It is high time to report on my personal best (casual fine-dining) restaurants I have discovered in Zurich in the last one and half years. As of late, it becomes more difficult to label the dining spots I am drawn to in Switzerland’s biggest city. The longer, the more my husband and I opt for places that do not qualify as traditional fine dining. This because they have a casual ambiance and are often minimalistic in furnishing. In terms of food, you get modern offerings at them, frequently difficult to assign to a specific country or region. Yet what they all have in common is their approach of serving high-quality food. I finally decided to still call them casual fine-dining spots – as I have done so for quite some time on this blog. This in contrast to traditional fine-dining establishments with sophisticated ambiance and higher prices.
Now to my personal best culinary discoveries in Zurich. All of them are casual fine-dining restaurants, this in the sense that “fine” is synonymous with “good food”. I divide them in two categories only. The first is “Modern European food”, the other is “Contemporary non-European food”. The order in which I list them is irrelevant (it actually is in the sequence of my visits).
Best casual fine-dining Zurich restaurants offering modern European food
1. Restaurant Ameo Zurich (district 3)
(Michelin listed, 15 points Gault Millau)
Ameo’s focus on “fine dining with art” distinguishes it from other comparable places. Here chef Julien Muehlebach draws inspiration from an in-house art exhibition, which changes every quarter.
He manages the pleasant spot together with Maximilian Dullinger, who is responsible for the front of house and a true wine geek. Both are young, talented and ambitious. They got to know each other at their former work place, Equi-Table. Here they shared the dream of opening a restaurant together. And this became true in October 2023 with the opening of Ameo in Zurich-Wiedikon.
My husband and I have visited Ameo already three times. It is possibly my darling in terms of best casual-fine dining restaurants in Zurich right now. On offer here is a tasting menu only, tailored to the current art exhibition.
The chef is shaped by his origins, his father is Swiss, his mother French. He usually sources regionally yet without being dogmatic. And he has a precise cooking style showcasing enticing combinations. I vividly remember the “coffin” in the context with a vampire exhibition, which actually was a delightful strawberry creation accompanied by rhubarb sorbet.
The menu is available in 4 to 6 courses (120/135/145 SFR).
The food can be paired with wines (60/75/85 SFR) or non-alcoholic drinks (50/65/75 SFR). So far, we have opted for the wine pairing on both occasions. And we found it offered not only great value but every glass enhanced the flavor of each dish just perfectly.
2. Restaurant Bauernschaenke (district 1)
(Michelin listed, 15 points Gault Millau)
The Bauernschaenke, which translates in farmer’s tavern, is the first of Nenad Mlinarevic’s – one of Zurich’s most known restaurateurs – quite a few establishments. It is tucked away in a narrow alley in Zurich’s Niederdorf in a historic property,
which is more than 100 years old.
This restaurant under Nenad’s lead was opened in April 2018 with the kitchen helmed by Thomas Brandner. While the chef left to work at the former Brasserie Sued, he has recently returned to the Bauernschaenke. The Gault Millau Guide commented this as good news!
I only know this spot from having lunch here with a friend, when the former chef was in charge. Concept wise you are in here for uncomplicated fine dining with refined soul food, which is meant to be shared. You can do this either in the form of a Tavolata (3/4/5 courses at 95/115/125 SFR) or à la carte (snacks 5.50-8 SFR, starters 15-26 SFR, mains 14-49 SFR, desserts 6.50-16 SFR). As to lunch, when I was here in fall 2024, a reduced menu was on offer. We could choose between a Bento Box with three small starters and a main course or a range of à la carte dishes. We opted for the former and especially liked the starter trio consisting of celery soup with yuzu, tomato salad with cashew mousse and beef tartare with topinambur chips.
3. Restaurant Rechberg 1837 (district 1)
(Michelin listed, 15 points Gault Millau)
Rechberg 1837 has quite a special concept.
You only get here dishes made with ingredients that were already available in Switzerland in 1837. And they only source form regional farmers. Plus, preserving, fermenting and smoking food is part of the program. The restaurant has been running with this sustainable and socially responsible approach since 2016. When I dined here with my family in spring 2025, chef And Bolliger oversaw the kitchen. In September 2025, a new duo took over, Mira Labusch and Flavia Niederer, both member of Generation Z. From what I understand, the ideal behind Rechberg 1837 has remained unchanged, yet the two young ladies brought a “breath of fresh air” to the whole.
On our visit, we opted for the 7-course Tasting Menu (160 SFR),
which was totally fine yet did not wow us. I cannot say exactly what the reason was. Although everything was well-prepared and tasty, I did not consider it as exciting enough. In the meantime, menu prices went down (4/7 courses at 95/120 SFR). And they introduced an à-la-carte offer in spring 2025 (starters 8-31 SFR, mains 34-45 SFR, desserts 16-21 SFR).
4. Restaurant Rémy (district 3), one of the best casual-fine dining restaurants in Zurich
(Michelin listed, 15 points Gault Millau)
Zurich-Wiedikon has no shortage of good casual fine-dining outlets. I mentioned earlier Ameo, and Rémy is another one. The two share quite a few similarities: a young chef with a Swiss-French connection – here Simon Mueller, Saint Rémy-de-Provence is his place of longing – , a 4-6-course tasting menu only – here at 125/145/160 SFR – and uncompromisingly modern interiors. As to the latter, it is kept in dark colours with a sophisticated lighting.
Rémy, opened in November 2022, is located in a listed post-war building
right by the train station Zurich-Wiedikon.
As we dined here on a hot summer evening, we could do his on their tiny backyard balcony, which was lovely. Our server was Jaro, an extraordinarily warm person.
As the Champagne we ordered was not yet ready for serving, he offered us a small glass of their house brand to start the dinner. What a nice touch! The evening not only began well, but continued to be enjoyable. After an array of tasty snacks, we were in for agnolotti, rainbow trout and beef short rib. Vegetables were an important component – grown in their own garden in Zurich-Albisrieden. A divine pre-dessert, a vegetable-ginger sorbet, and a strawberry ice-cream with cheesecake cream made the end.
What a wonderful dinner this was, with an elaborate cuisine, great hospitality and a pleasantly unpretentious ambiance!
5. Restaurant Rosaly’s (district 1)
(15 points Gault Millau)
This dining spot is maybe the only one with a traditional touch among the ones I present to you in this post.
Chef Fabio Lombardi prepares here Swiss classics just as Wiener Schnitzel or Zurich-style Sliced Veal. Yet also more contemporary creations from the Mediterranean and the French cuisine are served at this cozy place with its relaxed feel.
While Rosaly’s has been in business since 1992, I only visited it in fall 2025 for the first time together with my family. And we had a pleasant evening here with fine food, amiable staff and a complimentary Rosaly’s Chocolate Cake
for me (we celebrated my birthday). So, we vowed to return.
The mains section of the menu features dishes divided into three categories. In the Classics (29-52 SFR) you find the ones I mentioned at the beginning. The Signature Dishes include Loup de Mer (129 SFR for two). And Bouillabaisse (49 SFR) is one of the Chef’s Specials. To start the meal you can make your selection from the Snacks (21-29 SFR) or the Soups & Starters (16-32 SFR). When it comes to desserts, either choose one of the sweet options just as Caribbean Pavlova (19 SFR) or opt for the in-house made ice-cream (6 SFR per scoop). On our evening, we had among others Lobster and Ceviche as starters, which were great.
The main Zurich-style Slices Veal was superb too, tender and rich.
6. Restaurant Silex (district 4)
(Michelin listed, 15 points Gault Millau)
There is yet another excellent casual fine-dining spot in Zurich Wiedikon, Silex, opened in November 2021. I already mentioned Ameo and Rémy above. Silex fits in seamlessly in terms of high-quality cooking and simple furnishings. As to the latter, it is about a corner property with a partially visible kitchen.
Here chef George Tomlin is at work, a British native. He previously was sous-chef at the two-star Michelin The Clove Club London. In contrast to the before mentioned eateries, he celebrates a pan-European cuisine. It is modern, showing his creative flair with somewhat original dishes.
If you should wonder about the dining spot’s name, Silex. It means flint in French, a hard quartz that forms in rocks like chalk. And flinty soils are excellent for producing high-quality wine, for instance in the Loire valley. As it turns out, they really have a knack for good wine at Silex. The food offerings here include a 5-course Tasting Menu (119 SFR) and à la carte dishes (small 7-18 SFR, intermediate 23-26 SFR, mains 33-48 SFR, desserts 7-15 SFR).
On our party’s arrival on an early Saturday evening, the place was already buzzing. We were ushered to the front table in the main dining room. While it was one of the least busy spots, you could feel a cold draft every time the entry door opened. And the banquette seating along the house wall was not exactly comfortable (wooden benches without cushions). A nice server took care of us and made sure that we had everything we needed. We ordered from the à la carte menu and got tasty and unique starters – among other Salsify with Pine Nuts & Jersey Blue Custard.
The same was true for the mains – think for instance of Trout with Smoked Trout Liver, Trout Roe and Potato.
And it was not any different when it came to desserts, for example a Black Garlic Cheesecake.
When dining here, you truly leave the beaten path! But it is a bit of a shame that they do not offer tea to end the meal.
7. Restaurant Capri Bistrot (district 8)
Restaurant Capri – in business since 1950 – was newly opened in May 2025 by chef Markus Stoeckle and others.
This chef gained notoriety by his unusual modern Bavarian tavern Rosi (my post), which he ran for 8 years – it was closed end of 2025. Yet the star at the new Capri Bistro is his former sous chef at Rosi, Charles Aggett. He comes from greater London and has previously worked at two three-star Michelin dining spots, Maaemo in Oslo and Memories in Bad Ragaz.
On the occasion of the new beginning at Capri Bistrot, the facilities were updated. The result is a classic-contemporary bistrot with 70 seats and a spacious outdoor area. Due to the size of the restaurant, there is no precision plating on offer but simple dishes yet with finesse. Here you make your choice out of an à la carte menu: Small Plates 8-24 SFR, Oyster/per Piece 7-8 SFR, Starters 18-39 SFR, Pasta 29-84 SFR, Mains 32-76 SFR , Sides 9-12 SFR and Desserts 9-16 SFR.
I liked the stylish vibe of Capri Bistrot with the subtle green banquette seating and the fashionable burgundy chairs. Also the basketball hoop with the disco ball was an eye-catcher.
Food wise, the starters of our party of four were well made, tasty and generous in size.
In terms of mains, the Chicken Cesar (half Wiener schnitzel, half Cesar salad) was great, it has the potential for a cult dish! Both the Parmigiana and the Paccheri Pasta with Morel and Perigord Truffle were delightful, but the portion with the former was a bit small.
My personal culinary highlights were the desserts – I could try three – , all of them were a hit!
Service was friendly but did not stand out.
Best relaxed high-quality Zurich restaurants serving contemporary non-European food
Here I need to elaborate a bit before I get to the individual places. This is because I feature here three restaurants that are owned by the same person, Dan Shu. And all are part of the best what Zurich has to offer in terms of casual fine dining. Ever since this chef opened his first eatery in Zurich – Gaijin Izakaya in January 2020 – , I wanted to dine here. The main reason was the China-born, Canada-raised chef’s impressive vitae. He worked at two famous Michelin-starred restaurants in the U.S. – 3-star Alinea Chicago & 2-star Daniel New York – before coming to Switzerland. Furthermore, I was drawn by his take on the Izakaya (Japanese tavern) concept.
It was spring 2024 by the time I finally managed to visit Gaijin Izakaya.
In the meantime, the chef had already opened his second restaurant, Old Inn (in April 2023). Baobae in June 2025 followed,
and the latest is Chifa Izakaya (in November 2025)
together with his friend Paulo Timoteo (former Pueente). While I have not yet dined at the Old Inn, I have already at Baobae and Chifa Izakaya. So, I can report on them further below.
One more remark to the chef’s approach, which I would summarize as follows. I already mentioned “soul food” above (Bauernschaenke), and there is also the term “comfort food”. While the former seems to have roots in the ethnic cuisine of African Americans, the latter is food that evokes childhood memories. Yet, I think that nowadays both merge somewhat into one another. It is about dishes that warm the soul and give a deep feeling of satisfaction. They are full of flavor and hearty. Now what does Dan Shu has in mind with these concepts? He takes them as a basis and adapts them to modern times.
1. Restaurant Gaijin Izakaya (district 4), one of best casual fine-dining Zurich restaurants
(Michelin Bib Gourmand, 14 points Gault Millau)
I have already introduced the chef here, Dan Shu, above. So, no more info about him. There is only one addition to make. While the chef opened Gaijin Izakaya – translates in foreigner tavern – already in 202o, he only visited Japan four years later for the first time, which I find a bid odd. Because I know from personal experience how much my concept of Japanese cuisine changed after actually having been there. Be it as it may, I loved what we got at Gaijin Izakaya, authentic or not (rather the latter). My husband and I let the chef decide what to serve us (Omakase at 96 SFR). They call it “For the Brave and Adventurous” here.
On our visit, you could have the above Omakase as Gourmand version (136 SFR) or with two additions (Wagyu Party 50 gr or Bluefin Tuna “Chutoro” from Tanaka San 60 gr (+ 25 SFR each).
We opted for the latter and got – as promised on the menu – a wild ride! We got ten courses plus the ordered additional one. The menu was perfectly tailored to my preference. This meant that there was not too much meat – we had two such dishes (beef tartare and duck with green rice). Alternatively, you can go for à la carte and make your choice out of following categories: Wagyu (9-30 SFR), Cold (7-27 SFR), Hot & Crispy (6.50-20 SFR), Fire (12-31 SFR) and Dessert (15 SFR).
Two more remarks to this dining spot. While I thought the interiors were okay, I found the chairs a bit old-fashioned (probably taken over from the predecessor). Second, I would have preferred cloth napkins.
2. Restaurant Sentosa (district 4)
Restaurant Sentosa is probably the first far and wide that serves Singapore cuisine. In case you should wonder about this culinary style, it is a melting pot, fusing flavors of China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. As my husband and I know Singapore quite well – see my posts – , we were eager to dine here. Sentosa was opened in February 2024 by the Singaporean Jerry Tan who has been living in Switzerland for many years. When I visited the dining spot with my family, the staff welcomed us amiably and gave us a nice table. While my husband and I were waiting for our son and his partner, we sipped from our fine – not too heavy – Singapore Sling
and had a look around. And we liked what we saw, especially the historical fire place and windows.
Food wise, you get here typical Hawker staples yet delicately and precisely prepared. For Starters (6.50-22.50 SFR), we chose the Dim Sum Dynasty, Gyoza and Jewel for the four of us to share – which was perfect in quantity.
In terms of Specialities (16.50-29.50 SFR)/Mains (16.50-33.50 SFR), we tried out Nasi Goreng, Laksa Sentosa and Sentosa Chicken Curry.
When it came to desserts (6.50-9.50 SFR), we opted for two Mochis each, and got one for free!
One last thing, cloth napkins would have been nice – a demand that never gets old 😉
3. Restaurant Akaraka (district 4)
Akaraka is quite an unusual spot because you get here not only good food, precisely authentic Korean one, but also classical music.
The reason for this is the chef’s first career as opera singer in the chorus of the Zurich’s Opera House. Unfortunately, he endured a blast trauma as a consequence of a sound engineer’s mistake. Thus, the Korean singer had to end his first career and had to look out for an alternative one. He found its second calling as a chef and opened a Korean restaurant. Its name Akaraka means through music and joy we become one.
In terms of Korean cuisine in Zurich, chef Pyong-Chin Han is the longest-serving one in Zurich (since 2010). He once said about this kind of cuisine that you cannot easily copy it. This in contrast to other Asian ones where this is possible without problems. According to him, one must know the Korean taste to reproduce it correctly. While I am not very familiar with this cuisine, I liked what we got here, a six-course tasting menu only (75 SFR). Three options are available: meat, fish or vegetarian. In case you opt for the former or the latter, there is one more choice. You have to decide whether you wish the Korean classic of Bibimbap, a rice dish, as main or not. You can also order an additional course, spicy rice cakes – what we did.
In terms of vocal interludes, you have to bring a bit of patience as they are numerous. And again, cloth napkins would have been preferable.
4. Restaurant Edomae (district 1)
(14 points Gault Millau)
Edomae was on my to-go list because a talented Japanese chef, Kenichi Arimura, was on the helm here. In the meantime, he moved on to open his own place (Mura), and chef Kinfai Choy is now in charge. Nevertheless, I thought this Japanese eatery, known for its good sushi prepared by a sushi master before the guests’ eyes, was worth a try. So, I had lunch here with my family. While the Omakase experience at the counter (175 SFR) is only available in the evening,
this was out of the question for us. So, we made our choice out of the the Lunch Menu. Here you get Donburi Bowls (28-34 SFR), Udon Noodles (29 SFR) or Set Menus just as Sushi, Sashimi or other dishes like Yakiniku or Tempura (29-35 SFR). You can start with Snacks (8-12.50 SFR) and end with Desserts (5-12 SFR).
Our party went for a Flamed Salmon Donbury Bowl and a Shake (Salmon) Teriyaki Set Menu. The former consisted of sushi rice, salad, onsen egg and fish, accompanied with cabbage salad and miso soup. The latter included the same accompaniments plus sushi rice and pickles. And the fish was paired with vegetables.
Everything was tasty and plentiful. As to the ambiance here, it is sleek and understated. And there is nothing to muffle the sound from the guests when Edomae is full. So be prepared that it can become very noisy in here.
5. Restaurant Baobae (district 3), a new discovery in best casual fine-dining Zurich restaurants
This is Dan Shu’s new eatery, opened in May 2025 together with his wife May. Baobae means darling, and it is a family affair. Also his parents and friends helped with creating the place. Here it is about modern Chinese fare yet with Swiss touches. The menu is divided into dishes from China’s north (spicy & aromatic, 10-29 SFR), south (fish & seafood, 8-39 SFR) and west (meat dishes popular all over the world, 12-35 SFR). And the result is often food that falls in the category of soul and/or comfort food. My husband and I chose the BaoBae Tasting Journey (10 courses in 4 parts) plus the Kagoshima Wagyu Entrecôte 20 gr (+10 SFR).
The start made beef dumplings, cucumber pickles and tuna with crunchy dough balls. Then the first of two game dishes followed, the signature dish, a bun with deer and cabbage. Sea bass on chipotle sauce paired with coco beans topped with panko was next. The main course featured game again, a boar ossobucco. It was accompanied with noodles and Mama Shu’s Wagyu Rice, flamed at the table. Two desserts ended the meal, pineapple with coconut cream and roasted nuts as well as mochis with nutella cream.
While I was fond of everything – especially Mama Shu’s Wagyu Rice was great – , the dinner was a bit meat-heavy for my taste. And the mochis were too chewy for my liking. Next time I would probably go for à la carte instead.
To complete the picture, the spot is quite large – there are about 75 seats. The dining room is long and narrow, modernly decorated and comes with cute touches.
There are tiny bamboo lanterns on the ceiling and a big heart – the restaurant’s logo – is emblazoned on the entrance door. The wine selection is good, made by Stefano Petta, Director of Wine of The Living Circle hotel group. One eats here with a pincer (instead of chopsticks), and cloth napkins are provided 🙂
6. Restaurant Chifa Izakaya (district 5)
Now to the last of three casual fine-dining spots where chef Dan Shu has his hands in it, Chifa Izakaya. This time he teamed up with Paulo Timoteo, who has Peruvian roots and experience in European fine dining. Before coming to Switzerland, he cooked at the famous three-star Michelin DiverXo in Madrid. Together with his wife Lorena Olmo he has been running Pueente – see my post – at this very place, and this from summer 2020. A bit more than five years later (November 2025), it was replaced by Chifa Izakaya. Here Paulo and Dan playfully reinterpret culinary styles commonly found in Peru. It is about the Nikkei – fusion of Japanese technique with Peruvian flavor – and Chinese cuisine. And this happens in the form of an Izakaya, a relaxed Japanese tavern.
There is no tasting menu, you get her small plates meant to be shared (they recommend 5 to 6 for two persons, without dessert).
I think this is about right, my husband and I had five plus two desserts. Alternatively, six plus one dessert would be great too. There are five categories to choose from: Sea (23-29 SFR), Sides (6.50-14 SFR), Garden (18-24 SFR), Land (18-39.50) and Dulce (16 SFR). My favorite was The Chifa, Seafood fried Rice with Potato Espuma and Onsen Egg,
which has to be stirred before eating. Yet, all the rest was very good too, be it the Miso Eggplant or the Duck Tacos. And the desserts were fabulous, at which sweetness met spice!
As to the interiors, not much changed since our last visit in spring 2022.
There is still the open kitchen where the chef handles the grill. However, the bar where they mix their fabulous Pisco Sour has gone. Yet this drink is still available and still heavenly! What my husband and I disliked was the limited selection of wines. Only the less expensive ones were available by the glass. Like at Baobae, you eat here with a pincer. Unfortunately, they did not follow the sister restaurant’s example of offering cloth napkins!
Date of visits: from May 2024 to February 2026
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