, you tend to recognize most things). I was in heaven walking around, deciding which items to pick and piling a bit of everything on my plate. A serious highlight was also the chocolate truffle I got for dessert – the most satisfying chocolately experience I can remember. There are also cheesecakes and all kinds of other sweet treats, not to mention a large array of vegan ice creamsthat I can’t wait to try, now that the weather has gotten warmer.
Location: Müllerstrasse 64 (near Helvetiaplatz)
If you like Lebanese food, you should definitely give this a go. This place is quite well-known, and I’ve been loving it since before going plant-based. I went there again recently after my graduation ceremony, and was hit again by just how delicious everything is. There are many nice Lebanese places in Zurich, but this is the best in my eyes. My favorite thing is to order vegetarian mezze (most of it vegan, and they’ll tell you which ones are not) to share and then feast on the creamiest hummus, delicious falafel, moutabel etc. Be sure to make a reservation, to be on the safe side.
Locations: one near the tram stop Bellevue (Schifflände 5) and one near the stop Bezirksgebäude (Badenerstrasse 78)
Now while Le Cèdre (above) is definitely the place to go to for Lebanese food, I have to mention the delicious (!) hummus and falafels I had at the Neni (within the 25hours hotel Zurich). Some friends and I originally went there because we’d heard they do a great, veggie-friendly brunch. To me the brunch (around CHF 36) looked like a typical European hotel brunch, with Zopf, butter and jam, cheeses and meats, and I would have struggled to get a proper meal in. Luckily we were there just in time for the lunch menu (around 11.30 am), and we all ended up going for hummus and falafels while sharing super satisfying and crispy sweet potato fries. While I’d not specifically recommend it for brunch, the lunch dishes we tried were so delicious and I’d definitely order them again!
Locations: Zürich West (Pfingstweidstrasse 102; near the Toni-Areal) and Langstrasse 150
Vegan Pizza: Avanti
This (from the outside) not extremely impressive-looking Italian joint was a completely accidental discovery. When I was driving into Zurich to bring more of my things to my new place, we took a wrong turn. Somewhat grumpy by that point, my mood immediately changed for the better when I saw the words „vegan pizza“ – all irritation at the traffic and false turns vanished as I delighted at the prospect of a new place to try. I went there on Friday evening around 8 pm and was surprised to see the place completely crowded, with young couples and groups of friends sitting in the tiny dimly-lit restaurant, the TV on in the background, and a queue of people ordering takeaway while an authentically rotund, Italian-looking guy was preparing pizza after pizza. I was so impressed that this (non-vegan) Italian place had specifically designated vegan options. I went for a vegan vegetable pizza (they use a soy-based cheese) and enjoyed every bite. While no Pickywops or Fed by Watersensation you can get in London, this is definitely the place to hit up in Zurich for pizza cravings – both vegan and regular.
Location: Stationsstrasse 1 (near Kalkbreite/Wiedikon)
That’s it for part II of my Zurich recommendations – as vegan options are becoming more and more widespread here, I’m sure I’ll be back with another part in the not-too-distant future
Have a lovely evening and a great start to the week!
Celine
xoxo
Blueberrysmiles 