Zurich may be a global financial capital, but there’s also an impressive culinary scene worth discovering in this quiet Swiss city. La Rôtisserie, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant in the central Storchen Hotel, offers a stand-out dining experience worth a splurge during a visit to northern Switzerland.
Chef Stefan Jäckel helms the kitchen at La Rôtisserie, where he skillfully blends classic French techniques with delightfully unexpected Asian influences. The menu looks different depending on the season, but you can expect artistic plating, intensely flavorful sauces, and likely a tableside show at one point during your meal.
I visited the restaurant on a seasonably cool night in late August when the chef was still highlighting end-of-season summer produce. The staff offers a warm welcome to the elegant, sun-drenched (even at 7 pm) dining room. The restaurant is on the second story of the hotel, so you get an elevated view over the Limmat River and a pedestrian walkway below from the dining room’s huge arched windows.
The space is hushed and buttoned up, with crisp white tablecloths and many-armed chandeliers dangling overhead. Before you select your course for the evening, you’ll get right into Chef Jäckel’s culinary delights with a round of amuse-bouches, including a wonderfully fluffy loaf of crusty, round bread with salted cultured butter.
Diners can choose from the a la carte offerings or select a 5-, 6-, or 8-course tasting menu. The chef’s suggested menus are carefully constructed to build from the light delicate flavors of fruit and fish to a show-stopping center-of-the-plate dark protein, of course ending with something sweet. The plates are large, but the dishes are compact, precise, and natural-looking.
Early highlights in my meal included an ashy smoked oyster over a bed of pnk Balfego bluefin tuna with a delicate halo of caviar. A shimmery medallion of red mullet came garnished with a smattering of colorful accoutremeonts, including delicately fried zucchini blossoms and a briny black olive crumble.
The star of the show came towards the end of the meal when two servers wheeled a glossy lacquered quail over on a wooden cart. The bird sat with its delicately crossed legs in a sea of fresh herbs and was promptly sliced in half to reveal a perfectly moist center and–surprise!–a generous fois gras filling. The plate was completed with a silky jus and crispy chanterlles.
La Rôtisserie offers a thoughtfully curated wine list that highlights bottles from around the world. During my end-of-summer visit, the wine pairing focused heavily on lighter whites, but the winter menu would likely delve into richer reds.
The wine list also includes bottles from the restaurant’s vineyard, Catina Alla Maggia, in Ascona Switzerland. In addition to a delicious Merlot and other wines, the vineyard has over 200 acres of fields, some of which are dedicated to agricultural products used in the restaurant and sold to home cooks, including rice and pasta.
Every good meal must come to an end, and the conclusion at La Rôtisserie is sweet, but not short. First, we enjoyed a delightful dessert course featuring a citrusy palate-cleansing sorbet and airy macarons, followed by a final few bites of truffles to send you on your way, full and happy.
Top Takeaways
Location: Storchen Hotel, Zurich, Switzerland
Address: Weinplatz 2 CH-8001 Zurich
Rating: Four-star
The vibe: An elegant second-story white tablecloth dining room overlooking the waterfront promenade and Limat River.
Food: Seasonal, premium ingredients given the Michelin treatment. Classical French technique and traditional Swiss delights with Asian influences. The tasting menus transition smoothly from light sea fare to rich, perfectly cooked red meat and end with two whimsical dessert courses.
Drink: The carefully curated 270-bottle wine list highlights unexpected makers form across the globe as well as bottles from familiar, trusted vineyards. The wine pairing is not to be missed if you opt for a testing menu.
Menu options: A la carte and 5-, 6-, and 8-course tasting menus with optional add-ons.
Open for: Lunch, dinner, sunday brunch, and breakfast during the winter
Pricing: 242 CHF for 8-course menu, 222 CHF for 6-course menu, 197 CHF for 5-course menu
