30 CHF for a basic hamburger?
20 CHF for a simple sandwich?
10 CHF for a side of french fries?
The first time we came to Switzerland, we were shocked by the high prices on restaurant menus, and maybe you will be too. I mean, our bill for 2 people was a minimum of 50 CHF — and for a mediocre meal, not even a fancy one!
But here’s the deal: there are also places where the food and the setting are so out-of-this world good, that we’re happy to pay these prices.
And after years traveling and taste-testing in nearly every single Swiss canton, here’s our verdict:
If we could only pick one area of Switzerland to splurge on restaurants, we’d pick Zermatt.
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This resort town is known as the culinary capital of the Alps, and for good reason. It boasts more than 100 restaurants within the village and nearby mountains — including 4 restaurants with Michelin stars and more than 21 restaurants awarded with Gault-Millau points.
Clearly, Zermatt, Switzerland is a gastronomic paradise!
Today we’re going to show you the top regional specialities, our favorite foodie spots, what to order when you visit, and a few helpful tips along the way.
Swiss Food Specialties to try in Zermatt
Let’s start with the obvious: Swiss cheese.
There has been evidence of cheese in the Valais region since the 4th century BC, and the practice of melting cheese has been around since at least the 1500s. And if you only try one type of cheese in Zermatt, make it raclette, which means “to scrape” in the local dialect.
Local farmers turn raw cow’s milk into the authentic and certified semi-hard cheese known as Raclette du Valais AOP, which you can enjoy warmed up and poured over boiled potatoes.
Truthfully, you can find raclette at nearly any restaurant in Zermatt. But even if you can’t find the official AOP-certified one, you can still try amazing local cheese in a lot of places, like from Horu-Käserei.
Apparently the last cheese-making dairy in Zermatt closed in 1950, so the couple who runs this farm reinstated Zermatt’s cheese-making tradition in 2003. Their cows produce 500 liters of milk per day so they can create yogurt, butter, and cheese — including fondue and raclette cheese.
They even have a self-service farm fridge on their dairy farm where you can go to sample their local products! And if you’re lucky, you might be able to meet farmers Mirjam and Reto too!
But don’t worry if you can’t make it to the farm or don’t have a way to cook the raclette while on vacation, because you can always try their raclette at SayCheese! As you can tell from the name, they sell classic Swiss dishes using local cheese.
Another regional specialty is dried meat. Like the AOP-certified cheese, the local dried meat has the certification of IGP to prove that it’s produced in the region. Also like the cheese, you can find this at most restaurants. We enjoyed a Valais Platter in the mountains at Riffelhaus 1853, which included different kinds of IGP-certified meats.
Speaking of meat, don’t skip the lamb! Lamb is actually one of my all-time favorite foods, so I can’t resist it when it’s on the menu. But you should also try it since it’s a Zermatt specialty!
The sheep graze on tasty wild herbs in the nearby alpine meadows, which gives it a unique flavor. But there are limited sheep so it’s a highly sought after local dish only available in a few restaurants. We highly recommend visiting Restaurant Schäferstube inside Julen Hotel to indulge in your first taste of Zermatt lamb.
There’s only one thing that could make this lamb better, and that’s pairing it with the perfect Valais Wine. The Valais is the largest wine-growing region in Switzerland, so there are plenty of options to choose from. For a white wine, we recommend Petit Arvine, and for red, try the Cornalin or Humagne Rouge.
TIP #1: Taste of Zermatt
Okay, we’ve highlighted a few of the local Zermatt specialities, but you can also be on the lookout for the “Taste of Zermatt” label. These are select regional foods and drinks that tell a story with every bite through their unique quality and sustainable production. Of course, not everything has this label, just the award-winning ones.
Cafes & Bakeries in Zermatt, Switzerland
Now let’s chat about coffee and bakeries, starting with Petit Royal. This quaint, quiet place is located right on the main street in Zermatt village. In addition to their great drinks, it’s the perfect spot to spend a rainy or snowy day. And even tea drinkers will be delighted by their extensive selection!
If you have a sweet tooth like Brett, then save Backzeit Bakery on your map. It’s the best place in town to find freshly baked local treats, particularly with organic sourdough! Last time we were in Zermatt, we picked up some cinnamon buns and enjoyed them on our hotel terrace.
As always, Brett is on a mission to find the best coffee everywhere we go. And so far in his very important and exclusive research, he recommends 2 places. First is Cups Italian Coffee House, where you can enjoy Italian-style coffee made by real Italians.
And second is Zermatt Kitchen. Although to be fair, this is a cafe, bakery, and restaurant all wrapped into one. If you want a one-stop-shop with a variety of options, then this is the spot for you. In fact, he discovered that there’s a local coffee roastery, and Zermatt Kitchen uses their beans, which is why this was the first cafe he tried when we came to Zermatt! And as you can imagine, the cappuccino was fantastic, and it’s best enjoyed on their sunny terrace while gazing at the Matterhorn.
And apparently they have the best croissants in town too!
TIP #2: Zermatt Kollektiv
Speaking of Zermatt Coffee Roastery, they are the highest coffee roastery in Europe and part of Zermatt Kollektiv. This is a group that aims to reshape Zermatt’s gastronomy by crafting boutique, interactive food experiences. They offer seasonal cooking classes, workshops to create ceramic dishes, and even teach you how to roast your own coffee. Not to mention that they partner with a variety of local restaurants too.
Restaurants in Zermatt
While we’re on the topic of restaurants, let’s chat about our favorite ones in Zermatt! And one thing that’s unique about Zermatt’s food is its fusion cuisine. Because it’s located so close to France and Italy, you’ll often find an interesting and creative blend between different types of food.
We already mentioned Restaurant Schäferstube for the lamb and SayCheese for — well, that’s obvious.
Spycher is a great place for a nice traditional meal in a charming setting. But they’re really well-known for their rustic flambé!
And for the best burgers in town, head to Republic Zermatt. For real, their burgers are so good that we’ve been here multiple times! It has a chill atmosphere, friendly staff, and a great beer selection too.
This next restaurant is so popular that we tried to make reservations during two or three different trips to Zermatt before we were able to get in! But it’s not classic Swiss food. Restaurant Pizzeria Vieux-Valais da Nico delivers authentic Italian food and traditional dishes from southern Italy. It’s staffed by Italians, uses flour from Napoli, and their pizzas are baked in a wood-fired oven.
If you didn’t know, my (Jana’s) great-grandparents are from southern Italy and we both have Italian dual citizenship. So naturally we had to dust off our Italian skills and order our food in la lingua italiana — which is surprisingly (and frustratingly!) hard after spending so much time in German-speaking Switzerland!
TIP #3: Eat in the mountains
Our next tip might seem obvious, but if you’re looking for exceptional food, don’t just stick to the village! Believe it or not, most of our favorite restaurants are actually in the small villages and hamlets just outside of Zermatt. Some you can only reach by foot or on skis, although most of them are just a few minutes walk from a transport station. And totally worth the walk, trust us!
Restaurant Zum See is an amazing hidden gem just a few minutes walk from Furi. Of course they have Swiss dishes like cheese toast, but they also make Mediterranean cuisine like handmade pasta and ice cream. We recommend eating lunch here, and then pairing it with a nice stroll back down to Zermatt through the Gorner Gorge.
Hopefully you like Italian food and charming terraces, because that’s what you’ll find at Restaurant Z’mutt. It’s about a 30-minute walk from Furi, but it’s worth the trek for the unique twists on classic dishes, like risotto with apricots. And could the terrace be any more inviting?!
Paradise is indeed an alpine paradise! You can only reach this restaurant in Findeln by walking or mountain biking, but wow, this sun-kissed terrace is the best place to dine. Their most popular menu item is the tapas plate, which we definitely recommend.
Matterhorn-shaped pizza. Need I say more? Ristorante al Bosco is in Riffelalp, just a quick 15-minute train ride up the mountain from Zermatt. Like most places, the terrace is the place to be and the food is top-notch, especially the pizza and tiramisu.
By the way, if you come here, you should totally pop next door to Alphitta for dessert. To be fair, we haven’t actually eaten a meal here, just dessert. But man, this was the best sweet treat we had in Zermatt! And the view’s pretty impressive too.
TIP #4: Make restaurant reservations
In all honesty, we’ve saved the best for last. Before we tell you about our favorite restaurant in Zermatt, here’s your next tip: Make restaurant reservations if you have your heart set on specific places, whether you’re eating out for lunch or dinner.
You can usually call a few days in advance, but you may need up to a week or more for the popular places, especially in the peak summer or winter seasons. Or you can make reservations for most places on the Matterhorn app. If you want to learn more about that, we have a mini tutorial in our 3-Day Guide to Zermatt.
There are a handful of more restaurants we’ve wanted to try, but they’ve either been fully booked for days every time we’ve come to Zermatt, or our bellies were already full from these other incredible spots! Now it’s a great sign when a restaurant is fully booked out, but we won’t recommend them until we try them, so you’ll just have to wait for more.
But speaking of restaurants to try, if we could only pick one place to splurge on food in Zermatt, we’d pick Chez Vrony.
This place blew us away in every possible sense. From the setting to the views to the drinks and food. Not to mention the prices were so reasonable—we expected to pay more based on the ratings and prime location. You do have to walk here, but the short stroll from Sunnegga is absolutely worth it! And you can easily turn it into a progressive meal by combining it with Paradise and other restaurants in Findeln.
3-Day Zermatt Itinerary
By the way, all of these places are included in our 3-Day Guide to Zermatt!
So if you’re wondering how to fit them into your itinerary, we’ve done the work for you.
Drinks to try in Zermatt, Switzerland
Your meal is done, but that doesn’t mean you have to be! After you eat, enjoy something nice to drink. We already touched on coffee and wines to try. But the question is: where can you chill with a leisurely drink?
For drinks, the Blue Lounge is our favorite place in the mountains. It’s just next door to the Blauherd station and has a killer terrace.
Or if you’re looking for a relaxing, classy bar in town, don’t miss Chämi Bar in Hotel Pollux. The wood-lined interior is warm and romantic, while the terrace is bright and airy.
And you won’t be able to miss Harry’s Ski Bar, which is one of the most popular hang out spots in town.
If you’re a beer guy like Brett, then be sure to sample something from Zermatt Bier. Their beer is brewed using local spring water and bottled right here in Zermatt. The Monte Rosa is their lager, and the Matterhorn is a special beer that’s a bit more complex. In true sustainable Swiss fashion, the used malt grains are donated to village bakers, butchers, and cheese makers to produce bread, sausage, and cheese. How cool is that!
Tip #5: Zermatt Spirits
In addition to the Valais wine and Zermatt Beer, there are 2 regional spirits to add to your list.
Abricotine is a brandy made with juicy local apricots with a hint of almond flavor. And Valais pear brandy is steam distilled using Williams pears. Both of these make a great after-dinner digestif or as a topping on your ice cream dessert!
How to plan your foodie trip to Zermatt
We have a feeling that your tummy and taste buds are excited to visit Zermatt. To help you plan your trip, read our Zermatt Trip Planning Guide or 3-Day Itinerary to Zermatt, and we’ll see you in Switzerland!
Want more ideas about how to spend your time in Zermatt?
We’re also sharing our Top 10 things to do in Zermatt!