20 Top Must Try Swiss Foods

When you’re in Switzerland, one question comes to mind: what Swiss food must you try?

Switzerland is well known for cheese as well as chocolate.

But there are many variants on both of these things, along with a whole other slew of amazing dishes that you need to try in Switzerland.

In this article, I’ll share 20 top must try Swiss foods you can’t miss you have to try for an authentic taste of Switzerland’s unique flavors and traditions.

So, if you are interested in eating some delicious Swiss food, then this article is perfect for you.

Top Must Try Swiss Foods (My Recommendation)

Cheese Fondue

Cheese fondue is one of my favorite dishes in Switzerland.

What you do with fondue is that you have your bread and you dip it in the melting cheese, then you can eat it. You can also put a little bit of pepper with it. You should drink either tea or white wine with it.

Don’t drink cold water because digestion will be a little difficult. You should try the classic Moitie-Moitie Fondue (Half & Half Fondue), which is half Gruyere and half Vacherin Fribourgeois.

In my opinion, this is the most classic and best one.

Also, you will find a lot of different fondues in Switzerland, and it’s up to you to try different ones.

Swiss Chocolate

Swiss chocolate is renowned worldwide for its smooth texture, exceptional quality, and rich flavor.

Switzerland is very good at chocolate, especially milk chocolate, and you know why! You’ll find Swiss chocolate everywhere in Switzerland.

Some special chocolate brands are:

Laderach
Sprungli
Martel
Auer
Teuscher

Some store brands are:

Cailler
Ragusa
Ovomaltine
Villars
Frey
Favarger

I already mentioned in the previous article “What To Buy From Switzerland?” that you should try to avoid those brands that you find in your country like Lindt and Toblerone.

So, eating Swiss chocolate in Switzerland is a must-do experience for anyone visiting the country.

Raclette

Raclette is another cheese dish in Switzerland that you might have heard of.

Eating Raclette is also a very fun activity when you are in a group. I also love Raclette.

It is a Swiss traditional dish that involves melting raclette cheese and scraping it over various accompaniments such as boiled potatoes, cornichons (small pickles), onions, and cured meats.

The name “Raclette” comes from the French word “Racler”, meaning “to scrape”, which reflects the method of serving the cheese.

You will find it everywhere in Switzerland, and I recommend you must try it.

Rosti

Rosti is a uniquely Swiss dish from the German-speaking part of Switzerland, particularly in the canton of Bern.

It is a simple and delicious dish made from grated potatoes. It’s like a large flat round thing that is fried until crispy and golden brown.

It is served as a main course with various toppings or often enjoyed as a side dish.

If you love potatoes, then try this one.

Swiss Cheese

Swiss cheese refers to a variety of cheeses produced in Switzerland. Each cheese has its own characteristics and flavors.

So, I am recommending you try the Swiss cheese itself. You can have it at the end of your meal. My favorites are Gruyere, Tete de Moine, and Vacherin Mont d’Or.

Gruyere is an amazing cheese because you can eat it without melting. Also, you can melt it, and it melts perfectly.

It goes into dishes like fondue. It is one of the top cheeses you should try. Tete de Moine is a semi-hard cheese that comes from the Jura region of Switzerland.

There’s a fun experiment of eating Tete de Moine. You need a special tool called Girolle. This is specifically designed for serving Tete de Moine cheese.

When you rotate the blade, it shaves thin curls of cheese from the surface. It looks like a flower. Moreover, Vacherin Mont d’Or is different. The wooden box used for Vacherin Mont d’Or.

It is a luxurious cheese coming from the Jura region of Switzerland and France.

Malakoff

You might not have heard of this one. It is basically a fried cheese ball, which is crispy outside with melton gruyere cheese inside.

There are also some special ingredients in it, and it tastes just amazing. You should eat it with a salad that is a little acidic.

In the restaurant’s menu, they serve it as an appetizer. It is particularly popular in the canton of Vaud. This is close to Geneva but all around Lake Geneva and a bit further you might find Malakoff.

So, if you find it in the menu, order it.

Alplermagronen

Is it a little bit difficult to pronounce! Alplermagronen is known as Swiss Alpine macaroni.

It is a satisfying and heartwarming dish from the mountainous regions of Switzerland.

Alplermagronen is a rustic pasta that has different melted cheese, macaroni, and potatoes and is sometimes topped with crispy fried onions or bacon.

It is served with applesauce on the side for a traditional Swiss touch.

It’s a very delicious and rich dish.

Swiss Venison

Deer meat is known as venison. Swiss venison is a popular and traditional ingredient in Swiss cuisine.

It is particularly popular in regions with a rich hunting tradition. Swiss venison tastes really good.

Some common Swiss venison dishes are:

Venison Stew (Hirschpfeffer)
Venison Sausages (Hirschbratwurst)
Venison Carpaccio
Venison Roast
Venison Ragout

Whether enjoyed in a heartwarming stew, as a juicy roast, or in more refined preparations like Carpaccio, Swiss venison is a versatile and special ingredient in Swiss cuisine.

Swiss Leckerli

Swiss Leckerli is a traditional Swiss gingerbread cookie originating from the city of Basel. It is also known as Basle Leckerli.

It has some spices and quite a different texture. It is unique to Switzerland, especially to Basel.

You can find it in supermarkets all over Switzerland, and it’s interesting to try.

Nusstorte

Nusstorte is known as Swiss nut cake or nut trat. It is also very rich and delicious.

Nusstorte is a classic Swiss dessert made with a rich buttery pastry crust filled with a sweet and nutty filling.

There are two regions that make these Nusstorte:

In the Engadin region in the canton of Graubünden, they do this very well and you can find it in the different places you go.
In the Berner Oberland in the valley of Gstaad, the Early Beck bakery makes it with cow milk and cream.

So, this is also a very nice dessert to try.

Double Cream & Meringue

Double cream and meringue is a classic dessert from the Gruyere region of Switzerland.

So, if you buy heavy cream in a store, it’s like 20% milk fat, and if you buy double cream, it’s like 40% plus milk fat. It’s really super concentrated cream, thick, and gooey, thicker than yogurt. It’s hard to describe.

You’ll find it in the French part of Switzerland. You usually eat it with meringues and also with fruits.

This really good dessert after having done the fondue. You must try this if you are in Switzerland.

Zurcher Geschnetzeltes (Zurich-style Veal)

Zurcher Geschnetzeltes is a traditional Swiss dish from the Zurich region. It consists of thinly sliced veal cooked in a creamy white wine and mushroom sauce.

It’s often served with Rosti. It is a very hearty and forestry type of dish. Zurich-style Veal has a different taste than other places’ veal.

So, Zurcher Geschnetzeltes is something to get when you are in Zurich.

Gerstensuppe

Gerstensuppe is a barley-based soup popular in the canton of Graubünden. This hearty soup is perfect for cold weather and it’s not particularly heavy.

So, this is a lighter soup that tastes very nice. I think it’s a great appetizer to go into your meal.

Bündnerfleisch

Bündnerfleisch is also from the canton of Graubünden. It is an air-dried beef. It’s a cured piece of beef and isn’t too fat like coppa and prosciutto.

Bündnerfleisch is a very delicious piece of meat that you must try. You can get it in most of the supermarkets in Switzerland.

Polenta

Polenta is a traditional dish from northern Italy but in Switzerland from the Ticino region.

It is made from coarsely ground cornmeal and can be served in many different forms, from porridge-like and creamy to sliceable and frim.

If you are in the canton of Ticino, I definitely recommend trying polenta.

Filets de Perche

Filets de Perche (perch filets) are particularly popular around the Lake Geneva region.

Perche is a tiny freshwater fish (in English “fish from the Lake Geneva”). Perche is known for its delicate, white flesh and mild flavor.

Filets de Perche are fried fish served with French fries and Meuniere sauce, which is basically a buttery, lemon, and garlic sauce.

You’ll find it in most of the restaurants around Lake Geneva and the canton of Vaud.

Saucisse aux Choux and Papet Vaudois

Saucisse aux Choux and Papet Vaudois are dishes from the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.

It is mostly popular in the winter months. Saucisse aux Choux is a type of sausage made with pork and cabbage.

And Papet Vaudois is made with leeks, cream, and potatoes. Both offer a taste of Swiss tradition that is both satisfying and rustic.

So, if you are in Montreux or Lausanne, these are nice dishes to try.

Zweifel Chips

Zweifel Chips are Swiss chips that are really crispy, and loved by all the Swiss people. Zweifel Chips come in a wide variety of flavors, some of them regional and seasonal flavors.

But there are three flavors that I recommend:

Paprika
Nature
Salt & Vinegar

You’ll find these in the supermarket and it’s worth trying.

Swiss Bread

Switzerland is known for its excellent bread-making. Each region offers its own specialties and varieties; especially the bread from mountain regions is remarkable.

Some of the best Swiss breads are:

Zopf
Pane Ticinese
Burli
Ruchbrot
Zurcher Brot

Bread in Switzerland is something you should try.

Cervelas

Cervelas is a type of sausage popular in Switzerland, especially among hikers. It is made from a mixture of pork, beef, and sometimes veal.

Cervelas can be enjoyed raw (pre-cooked), cooked, or smoked and it’s often served grilled, boiled, or fried.

You can find it in the supermarket as well.