The Best Wine Bars in Zurich
Alfred Nobel and Bertha von Suttner loved Le Hall in the Baur au Lac - and who would argue with them? Today, you can sip afternoon tea under chandeliers or browse through the award-winning wine list - here you can feel the grandeur of a true grand hotel.
The Mövenpick Wine Bar is a meeting place for wine lovers and the curious. Hundreds of wines, many by the glass, make it easy to discover. Small dishes accompany the evening and the atmosphere remains relaxed. Champagne à discrétion is served on Tuesdays.
This enoteca and restaurant is an insider tip for oenophiles. High-calibre, rare and select wines are stored in the cellar, with a special focus on wines from Italy. Modern Mediterranean cuisine is also served. The terrace is particularly lovely in summer.
Martel has been an institution for wine in eastern Switzerland for over 140 years - and the tradition continues at Bellevue. Fine wines by the glass, small plates and an elegant ambience: a place where Zurich's wine lovers are easily tempted to linger.
Chez Smith combines everything the aperitif heart desires: fresh tapas, cocktails and long drinks. These are accompanied by selected wines from the more than 60-page menu, to be enjoyed at the bar, at the chef's table with a view of the kitchen or on the leafy terrace.
If you love Champagne, you can't avoid a visit to this shop and bar. The selection is great: around 100 bottles from 16 winegrowers are on offer, some of which are served by the glass. The team is very knowledgeable about the range.
169 West is one of the city's natural wine pioneers. Origin, craftsmanship, and naturalness are what count here. The menu includes rarities, older vintages and exciting new discoveries as well as coffee specialities. Plus homemade small aperitif plates to share.
The Gamper Bar is a paradise for lovers of natural and liqueur wines, vermouth and other specialities. In the elegant atmosphere, you can order a glass or a bottle from the regularly changing selection, accompanied by delicious snacks made from selected ingredients.
Freddy has moved into the location of the former Kin restaurant. This wine bistro has a simpler feel to it. Various chefs make guest appearances here for a few weeks or months and serve their cuisines, accompanied by wines from sustainable production.
Owner Zizi Hattab has created a monument to her Catalan homeland in Zurich with the COR. The cosy bar offers a fine selection of organic wines from Europe, accompanied by delicious pintxos and tapas. What's special is that they are all vegan.
The Meierei is a small Zurich legend: It offers honest bistro cuisine and authentic hospitality that makes you feel right at home. In addition, the in-house wine cellar stocks a selection that also attracts guests from outside District 6.
Hundertwein doesn't serve half measures: 100 low-intervention wines, charmingly curated under the playful title "Glou-Glou-Index". Instead of stiff labels, there are relaxed aperitif vibes, cheese and charcuterie platters and unusual wine events.
The Più Vino bar is a casual meeting place for wine lovers. There are fine wines by the glass, mainly from Italy, but the rest of Europe is not neglected either. The urban ambience is perfect for an aperitif or for enjoying delicious snacks for longer.
A dozen oysters on ice, accompanied by a glass of chilled Champagne - Zurich already feels like a harbour city. The Südhang oyster bar in the market hall brings mussels and the sea to the neighbourhood and benefits from the excellent range of its own wine shop.
Samuel Envall Utbult and Andrea Rothenberger have created a special place in a small corner of Kreis 5. There is a small but fine selection of natural wines, plus Utbult's cuisine, the centrepiece of which is his homemade sourdough bread and seasonal vegetables.
In summer, Champagne specialities from Krug are served on the terrace of the luxury Dolder Hotel. In fine weather you can enjoy the view over the city of Zurich and fast food on a fine-dining level, created by chef Heiko Niederer himself.
The Kunsthaus Bar on Heimplatz is the place to finish off after the exhibition. There are carefully selected wines in the glass and uncomplicated dishes on the plates. Anyone sitting here has a view of the hustle and bustle on the square and is close to Zurich's cultural pulse.
At YAMAS, Greek hospitality is lived out in the centre of Zurich. Mezze to share, grilled dishes and fresh fish characterise the menu, accompanied by a fine selection of wines from Hellas. The atmosphere is lively and warm - almost like being on holiday in the Mediterranean.
The Südhang in Oerlikon is a wine bar, shop and neighbourhood meeting place all in one. Over 300 bottles are stacked on the shelves - whatever you like is uncorked on the spot or taken home. There is a changing menu at lunchtime and small snacks in the evening. An absolute feel-good place.
D-Vino Bahnhofstrasse is just a stone's throw from the railway station and the city's main shopping street. The range includes around 200 wines from all over the world, at least 30 of which are offered by the glass. Every bottle is opened for orders of four glasses or more.