We're going to have a 5-6 hour layover in Zurich and are wondering if we will have time to leave the airport to get into the city for lunch. I've not done much research yet, so don't know train/bus/taxi options. Also, any restaurant recommendations would be greatly appreciated. The trip isn't until April.
Thanks.

Yes, you will have time. The train from the airport to the main downtown station takes only 12 minutes, and puts you right in the center. The train platforms are right in the airport terminal---just follow the signs down the escalators. There are ticket windows right there, and trains leave every few minutes.

The main Zürich station is huge, and you may come in on the lower level. Just follow signs to the main area and the Bahnhofstrasse exit. This is the very tony shopping street, running parallel to the river. You can wander down there and then cross over the river to the oldtown area.

Just be sure to allow time to go through security again on your return.

The only place we have eaten in Zürich is Mere Catherine, a Mediterranean restaurant in the pedestrian area of the oldtown. We go there every time.

That sounds very convenient. Thanks for the information and the restaurant recommendation.

One of my favorite Italian restaurants in Zurich is the Cantinetta Antinori, a two story restaurant& wine bar with outdoor seating located in the attractive part of Zurich just off Bahnhofstrasse. Great for people watching as well. Here’s a review of the restaurant: http://www.eatanddrink.co.uk/restaur...noriZurich.asp
Plus pictures: http://tinyurl.com/3y2x2r
http://tinyurl.com/3xohym

Thanks.
It sounds like a great place. It looks like we'll have a long layover both beginning and ending our trip, so we might get to try 2 restaurants in Zurich.

Kathy,

Do you have a cuisine you prefer and a price range? Are both layovers for lunch?

It's very touristy and not cheap, but Sprungli on Banhofstrasse (just up from the train station 2 tram stops to Paradeplatz) is really the best way to get a feeling for the Zurich shopping/lunch scene. They just renovated...buy some chocolate to take home after lunch or just look.

There is a very nice vegetarian restaurant near the station called Hiltl. Self serve downstairs and table service upstairs. Very good and great menu. If you are short on time you can be in and out quickly here. Lunch in Zurich is a little slower than in a US city if that is where you are from.

There are a few places on the lake if you have a bit more time and the weather is sunny - you never know in April.

I believe Cimbrone listed a bunch of great restaurants on this site if you search...

If you give some more details on your desires I can help more.

gruezi

Thanks for the suggestions. We eat pretty much anything...love sushi, vegetarian, Italian, etc. Both layovers are around lunch. Since I've never been to Switzerland and my husband hasn't been in many years, we'd like to find a place that gives us a good feel for Zurich. Someday, we'd like to spend our entire vacation in Switzerland, but for now I'm just thrilled that we get to eat lunch there As for price range, we expect to be paying more than we're used to, simply because of the weak US dollar. I think we'd be comfortable with a casual-dress type place, since we'll be a little rumpled and bleary-eyed from the flight.

http://www.cityguide.travel-guides.c...pe/Zurich.html

For wonderful vegetarian you might consider the Hiltl Restaurant, which is just off the Bahnhofstrasse. Not sure of the street name, but it is behind the St Annahof/Coop department store!

What date and time are you arriving and departing? There is a great festival held only in Zurich in April called Sechseläuten, which is sort of a spring holiday festival. This year it will be held on April 14. There are lots of activities associated with this, my favourite is in the evening when they turn off the street lights in parts of the old town and members of the traditional guildhalls dressed in costumes visit each other accompanied by bands. They also have a huge bonfire where they burn a snowman (the Bogg) to see how much longer winter will last. There is a children's parade on April 13 which you may be able to see if you are there that day, and a ball held on April 12, and if you are in the old town areas, you can often see people from the guildhalls also dressed in costumes going around the old town, and there are sometimes bands marching around that night too.

Please make sure that you already have your onward boarding passes before you leave the airport, as you don't want to be waiting in line for these on your return. You can store your hand luggage in lockers or the manned luggage room, both located at the airport train station. Also, note what terminal and gate your departing flight will go from, as you may need to leave extra time to take the intra-airport train if you are departing from Terminal E. Also leave time to go through Immigration and security. I would be back at the airport about an hour before the flight just to leave plenty of time.

Lunchtime in Zurich in restaurants is pretty rigid, it's basically like 11:30 – 1:30 you will not find a lot of places still seating people later than that, so bear that in mind. Hotels perhaps and smaller snack places or tea rooms, but for the restaurants below, you should stick to that time schedule. If you are out of that time, then go to Sprungli as mentioned above where they probably will serve you something, or IMO go to Cafe Schober/Cafe Felix, which across the river in the Niederdorf section of the old town and has what is rumoured to be the best hot chocolate in the world (I would agree). It is at Napfgasse 4. It’s a beautiful tiny shop and tea room cafe in a restored medieval building. This is a great place to stop for a pastry in the afternoon (bring money). They serve all day.

I like Antinori a lot, and often recommend it. It is right off the Bahnhofstrasse (the main shopping street) on a small cobblestone street about ½ to ¾ of a mile on the left. The Bahnhofstrasse is one long straight street, so it's hard to get lost walking down it, if you come to the lake, you have gone too fare. Address is:

Augustinergasse 25, 8001
Tel: 211 7210

This street is just before a major plaza and tram interchange on the right. Very good wine list (from their winery naturally). I assume you want an address for Chez Catherine, and the "old town" is quite extensive and runs on both sides of the river:
it is a Nägelihof 3 (Tel 250-59-40). This is on the right bank of the river, so not on the same side as the main train station (the river flows out of the lake, and banks are named accordingly, this is the right side as the river flows out)

I personally would suggest that for April you consider having fondue or another typical Swiss winter type food, and my suggestion would be that you go to Le Dezaley, a lovely restaurant also on the right bank of the old town very near the huge Grossmunster cathedral. If you are there early enough you can climb the tower (small fee) for a great view of Zurich. The restaurant serves food from the Valais, which is one of the French-speaking cantons:

Le Dézaley
Römergasse 7-9
Tel: 251-6129

If you want Zurich food (like the famous veal Zuricher) in a causal setting with lots of locals, try Vorderer Sternen, or even just have a bratwurst and a beer at their stand outside and be a real Zuricher!

Vorderer Sternen
Theatrestrasse 22
Tel: 251-4949

Another favourite of mine in a tiny cellar underneath a guild house along the right bank of the river is the Kuferstubli:

Kuferstubli
Limmatquai 40

Good Swiss and other European specialties, and good value for money. There are many good restaurants in town, I like Hitl as well. I have posted a restaurant list some time ago, you might look for it. For Mere Catherine, Le Dezaley, Vorderer Sternen the Kuferstubli or the hot chocolate place, my suggestion would be that you either take the train into or out of the Zurich Stadelhofen train station, and NOT the main train station (the Hautbahnhof). The Stadelhofen train station is one of the four train stations in Zurich, is yards from the lake and is much, much closer to the area of the old town where both of these restaurants are located (like 5-10 minutes walk; Vorderer Sternen is basically about a 1 minute walk). There are many trains that run from the airport train station to Stadelhofen, none of which require any changes, go to rail.ch for schedules. Depending on what time you arrive you can either go to dinner first and then stroll around and up to the main train station to depart, or vice versa. You could also go into and out of the Stadelhofen station and spend all your time strolling in this lovely part of the old town and along the lake. You don't necessarily even have to go to the Bahnhofstrasse, which is the main shopping street.

It would be nice to think you could be eating outdoors in April, but it will be unlikely unless you get an oddly warm day. See weatherbase.com for temps. Bring a coat (raincoat) and umbrella, gloves too if you will be there after dark. April is not really spring weather yet. (That comes in a rush in May and last about 2 weeks).

Sorry, Hilt is at Sihlstrasste 28
tel: 227-7000. This is something over 1/2 mile down on the right walking down Bahnhofstrasse from the train station.

Kathy,

Looks like Cimbrone has given you some great recommendations...

I like the idea of heading into the old town as I find it more charming than Bahnhofstrasse, but you really can't go wrong, and both areas are convenient to the train to head back to the airport.

Perhaps if you have 2 lunches go once into the old town on the right bank and once up Bahnhofstrasse or to the old town area on the left back.

If you have time, go up by the lake by the Sechselauten bridge over the Limmat (big photo stop in Zurich) or up the hill to Lindenhofplatz on the left bank for another pretty view and photo op. Stadelhofen will put you nearby the bridge and lake. Also, you can eat at Terrasse which is near Stadelhofen and has a very nice menu with English translation and friendly service - if you miss lunchtime they have a very nice bar area for coffee etc. I have been served lunch there up til 2:30 but don't hold me to it...

The Lindenhofplatz is a bit more of a walk, but through a charming area, so go if you have some time. It's one of my favorite spots to see Zurich from. The restaurant we eat at there (Lindenhof Restaurant) is wonderful with some classic Zurich-style dishes but may not serve lunch as it has odd hours but there are a number of other restaurants in that neighborhood - sorry I can't recommend a specific one.

It's a quick/easy tram ride a couple stops back to the main train station (Zurich Hauptbahnhof) or the Stadelhofen Station from any of the other suggested restaurants if you get short on time. Zurich is a small city, and the neighborhoods we are talking about are all pretty central to the train.

Also, if you are pretty sure you know where you want to go for lunch, you might like to make a reservation. It's the Swiss thing to do, even if it seems there are a million empty tables everywhere. My husband and I wing it a lot, but our Swiss friends almost always call ahead - even just a few minutes ahead...language should not be an issue as most people in Zurich speak at least some English.

I will hope you get a nice spring day to see Zurich at its best - if it's cold and wet than definitely go for fondue or hot chocolate!

Have fun!

gruezi

Find the outdoor stand by the tram station and get a grilled brat, hot off the grill!

Great suggestions here.

I have a business trip to Zurich coming up later this month and am booked into the Sofitel. How is their Chinese restaurant? It seems to be well-rated and I'm thinking of dining there the first night...unless someone can recommend a nice restaurant within walking distance that would be open Sunday evenings.

Thanks!

Thanks for all the information. I've not yet booked the flights since I'm waiting a few weeks to see if fares go down. I may also check to see how much it would cost to stay the night in Zurich. It sounds like we'll have plenty of excellent dining options.

I wish my husband and I had left the airport last January. We had a 5-hr layover on our way to Rome and spent in wandering the airport. What a waste.

BTilke, I have to say that the Chinese food in Switzerland is generally pretty bad. I live in Hong Kong, both before and after I lived in Zurich, and I have also lived in Singapore, so I do think I am harder to please than people who have not lived in Asia. But I just did not find it very good and not close to authentic. I gave up after a few tries. I never tried the Softiel, so maybe they are better, I tend to doubt it, but in any event, there are so many good restaurant choices in Zurich, you don't really have to choose Chinese. It would also pain me to pay a lot for Chinese food in Zurich. (There is a very expensive Swiss restaurant here in the Peninsula hotel that I never go too, I won't pay that much for fondue that I can make better at home...so the same rule applies in reverse here!)

I will say that one of the very best Thai restaurants I ever ate in IS in Zurich, it is on the right bank of the old town, quite near the Grossmunster and the river and the Helmhaus tram stop.

Restaurant Ban Song Thai
Kirchgasse 6, 8001
Tel: 41-44 2523 3316


Actually gruezi, with regard to La Terrase, which I also enjoy, that is one of the places I was thinking of when I said they don't sever late. I have tried to eat there after 2 pm and not been able to. That was in winter once when I had friends in town, perhaps you had a summer experience when hours may be a little bit more expanded, or perhaps I hit them that day on a bad day. I know the OP's trip is April, when more limited winter hours would be more the case. Address for La Terasse is below:

La Terrasse
Limmatquai 3
Tel: 251 1074

I do like them best in summer when you can eat outdoors in their little stony garden.

I believe that the bratwurst stand sanditravelnut is referring to "near the tram" station is the one by Vorder Sternern mentioned in my post, is it at the Bellevue tram stop, a major tram intersection in town, at the lake.

Hotels in Zurich are fairly expensive, but there are options and if you do a weekend stay, you can get some deals at even the more expensive places as well. Not sure it is worth interurpting a long flight to stay over, you could certainly plan a trip to Switzeraland at some other time at a better time of year in the summer or winter.

I did just notice your Sunday evening mention, unfortunately, the Thai restaurant is closed on Sunday as is Le DeZaley. This may be more of an issue for you. There is a pretty decent Thai restaurant in the Marriott which is close to you, that should be open on Sunday. However, Antinori is open, as is Vorder Sternen I believe. You should call ahead to make sure with any of the ones you pick.

A casual brassiere-type place which is walk able from your hotel, is open on Sunday, and which is good is

Restaurant Brasserie Lipp
Uraniastrasse 9
Tel: 888-6666
brasserie-lipp.ch

You could walk here by following the street from your hotel down to the river, then following along the right side of the river past the first small pedestrian bride to you come to the first car bridge at Urania Strasse, and crossing over on this bridge. The restaurant is on the left side of Uraniastrasse, about 50-60 yards down. If you walk to past it another 20-30 feet, Uranstrasse will intersect with the Bahnhofstrasse (pedestrian-only street with tram lines running down it). Walking from your hotel to the restaurant would probably take 20 minutes each way. You could shorten is slight by taking a tram part of the way, but you would have to change trams after about 2-3 minutes on each, so this may be more trouble than it is worth.

Thanks! I just learned the schedule has been shifted a bit, I'll be checking into the Sofitel on a Monday evening, so perhaps I'll have more dinner choices. Brasserie Lipp certainly sounds like a good option. Or Cantinetta Antinori (is that related to the Vienna restaurant of the same [or similar] name? I prefer Novelli to the CA in Vienna.)

My flight still gets me in on a Sunday morning, so I'm going to catch a train from Zurich to Basel to spend Sunday night in Basel. Then back to Zurich on Monday afternoon, Schiesser chocolates securely tucked into my luggage.

Unfortunately it is the same CA chain as in Vienna, but for Zurich it is a decent choice. I like Brasserie Lipp as well but for me it's more like a nice simple Parisian brasserie in Zurich, so I'm not sure either place will give you a solid dinner experience (knowing your choices in Vienna). For me the best dining in Zurich is at the restaurant inside the newish Hyatt hotel a few blocks from Paradeplatz. The food & service will make it worth the taxi ride back to Sofitel. In certain evenings, the cool bar is also a lively & happening.

Cicerone-

re - Terrasse -
It was Christmas week so maybe they were in the spirit...

and I totally agree about Chinese in Zurich...and I haven't lived in Asia so I'm not that spoiled.

and I am going to try your Thai recommendation although I actually like lots of Thai here as opposed to the Chinese food...maybe it's the extra zip I need for my sometimes bored palate.

enzian-

Went to the movies yesterday and there I saw Mere Catherine - I'd never been - having heard about it here I stopped in and had a very nice lunch. Friendly service, charming ambiance, no reservation necessary for Thursday lunch. Menu has the "kleine portion" which I like, and also varied prices and entrees...so thank you!