How long have you been living in Zurich?
I actually live in Romanshorn but work in Zurich a lot, which is why I know this city very well. Zurich is a wonderful place to me – it offers a bit of big city flair, but also the charm of a village. You can virtually get around to everything in the inner city within just a few minutes.
What do you love most about Zurich?
I love its straightforward character, the wide range of cultural opportunities and its incredible location on the lake with the Alps just a stone throw away. And let’s not forget the wonderful food scene with new innovative gastro-concepts emerging almost daily.
What do you do?
I am a specialist in aesthetic medicine with a practice/clinic located at Stauffacher that I have operated for almost 20 years. I live in the countryside (Romanshorn at Lake Bodensee), but work in Zurich every other day.
How do you feel about the food scene in Zurich?
For the past few years, the food scene has changed and moved away from (boring) home-style cooking toward multi-cultural influences, healthy cooking and especially more and more toward freshly prepared meals. The spectrum ranges from small mini restaurants with economical prices all the way to gourmet restaurants.
Name your top 3 restaurants in Zurich.
I love well-grilled meats, which is why I love AURA 800° Grill & Bar, where the service is always great, the food is exactly the way I like and the clientele is young and from all over the world. It is, however, more suitable for indoor dining.
My second recommendation for a warm summer evening is the outdoor restaurant Baur au Lac that offers wonderfully light cuisine in an incredibly beautiful ambience.
The third restaurant I am recommending is a gelateria right around the corner from me because I am just an aficionado of all things gelato. In my opinion, Rosso Arancio offers the best gelati of all time. The creaminess and the flavor come from only the best ingredients and it’s always a revelation. I have not touched any ready-made gelati from the supermarket since.
It is difficult for me to limit myself to naming only three of my favorite restaurants… for a small healthy snack, I love to frequent Not Guilty in my building but also enjoy an evening at 1904 by Lagonda with its gourmet kitchen or with Chef Heilemann, who relocated from Restaurant Ecco (2 stars) to Widder Bar & Kitchen.
Where would you take a date?
To enjoy a wonderful summer evening, I love restaurants like Lake Side directly on the lake or the Baur au Lac, but also The Restaurant at the Dolder Grand. The conclusion to a beautiful summer evening should take place in the roof bar “The Nest” at Storchen, which offers the most spectacular views across the city.
Which Swiss dishes would you encourage travelers to try?
Obviously, you must try fondue and raclette. This is an absolute must. And then there are also the crispy, golden-yellow potato pancakes (Rösti) with veal ragout (Zürcher Geschnetzeltes) as well as the “Luxemburgerli” by Confiserie Sprüngli (similar to small macarons) and the hard, spiced biscuits called “Basler Leckerli”.
