A Gluten-Free Guide to Zurich, Switzerland

Traveling gluten-free in Switzerland was both easier and more difficult than I had thought it would be. It was easier in the fact that more of Swiss cuisine is naturally gluten-free (potatoes are very popular) and that most people are aware of what gluten-free is. However, it was harder in that cross-contact doesn’t seem to be a big concern here – many restaurants offered gluten-free bread or fried items that were cooked with gluten-containing items, rendering them not safe for Celiacs.

However, I still had a great trip in Switzerland, sampling the local food (and eating way too much cheese) and you can too. Here are my recommendations for where to eat gluten-free in Switzerland, where to stay in each major city, including Zurich and the best things to do in Switzerland. And while you’re here, don’t forget to check out my general tips for traveling gluten-free!

My snapshot recommendations for Zurich

The Best Gluten-Free Restaurants in Switzerland

You can still eat well in Switzerland at non-dedicated gluten-free restaurants. Here are my favorite gluten-free eateries in Switzerland:

• Kafi Dihei: A great gluten-free brunch spot in Zurich, but be careful what you order and stick to naturally gluten-free items. My waitress was extremely helpful and talked me through my options that would be safe. I got an omelette (which she assured me was cooked in a separate pan) and no bread, because the gluten-free bread is toasted on the grill with a risk of cross-contact. This is definitely a local’s spot!
• Miyuko: A bakery with adorable cakes and other sweet treats including many gluten-free options.
• Walliser Keller: Don’t be thrown off by the location inside a budget hotel – this restaurant has great fondue and lots of options for fondue and raclette. The fondue is gluten-free and can be served with extra potatoes.
• Swiss Chuci Restaurant: Located in the Hotel Adler, this spot was touristy but served up an incredible raclette. Go here for raclette or fondue – they had gluten-free bread on the menu but were out when I went so I got extra potatoes.
• Frau Gerolds Garten – A really cool, trendy outdoor area with lots of food stands and places to eat. Potatoes and gluten-free breads available for fondue/raclette.
• Fondue Palace at Illuminarium: If you’re visiting in the winter, Illuminarium is a beautiful lights festival put on at the Landesmuseum Zurich. Make a reservation online for the pop-up Fondue Palace – this was the best fondue I had in Switzerland! They have lots of different types of fondue to choose from, including ones made with fresh truffles or local cheese.
• Avanti Pizza: Supposedly delicious gluten-free pizza – I think the Zurich location was temporarily closed when we went, because I couldn’t find it.
• Negi Sushi: Ask for the allergy menu.
• Bohemia: This is a great brunch spot for gluten-free brunch.
• IYKYK: A good fast food spot for quick gluten-free eats.
• Gelati am See (Note: this was closed when I visited, so I didn’t get to try it – but they supposedly have gluten-free cones.) However, gelato seems like a good bet in Switzerland because most places have individual scoops they leave in each flavor (rather than using the same scoop for everything) which minimizes cross-contact.
• Klara’s Kitchen: Gluten-free fast food.
• Ona Poke: This is a chain of really nice Poke restaurants where almost everything is gluten free – the staff is very helpful at pointing out which sauces are and are not gluten-free. The inside is really nice as well, so it’s a good spot for quick lunch or dinner!
• Sternen Grill: Famous for their bratwurst, has gluten free fries.
• Lilly’s Factory: Ask for the gluten-free menu – it’s only available in German but you can use the Google Translate app to figure it out.
• Cochinchin: Ask for the allergy menu for gluten-free options.
• Wild Bowls fast food – healthy fast food with some gluten-free options.
• Ristorante Cuicina: Has gluten-free pizza and pasta
• Joe & the Juice: This American chain is everywhere and has gluten-free sandwiches.
• Lola’s Vegan Kitchen
• Burgermeister: A fast food chain with gluten-free buns available.
• Grand Cafe Lochergut: a really fun hangout spot that attracts a lot of locals. They have great sidewalk seating that’s perfect for grabbing a coffee or drink. Also a great place for gluten-free brunch.
• Bebek: Another good gluten-free brunch spot.
• Kronenhalle: For a special occasion gluten-free meal.
• Santa Lucia: This Italian chain has gluten-free pasta at all the locations.
• Hitel: The oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world has allergens clearly labled on the menu, but cannot guarantee against cross-contact. Note that only the Sihlstrasse location does a la carte – the rest is buffet-style which could be dangerous.
• The Butcher and His Daughter: Lots of gluten-free options clearly marked on the menu, including a number of vegetarian options.
• The Artisian: gluten-free options marked on the menu, great for brunch

Naturally Gluten-Free Food in Switzerland

A decent amount of classic Swiss foods are naturally gluten-free! Some good gluten-free dishes are:

Rosti

Shredded potatoes that are sauteed or pan-fried and topped with a variety of options (like vegetables, eggs, meat, etc.). Rosti is usually made in a pan, so you don’t have to worry about shared fryers.

Fondue

Good Swiss fondue doesn’t contain any flour to thicken it, just pure cheese (and lots of it). Just confirm when you order that it’s gluten-free. Also, fondue is generally served with bread and potatoes, but most restaurants will be happy to give you extra potatoes in place of the bread to make it gluten-free.

Raclette

An incredibly fun and indulgent dish! If you order this in a restaurant, you’re usually given your own cheese warmer along with slices of raclette and a plate of boiled potatoes, tiny gherkins, and pearl onions. You melt the slice of cheese at your table and pour it on to your potatoes or toppings. Naturally gluten-free, and since you’re doing the cooking, no need to worry about cross-contact. However, watch out for cheaper restaurants that just melt the raclette themselves. I went to Raclette Factory in Zurich, which looked amazing, but they were just scraping cheese straight on to bread and advised me not to eat there when I told them I had a gluten allergy. (In their words, “Look around there’s bread everywhere here”.

Roasted Chestnuts

If you’re visiting in the fall or winter, keep an eye out for the roasted chestnut stands (labeled “Marroni” which are everywhere in Switzerland. Sold by the gram, these bags of warm chestnuts are a great gluten-free snack – they’re packed with protein so will keep you satisfied, and they’re completely gluten-free. The stands are literally just pots filled with chestnuts being roasted, so there’s no cross-contact concerns at all.

Gluten-Free Grocery Stores in Switzerland

I was surprised at how little gluten-free food the grocery stores (even the mega Coops and Migros) had. Even the big supermarkets didn’t have dedicated gluten-free sections, just a few loaves of Schar gluten-free bread tossed in among the regular bread. You’ll be better off at the bio-supermarkets which are small stores that stock a variety of gluten-free, organic, and other specialty foods. (Just search “bio-supermarkets” in Google to find ones near you.)

Gluten-Free Restaurants in Zurich, Switzerland

I made a map of the best gluten-free restaurants in Zurich, Switzerland, which you can use to easily see what options are nearby when you’re out and about. These were my favorite gluten-free restaurants in Zurich:

Dedicated Gluten-Free Restaurants in Zurich, Switzerland

Rice Up! This chain of fast-food restaurants were the only 100% dedicated gluten-free restaurants I found in Zurich. They don’t prominently advertise the fact that they are gluten-free, but they are. There’s a location inside Zurich’s main train station, which is great for grabbing a quick lunch or dinner to take with you to the airport. Rice Up is the standard “build your own” bowl style – choose rice, noodles, or salad as a base and top with meat, tofu, veggies, etc. This is also a fairly cheap (by Switzerland standards) place to eat.

Grain Glow: A gluten-free bakery that serves healthy raw “cakes”.

Gluten-Free at Zurich Airport

Zurich Airport does not have many safe gluten-free options. There are a few mini grocery stores within the airport where you can buy packaged food, but not a lot of options for meals. I recommend grabbing Rice Up! from Zurich’s main train station (a dedicated gluten free fast food restaurant) and bringing it with you to the airport. Yes, you can bring a rice bowl or salad through security!

Where to Stay in Zurich

If you’re in Zurich for an extended period of time, do what I did and split your stay up into two different neighborhoods so you can explore more. I spent half the trip in Zurich West, a really fun and hip neighborhood that is way less touristy than Old Town. The other half, I spent in classic Old Town, which is central to everything and near all the major attractions and train stations.

I highly recommend the five-star Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel for Zurich West – it’s located within walking distance to a number of train stations and is right by the bustling Frau Gerards Gardens. The Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel was perfect after a long-haul flight – it’s completely soundproof and quiet, the beds are very comfortable, and they have electric blackout shades that block out all lights with the push of a button. Plus, the staff is incredibly nice and helpful.

We also stayed at the Citizen M Zurich, which I hated and do not recommend. The rooms were terribly laid out, with king beds that were pushed against the window and wall so that you could only get in and out of the bed on one side – annoying if you have two people in a bed and one wants to get up in the middle of the night. The rooms also had awful glass bathrooms that had zero privacy – and they only had an all-in-one body wash/soap/shampoo (no conditioner or lotion) for toiletries. It was a great location though, so I would recommend the much better designed Hotel Motel One Zurich instead.

More Gluten-Free Reading:

• The Best Gluten-Free Pizzas and Gluten-Free Pizza Dough
• The 10 Best Gluten-Free Cookbooks
• The Best Gluten-Free Pastas, Ranked
• Talia di Napoli Gluten-Free Pizza Review