Zunfthaus zur Waag

Zurich's guild houses, the Zunfthäuser, are among the most atmospheric places to eat in the Old Town. The Zunfthaus zur Waag stands on the Münsterhof, directly opposite the Fraumünster, in a house that the restaurant dates to 1636. Zürich Tourism traces the guild house itself back to 1315. Today it combines the ceremony of a historic guild house with a kitchen that cooks Zurich classics alongside seasonal dishes.

The main restaurant is on the first floor and looks out over the Münsterhof, once the main square and marketplace of the medieval town. Stained-glass windows with coats of arms and a small bar add to the old-world character. Each November a traditional song rings out in the guild hall, a custom the restaurant describes on its website. For private dinners and celebrations, the guild house's wood-panelled guild hall, lit by candles, can be booked, and in summer a large terrace on the car-free square is one of the most pleasant places in the centre for an evening meal.

The guild host, Fabian Reinhardt, oversees the house, and gift vouchers can be bought through the website. The menu changes with the seasons. Zurich specialities are always the core, and in autumn the kitchen turns to game, with dishes such as venison Geschnetzeltes with mushrooms, red cabbage and glazed chestnuts. It is a good choice for a celebration, a business lunch or a first taste of local cooking in a more refined setting than the city's beer halls.

According to Zürich Tourism, the restaurant opens for lunch and dinner from Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays, so plan around that if you are visiting at the weekend. Reservations are recommended, especially for dinner and for the terrace in summer; you can book online, by phone or by email. Prices are at the upper end of the mid-range.

The Münsterhof is a short walk from Paradeplatz and Bahnhofstrasse and directly opposite the Fraumünster, so this is a natural place to eat after seeing the Chagall windows. St. Peter and the Lindenhof are a few minutes away, and the Grossmünster is just across the river. In the evening, a stroll along the river afterwards rounds off the meal.