6 traditional, wintery Swiss dishes perfect for Christmas in Zurich

Swiss food is definitely hearty and warming. Maybe it’s the mountains, or the copious snow experienced in winter, but most traditional dishes from Switzerland taste even better in winter. Add the treats found in the Christmas markets dotted throughout Zurich, and you are onto a winner.

Here are six quintessentially Swiss dishes to try when you visit Zurich over the cold and festive season.

Cheese Fondue

Cheese fondue was first mentioned by Homer, more than 2,000 years ago, and originated in Switzerland as a way of making a decent meal out of hardened cheese and stale bread during winter. Since the 1930s, it has been promoted as the Swiss National Dish, as per the Swiss Cheese Union, and it’s the perfect treat for when it’s cold outside.

Homegrown Gruyere (from southern Switzerland) and Emmentaler (that iconic perforated Swiss cheese) are favored for this gooey concoction, kept molten by some white wine, bubbling away on a flame.

Where to try it: Head to Swiss Chuchi, a restaurant on the Hirschenplatz, right in the heart of the old town on the eastern bank of the Limmat River.

Rösti

Rösti is a type of pancake made from grated and pan-fried potatoes. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, Rösti used to be a breakfast dish of farmers, and it can appropriately be described as a giant hash brown. Today, Rösti is eaten across Switzerland, not just for breakfast, and often accompanies other dishes, such as Züricher Geschnetzeltes.

Where to try it: There are few restaurants which do not offer Rösti, but reportedly the best is served in the Zeughauskeller.

Züricher Geschnetzeltes

Züricher Geschnetzeltes, or Zurich Ragout — ‘geschnetzelt’ simply meaning ‘sliced’ or ‘chopped’ — is a creamy mixture of either veal or pork loin, cut into small, lean chunks, and prepared in a creamy sauce with fresh mushrooms, white wine, some parsley, and sometimes onion and lemon. Often served with Rösti, it’s a rich and warming dish, yet light enough to be enjoyed outside winter too. First mentioned in 1947 in a recipe book, the dish has since become Zurich’s favorite.

Where to try it: In the Zeughauskeller on the west bank of the Limmat, hidden in the cobbled alleyways that lead to the exclusive Bahnhofstrasse.

Grittibänz

The Grittibänz are Christmas bread men, often also referred to as hanselmanne, or bonhomme, but are not to be mistaken for gingerbread men. Made from a sweet and golden brioche-type yeast dough, they are quite often holding a sprig of fir tree in their arms. The doughy men-shaped buns with currants as eyes are typically sold in time for St Nicholas Day, which takes place on the 6th of December, but tend to remain in bakeries up to Christmas and are a firm favorite treat sold at Christmas markets.

Where to try them: Head to Zurich’s oldest and most atmospheric market in the Old Town, along Niederdorfstrasse, not far from Swiss Chuchi Restaurant.

Magenbrot

Magenbrot, translated as stomach bread, is another traditional snack found in the Swiss Christmas markets, and are recognizable by the pink paper bags they are sold in. These are small, spiced, sugary rye-flour biscuits, which were once thought to aid digestion — thus the name — probably because of they contain aniseed. But don’t let the medical connection put you off, they are very Christmassy and moreish indeed.

Where to try them: While some bakeries even have an annual countdown as to when magenbrot will be available, other fine bakeries have them in stock throughout the year. You can even order them online. But the big release will be for Christmas, when they are at their best, fresh from the markets.

Raclette

Another familiar Swiss cheese dish involving molten cheese, raclette is perfect for cold winter days. In the simplest terms, it’s melted cheese and potatoes. Sometimes it’s served as half a large cheese suspended below a specific grill, with diners scraping the top layer of bubbling cheese onto their baked potatoes, but you can also get single portions. The dish is typical for the Alpine region, and perfect for winter, and should be accompanied by either warm drinks or wine. Enjoy with some mulled wine, spiced and warm to aid digestion.

Where to try it: The appropriately named Raclette Factory serves variations of the theme in a contemporary setting, while the Walliser Keller in the Hotel Zurcherhof has a more rustic setting. You will also find versions of raclette in all the Christmas Markets, served in handy paper trays, perfect for eating as you walk around.

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