Good morning and happy Saturday!
This post is way overdue – It’s been a bit over 4 months since I’ve moved back to Switzerland, and I’ve had some great plant-based food I want to share with you! I’ll be doing this in several parts, with this one focusing just on Zurich – the largest city in Switzerland. (Check out Part II here).
I first tried this place when I came home the Christmas before last, and I absolutely loved it. It’s probably one of my favorite health food spots in Switzerland, as it serves delicious and creamy açai bowls (tip: ask for some peanut butter on top!), super comforting bowls of porridge (love the mango and passionfruit one) that you can get topped up with extra almond milk and really nice hot chocolate. They also have juices and some savory options like bagels and a quinoa bowl, but I always go for a breakfast-y option. Add to this the generous portions, reasonable prices and relaxed vibe, you have no reason not to go here on your next visit to Zurich 😉
This place had just opened before I moved to London, and it was the first fully plant-based restaurant I’d been to in Switzerland. They serve fresh, nourishing bowls and also do a good açai bowl (Juicery’s is my #1 favorite though). Besides the location near Zurich main station you can also find them close to Paradeplatz, as part of Balboa Bar & Gym (really awesome HIIT/strength classes!). The Balboa location also does a weekly Sunday brunch (for CHF 35, last time I checked).
I already did a full blog post on the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Europe, so check that out if you want to know more. This place is veggie paradise, with all kinds of fantastic options, warm and cold. Every dish is clearly labeled, and most things are vegan (there are only some with dairy). I definitely recommend piling up your plate at the buffet, but there’s also a menu you can order from instead. There are several locations throughout Zurich and the original one (Sihlstrasse 28) also has the Hiltl Shop (see below) around the corner, where you can shop for Hiltl brand goodies, order a matcha latte or pick something up from the veggie butcher’s section 😉 (They also sell some UK goodies, like Trek and nakd bars, Rude Health mylks as well as great quality vegan chocolates from Naturkostbar and Löwdelights).
Tibits is another awesome veggie place – very similar to Hiltl, to which it belongs, but buffet-only. If you have to choose between them, I’d definitely go for Hiltl, as the options are just that little bit better in my opinion, but a meal at Tibits is always a treat. There are quite a few Tibits throughout Switzerland (St Gallen, Basel, Lucerne, Winterthur), plus, as you may know if you live there, there are also two in London (one off Regent Street and a new one on Southwark Street, near the Tate Modern). They also do nice drinks, my most recent try being the rooibos cappuccino, which I can only recommend!
This fully vegan restaurant is one of my favorite places I’ve been to here, which is why I’m so sad that it’s closing soon! If you have the chance you definitely should take it – the place has a really fun and relaxed rock ‘n’ roll vibe (try to bag the comfy armchairs by the window front) and both times I’ve been there I’ve loved every bite. I first went with my boyfriend for some burgers (his – the Manson Burger – was the best!) and another time I had “Vish” fingers (tasted like the real thing) with pumpkin mash and creamy spinach. So so good.
This little joint is located in the Seefeld area, near the lake, and will deliver any food you order before 10 am to you by bike. I once stopped by for the ‘cactus burrito’, which was yummy (and very spicy!!), but a bit small. Maybe it’s because I’d just come from a workout, but I could have eaten three of those things! Nevertheless, I’d definitely try more of their food – maybe I’ll order some to work sometime.
This plant-based place offers healthy options, most of which are vegan (it’s possible to add things like eggs or cheese). I have slightly mixed feelings about this place, as my first two visits there left me feeling quite disappointed. I definitely do not recommend the açai bowl (go to Juicery 21 instead – cheaper and so much better!), which was watery and almost tasteless, and the “power bread” was nothing special. Why am I including this place here? I recently went back to try one of their savory bowls, and I absolutely loved it! ‘Khaled’s Favorite‘ is a bowl of quinoa, kale, aubergine, cauliflower, chickpeas, avocado, pomegranate, fresh mint, slivered almonds and lime – so delicious! I was initially a bit irritated by the fact that the white hummus sauce is not vegan (it contains yogurt), but the incredible tomato balsamic dressing completely made up for this. Conclusion: I’d go back for Khaled’s Favorite, and try other savory bowls – for breakfast options I’d go elsewhere.
This place focuses on fresh, nourishing ingredients and, while not fully plant-based, does offer vegan options. I’ve had their smoked tofu burger (with hummus and in a wholewheat bun) and, more recently, the ‘Fall by Fanny‘ bowl (black rice, pumpkin, carrots, purple cabbage, marinated tofu, fresh figs and mixed seeds), created by food blogger Fanny the foodie. It was a dream! Gärtnerei has several locations around Zurich as well as some stores.
This cute little place is not vegan, however, there is a vegan cupcake every Tuesday as well as a daily vegan mini cupcake. When I was there I had a matcha cupcake (yummy, but could have had a stronger matcha taste) and a delicious soy milk matcha latte. It’s definitely a nice little place to warm up in and have a little treat. Other locations are: Aarau, Berne and Basel. Speaking of cupcakes, Michelle’s cupcakes has vegan ones every day – I haven’t been yet, but it’s definitely on my list!
That’s it for today – I hope you enjoyed reading, and please let me know what you think of these places, and if you have any recommendations of your own!
Have a lovely weekend!
xoxo
P.S. For more information on vegan options around Zurich, definitely check out @vegansofzuri 🙂
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