National Geographic Traveller - UK (2020-07 & 2020-08)

THE LOCAL

BESTSELLER

MAKE IT

AT HOME

Bring home a taste of

Mexico with Bar am

Wasser’s bestselling

cocktail, El burro de los

Muertos, featuring the

Mexican spirit mezcal

Ingredients

40ml mezcal

20ml fresh lime juice

10ml agave nectar

20ml passion fruit juice

ginger beer

Method

Mix the mezcal, lime

juice, agave nectar and

passion fruit juice, then

strain into a highball

glass filled with ice. Top

up with ginger beer.

baramwasser.ch

IMAGES: GETTY; AWL IMAGES; ALAMY; @MCGERBERPHOTOGRAPHER

Morning

Kafischnaps is a simple little coffee shop in

the heart of the city, decked out with black-

and-white tiles and wooden chairs. The vibe

here is local: the coffee comes from a Zurich

roastery, the milk from a nearby dairy and

the fruit and veggies from the local outdoor

market. kafischnaps.ch

Brunch is a popular pastime in Zurich,

so head to ROSI for ‘frühschoppen’, the

German and Austrian tradition of having

a late-morning get-together over a drink.

Expect lots of breads and traditional

pancakes, plus home-made preserves, local

sausage and plenty of beer and wine.

rosi.restaurant

Afternoon

Baur’s, at the Baur au Lac hotel, is a

brasserie-style restaurant with a beautiful

bar section. The dining menu includes

French brasserie classics — think beef

filet and tartare — and heavy but delicious

desserts. As it’s annexed to a five-star hotel,

service here is phenomenal. baurs-zurich.ch

For a quick bite, try the lakeside Pump

Station. Run by a local character called

Baba, who even has his own Facebook fan

page, the Alpine-grill-style menu includes

potato salad, kebab and grilled sausage. It’s

worth a visit just for the amazing mountain

views and Baba’s jokes. pumpstation.ch

Evening

Zurich has a diverse international dining

scene, but when it comes first-rate Swiss

dishes like fondue and raclette, you often

need to head to the mountains. Kronenhalle,

however, is a great spot for traditional

fare, including Zürcher geschnetzeltes and

rösti (potato gratin pancake). I always take

visitors here, as they love to see the waiters

dressed up in classic service uniform, and

the paintings by Picasso, Van Gogh and

Rembrandt on the walls. kronenhalle.ch

Bü’s, named after the owner, is another

personal favourite; I love a great host, and

Bü is exactly that, arriving tableside with

a sharp click of his heels. The place has a

vast wine collection, so ask for the full menu

rather than the daily print-out. buetique.ch

After hours

Zurich tends to attract a young club crowd,

so I head for places like Club Bellevue,

which has a slighter older clientele and

plays classic house music. Klaus is another

favourite; although not strictly a member’s

club, it’s a place ‘for friends and friends

of friends’ and entry is at the bouncers’

discretion. Inside, you’ll discover a world

of dance and burlesque. club-bellevue.ch

hausvonklaus.ch

In the early hours, head to Gräbli Bar,

which has attained cult status for being open

around the clock. graebli-bar.ch

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: River

Limmat; Augustinergasse; Rosi;

Pump Station; Dirk Hany at Bar

am Wasser

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