Alpenrose

3.7/5

Soup of the Day - Cabbage Potato Apple Soup, good but not memorable.

Homemade Ravioli with Walnut - very very good. I love the little touch adding nutty flavor to balance the cheese.

Beef Heart & Spatzle - expected a lot but unfortunately this dish is so so.... The beef heart was a bit chewy, maybe a bit overcooked? The Spatzle was dry and flavorless.

I was surprised that there wasn't a more detailed recent review of Alpenrose during my search for a nice Swiss restaurant near the Renaissance Tower where we were staying. I was even more surprised that it seemed to be a best kept secret after having an absolutely lovely dinner there with three others. I searched online and saw a few reviews that were either years-old or not very descriptive. So I've decided to set things to right and share the experience of our wonderful evening.

First - Alpenrose does take credit cards and cash (contrary to a previous post), so rest easy on that note. Reservations can be made online or by calling as their staff speaks fluent English. The restaurant is located at the Quellenstrasse stop on the #4 tram so it's easy to get to.

We got there a little early but the staff had already reserved a table for us and greeted us warmly. Eomil was our waiter and he helped us get settled with water and other beverages. We perused the menus and decided to share a variety of starters - a charcuterie platter with an delectable assortment of meat and pickles along with melted Gruyère-topped bread on a bed of tomato ragout.

Selecting the entrees took a bit more work but one landed on the Ravioli with cheese and sage butter, two people opted for the Juure Mocke vinegared beef - one with a salad and the other with spaetzle and for me, the Swiss Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and creamy mushroom gravy.

When the dishes arrived, our conversation turned to a low hum as we enjoyed our meal with quiet appreciation. The Ravioli were perfect puffs of cheese with an amazing sage butter and nutmeg sauce. Don't let the description of the Juure Mocke "vinegared beef" scare you. It's well-braised, with balanced flavors of red wine and vinegar. I had the meatloaf. I haven't had such comfort food like this in a long time and was so happy to indulge. The meatloaf was well-seasoned, baked perfectly, accompanied by the most delicate, delectable puréed potatoes and the mushroom cream sauce that went perfectly with everything. There was also a side dish of roasted vegetables for us to share which seemed like an afterthought but was the perfect accompaniment for all dishes.

Then came time for dessert. You'd think we'd politely opt out since we ate so much until this point, but we each indulged in ice cream or rather a creamy sorbet - buttermilk ice cream with fruit compote or the icy buttermilk champagne ice cream. All were the perfect way to end a superb meal.

Our thanks to Eomil and the staff for their wonderful service, great food and a perfect way to end our stay in Zurich!

Had a great experience at Alpenrose. Our waiter, Sami, was fantastic and took his time detailing the top dishes. Alex, the manager also took some time to chat with us as well. Food was great, and their selection of only Swiss wines was incredible. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a great meal in Zurich.

Exquisite fine dining. Great ambiance with friendly local staff.
Regards,
Shaq Zaidi, MD

Delicious traditional Swiss food in a cozy environment. The staff was attentive and helpful and our party - including a young child - had a delightful time.

Typisch Schweizer Essen- that's typical Swiss eats-
Try the ente (duck) or maronni ravioli if you want a treat!
The restaurant style`s slight hipster, even Thursday had a crowd-
So make a reservation so you don't wait around.
Pricey, but only takes cash, so bring your Franks too-
It's also close to Lang Strasse for after dinner to-dos!

Don't let the armored exterior and old "Goldene Schloss" signs fool you --- go inside, this is the Swiss food your grandparents would have had on a Grand Tour.

«Gebratene Zürisee Eglifilet vom Fischer Ruf siener Frau, ins Netz geschwommen Nähe Halbinsel Au»: Tender fish, dill, clear butter sauce. Delicious roast potatoes (please don't drop them) with rosemary.

«In Butter gebratenes BIO Pouletbrüstchen aus unserem befreundeten Nachbarland Frankreich»: Savory chicken that tastes like a bird, not a block of protein. Why can't American chicken measure up to Swiss?

«Wein»: Priced by the decilitre.

«Leichter Zitronenkuchen von Katrin mit einer Tasse Kaffee»: lemon peel, sugary glaze, and surprisingly large.

«Alpenrose Schoggischnitte»: A chocolate cake. It's shaped like a slice, but by overall size I'd classify it as an entire cake. One of those two-hands-to-carry-the-plate desserts.

For next time: «Wilde Heidelbeeri aus dem Puschlav, von Landfrauen für uns gepflückt.» (I expected to see pictures of the women involved --- I like knowing the provenance of my food, but this is getting silly).

Friendly service, great ambience and excellent food. Had the whole chicken (what is known as Cornish hen in Canada) and it was simply delicious. My wife had the vinegared beef which was tender and tasty. Would go back again for sure.

We had a wonderful meal here, savoring classic Swiss fare, including duck and lamb, salads, breads and the most wonderful chocolate dessert. Almost a flourless torte but tall like a cake with a fragile crust and moist as cheesecake interior.The service was professional and friendly, the tiny restaurant just a little warm on a Zurich summer day. It is in an old classic building that I presume has no air conditioning so the windows were open. There was a little smoke coming in from the sidewalk smokers but not as bad as I have seen elsewhere. Smoking in Zurich is very heavy duty.

Dinner was good, but not as delicious as we remembered. We ate at the restaurant a few years ago, and very fondly remembered a side dish called "grandmother's noodles" - long, schupfnudeln in a velvety cream sauce which I could eat every day, they were so delicious! To my surprise, the dish was not on the menu. Our dinner was good: I ordered ham-wrapped veal escallops which were a little salty and a little dry (overcooked). They were served with salty gravy, very good spaetzle and black chard. My husband had the pork belly which came with the same salty gravy, spaetzle and chard. The pork was very good. The restaurant is charming but it's nothing like the delicious food the previous owners were cooking. Disappointing to me, but if you never tasted the previous owner's food, you will not be sad.