The 14 best fully or partially vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Switzerland

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Intro

Until just a few years ago, cuisine without fish or meat was quite the exception in Swiss gastronomy. People looking for a strictly vegetarian experience would struggle – and there was almost no talk of vegan cooking until very recently. 

In upscale eateries, veal chops and steak have dominated menus for a long time, with vegetables relegated to side dishes. The major shift that has taken place would barely have been conceivable in the nineties. Vegetarian dishes now feature on the menus of even high-end and true fine dining establishments. While some – like Kle in Zurich – go one step further and are completely vegan, others take a less absolutist approach and, while preferring vegetables, still allow meat or fish to make an appearance.

All 14 restaurants listed below offer guests fully vegetarian options, from rustic to fine dining. One thing is certain: the number of Swiss vegetarians (today just under 6%) and vegans (not even half that) is set to grow, as is the number of those happy to dine without meat sometimes. Flexitarianism is the name of the game!

Restaurant Magdalena, Rickenbach

As of last year, there was no meat to be found on the menu of this restaurant in the canton of Schwyz. It did, however, offer fish, prepared in such exquisite ways that the Michelin Guide soon awarded a second star to follow the first. The Magdalena has been completely vegetarian since the beginning of 2022 and is currently the only such restaurant in Europe to have earned this high distinction. By the way, if you’d prefer not to drink wine, chef and owner Dominik Hartmann has a host of homemade non-alcoholic drinks on offer.

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Restaurant Kle, Zurich

Chef Zineb Hattab learned great cooking from Andreas Caminada at Schloss Schauenstein, among others, but has long since found her own style. Her kitchen at Kle not only dispenses with fish, meat and seafood, but avoids animal ingredients entirely. What it does offer is creativity: the tasting menu is of gourmet quality, with more than a hint of North African seasoning (Zineb Hattab has Moroccan roots), and the wine list is exceptional. Sommelier Bernd Vogel will impress with his pairing by the glass to each course.

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Restaurant Roots, Basel

Translate the name of this Basel restaurant and it quickly becomes clear that the main focus here is on plant-based ingredients – roots, leaves and fruits. However, chef Pascal Steffen is by no means dogmatic in his rejection of animal ingredients on principle. He is simply putting vegetables in the spotlight, while meat or fish are merely side dishes. Naturally, an exclusively vegetarian meal can be prepared on request.

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Restaurant Marktküche, Zurich

Head chef Tobias Hoesli is an exponent of regional and seasonal cuisine that is quite literally fresh from the market. That’s why this long-established Zurich restaurant doesn’t have an à la carte menu to choose from, just a tasting menu that diners can order with a varying number of courses. There are no animal ingredients to be found; as well as fish and meat, Hoesli also avoids butter, cream and cheese.

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Restaurant Oz, Fürstenau

The well-travelled gourmet would expect to encounter a restaurant like this in London or New York, but not in a small, idyllic community in Graubünden. The latest addition to the culinary world of Schauenstein Castle, opened in 2021, perfectly complements the long-established flagship restaurant rated with three Michelin Stars. Chef Timo Fritsche is always in direct contact with his guests, as there are never more than ten curious diners at the counter. Some of the vegetables are home-grown and worked into exciting creations; cheese and other additions are allowed, but meat and fish are taboo. You won’t miss them!

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Restaurant Neue Taverne, Zurich

When opening the restaurant, the operators made no secret of the fact that even though vegetables, grains and fruit are the focus here, and neither steak nor salmon would be found on the menu, this is not an act of dogmatism. Those who wish can add a dash of fish sauce to their food. Pickled mushrooms, summer truffles or grilled peaches are on the menu in early summer, and rather than chicken, a plant-based chicken alternative will be prepared. Since Fabian Fuchs joined the team as head chef, the food on offer is more exciting than ever.

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Haus Hiltl, Zurich

If someone were to award the title of pioneer in vegetarian cuisine, it would certainly go to this Zurich restaurant. It dates back to 1898 and, amidst Switzerland’s rather hearty, meat-heavy dining scene, was regarded as a curiosity then, as well as many decades later. Current head chef Rolf Hill is happy to show off some of the restaurant’s more ancient menus and explain how the establishment has evolved. With spin-off restaurants, a test kitchen and exotic specialties. Unlike 124 years ago, wine is now served – and very good wine at that!

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Restaurant La Clav, Flims

Vegetarian restaurants in hotels are still a rarity, but certainly a model for the future. After all, ever more meat eaters are happy to go without a fried steak or roasted joint for a couple of days. In the renowned Hotel Adula there are alternative outlets anyway, so La Clav can even go partially vegan. Carpaccio of grilled kohlrabi, vegan burger with a millet patty and kimchi or baked aubergine with a decoction made from chili and lemongrass have long become bestsellers and are popular even with diners not staying at the hotel.

Restaurant Karls Kraut, Lucerne

A memorable name is already half the battle. But the name here was chosen with good reason, after all, the street where the restaurant is located is called St. Karliquai and fittingly cabbage is served here in a host of different ways. The cuisine is plant-based – no animal ingredients are used at all – regional and seasonal, and also features organic ingredients. It quickly becomes clear that the cooks here know how to season their dishes. Aubergine with sweet potato puree is refined with harissa and the kitchen serves chimichurri as an accompaniment to the smoked carrots.

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Restaurant Lauch, Basel

When a restaurant is named after a vegetable, the message is clear. Vegetarian and vegan dishes feature heavily in the cuisine of this restaurant, also known for its idyllic terrace. Guests can decide whether they wish to avoid animal ingredients entirely and also if they want to order the four-course menu or à la carte. Fresh goat’s cheese gnocchi are enriched with saffron velouté, while the sweet chestnut flour crêpe comes with puffed spelt, honey and yogurt ice cream. The restaurant also prides itself on its selection of natural wine, meaning wine containing little or no sulphur.

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Restaurant Wein & Sein, Berne

You can order meat here if you wish, and can expect to see trout, alpine chicken and bacon listed as ingredients in the pasta course. However, guests who do not eat meat can also enjoy a vegetarian version of the six-course dinner menu, though this should be stated when making the reservation and a free hand given to chef Pascal Melliger. In conjunction with Daniela Jaun’s wine pairing concept which takes into account the produce of individual winegrowers, this is quite a unique experience. You could say the same about the terrace in the heart of Bern’s old town.

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Restaurant Prélude, Emmenbrücke

Meat on the one hand and a host of vegan dishes on the other: this works, mainly because the kitchen really thinks about what it is doing. As an alternative to the classic Lucerne Chügelipastete with veal, for example, a variant with vegetables is served. The homemade sweet potato gnocchi is cleverly enriched with red beetroot, asparagus and tomatoes. Guests attending a performance in the adjoining Le Théâtre should adjust their dining times accordingly.

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Restaurant Dar, Zurich

The concept of offering delicious varied cuisine without animal ingredients is also upheld in the sister restaurant of the established Kle. In contrast to its pioneering relative, the food at Dar is more straightforward. There is no need to order a full tasting menu and instead you can just ask for asparagus with pine nuts or fried rice noodles with ginger and green olives. The Moroccan-inspired desserts (rosewater ice cream!) are worth the visit alone.

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