With four official languages yet a distinct sense of national identity, Switzerland is a mix of cultures and at the same time innately Swiss – and that goes for its cuisine, too.
Different regions draw on culinary influences from neighboring Italy, Germany, France and Austria, while sharing a love of homegrown products born of the country’s beautiful landscape: beef and dairy from the alpine pastures, fish from Lake Geneva, wheat from the country’s "breadbasket" region north of Lausanne, and fruit from its sunny plains. Not to mention its many vineyards, which create an important wine-growing – and drinking – culture that the Swiss are happy to keep mainly to themselves.
Here’s a rundown of the food and drink to try in Switzerland.
The dish most associated with Switzerland, fondue – from the French verb fondre, meaning to melt – is available in restaurants all over the country, while some mountain villages even have vending machines selling packets of fondue mix to prepare at home.
A classic Swiss fondue is moitié-moitié, meaning half Gruyère cheese and half Vacherin Fribourgeois, melted in a caquelon (fondue pot) with white wine, garlic and kirsch (brandy), and served with cubes of bread to dunk into the gooey goodness using a long fork. There are also versions with tomatoes or bolet mushrooms, served with boiled potatoes. Whichever you go for, it’s not finished until you’ve fought over the religieuse – the crusty bit at the bottom.
While fondue is usually – but not only – eaten in winter, raclette is a hot cheese dish suitable for any time, whether in a restaurant, at home with friends or at a tiny summer festival in the middle of nowhere. A half round of Raclette du Valais cheese is placed on a special machine that melts the top layer; this is then scraped onto a plate and served with a couple of boiled potatoes, gherkins and pickled onions. The idea is you keep going back for more until the wheel is finished or your stomach is fit to burst, whatever comes first.
Where to try it: Restaurant Les Armures in Geneva’s Old Town is well known for its fondue and raclette.
Looking for more great experiences? Here are our top picks in Switzerland.
Most associated with the Swiss German region, rösti is so much a part of Switzerland that it’s even lent its name to the invisible language border between the French and German-speaking parts, colloquially known as the Röstigraben (literally, the Rösti rift). In fact, there’s little regional division when it comes to enjoying this crispy, fried, grated potato cake – it’s eaten all over the country, in both cities and mountain restaurants. Popular toppings include lardons, mushrooms, a fried egg and – of course – cheese, or have it as a side dish with Bratwurst sausage
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