One of the best parts of traveling is trying local cuisines. During my extended stay in Switzerland, I made it my mission to find the ultimate cheese fondue experience. After excessive research and exploration, I finally found the best cheese fondue in Zurich! Check out this article for the complete guide to Le Dézaley, my favorite fondue restaurant.
Contents:
- What is Cheese Fondue?
- My Quest for the Best Cheese Fondue in Zurich
- The Best Cheese Fondue in Zurich at Le Dézaley
- What to Order at Le Dézaley
- How Much Does it Cost?
- Make a Reservation for the Best Cheese Fondue in Zurich at Le Dézaley
- Other Dishes to Try While in Switzerland
- Plan Your Trip to Switzerland
What is Cheese Fondue?
If you aren’t familiar, cheese fondue is a heavenly dish made of, you guessed it, cheese! Cheese lovers, look no further because this stuff is incredible. If you’re from America, you may have heard of the well-known American fondue chain, The Melting Pot. However, The Melting Pot doesn’t even come close to the real deal.
Switzerland is known for cheese, and if you want to try it during your trip, fondue is the perfect dish! It’s served in a heated pot on a portable stove and contains a mix of melted cheese and wine. You eat it with a long-stemmed fork, used to dip bread and potatoes into the cheese.
My Quest for the Best Cheese Fondue in Zurich
When searching for the best fondue in Switzerland, I spent hours scouring the internet for places in Lugano, Zurich, Lucerne, and anywhere else I could train to and back in one day. I had already tried a few fondue places in Switzerland, but since it’s an expensive meal, I wanted to ensure I was getting my money’s worth. After coming across Le Dézaley in Zurich, I knew I had to try it!
I was living in Lugano, Switzerland, and took a two-hour train to Zurich for this meal. I would 100% do it again after tasting this fantastic fondue!
The Best Cheese Fondue in Zurich at Le Dézaley
Le Dézaley is a charming restaurant next to the Grossmünster in Old Town Zurich. They are known for their cheese fondue, fried sausage Vaudois, Burgundian beef fondue, and perch fillets. Of course, I visited for the fondue! They have been open since 1902 and serve traditional Swiss cuisine with homemade family recipes. According to their website, the cheese fondue is “world-famous” and “made from mature sur choix cheeses from the region.” The well-known fondue dish leads to their extensive amount of guests from around the world every year.
What to Order at Le Dézaley
There are three different types of cheese fondue served, traditional cheese fondue, cheese fondue with morels (mushroom), and cheese fondue with truffles. I am obsessed with truffles, so I had to go for that one.
The fondue comes with house bread, but additionally, you can order pickled onions and corn, french bread, or potatoes. Click here to check out the fondue menu. Sometimes fondue can be communal, but here we were each served individual pots with communal bread.
As I mentioned earlier, I tried the truffle fondue with house bread, and it was fantastic. My meal at Le Dézaley was one of the top ten meals of my life. The truffle flavor was so rich, and the warm cheese was delicious. I have tried many fondue restaurants across Switzerland, but this one takes the cake. I recommend it to anyone I know visiting Zurich!
How Much Does it Cost?
If you are a budget traveler like me, this is much more expensive than the average meal. I manage budget travel by occasionally splurging on special meals or activities while saving on flights and accommodations.
The cheese fondue will cost between 30 and 36 CHF, depending on the type. The traditional cheese is 30 CHF, the fondue with morels is 35 CHF, and the truffle fondue is 36 CHF. Additionally, the waiter asked for a tip. Keep that in mind since tipping culture can change throughout Europe.
30 CHF for one dish is a lot more than the typical budget traveler meal, but if you are going to treat yourself to something special in Switzerland, this is the place to go!
Make a Reservation for the Best Cheese Fondue in Zurich at Le Dézaley
I recommend making a reservation if you are visiting Le Dézaley. I arrived right at the opening time, but there was a crowd to get in. They sat us right away due to our reservation, but I could see the wait time getting long since this place is popular!
They accept same-day reservations online until 4:30 PM. If it is after 4:30 PM, call them to see if they have reservations available. Click here to make a reservation and to view the phone number.
Other Dishes to Try While in Switzerland
Cheese fondue is one of Switzerland’s national dishes, but there are a few others! The one other dish you must try is raclette. Raclette is another dish for cheese lovers since it consists of cheese and potatoes. It is a giant cheese round melted on a grill or by a fire. Then the melted cheese is scraped onto potatoes and other vegetables.
Raclette is not only delicious but also a unique food experience. Typically, you will see it prepared in front of you. I have found raclette in restaurants and food stands on the sides of streets. My favorite raclette has been from a food stand in Grindlewald! Nothing is better than a warm dish on a cold Switzerland day.
Plan Your Trip to Switzerland
If you are heading to Switzerland soon, check out my other articles!
Have you been to Le Dézaley yet? What’s your favorite cheese fondue restaurant in Zurich? Let me know in the comments!