Raclette – who doesn’t love scraping melty cheese onto food? I first tried raclette at a little hole in the wall in NYC, where they gave you two scrapes of cheese. But that was child’s play. In Switzerland, they give you a whole block of cheese. It’s usually eaten with some mini potatoes, pickled onions, gherkins, dried meat, and/or bread.
Fondue – who doesn’t love dipping food into melty cheese? Don’t forget about the chocolate version for dessert.
Fondue at Walliserkanne in Zermatt, Switzerland
Fendant – white wine made from the chasselas grape that you’re supposed to drink when you’re eating raclette or fondue. It’s said that you shouldn’t drink water with either of the dishes because it’ll congeal the cheese and make it hard to digest.
Rösti – these are pretty much hashbrowns that the Swiss usually eat for breakfast. This was probably my favorite dish after all the cheese. I didn’t care if it was meant to be a breakfast food – I’d even had it for dinner at one point.
Rösti topped with ham, egg, and cheese at Restaurant Johanniter in Zürich, Switerland
Cordon bleu – a thin piece of meat wrapped around cheese and a slice of ham, then breaded and fried. I always thought this dish was from France but it actually originates from Switzerland. This giant one from Rheinfelder Bierhalle might be the best meal that I had in Switzerland.
Sausages – you’ll see it appear on a lot of the menus here.
Bratwurst from Rheinfelder Bierhalle in Zürich, Switzerland
Spaetzle – a soft egg noodle that’s popular in cuisines in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. If you like pasta, you’ll like this.
Spaetzle at Restaurant Johanniter in Zürich, Switerland
Meat on a sword – okay, so this is probably not specific to Switzerland, but the restaurant that serves it is. Zeughauskeller has been around since 1487 and used to be a storage place for weapons during the war. Plus, they have the best rösti, curry dipping sauce included.
Meat served on a sword with a side of rösti at Zeughauskeller in Zürich, Switzerland
McDonald’s – this is one of my guilty pleasures. I know it’s bad for you but I still like eating it. I like to visit McDonald’s in each country I visit just to check out what’s different on their menu. They had a few different items here but nothing too crazy.
Chicken Caprese and Big Bang (chicken sandwich with some bacon sauce)
how to be a tourist 