The foods from Switzerland are a delightful fusion of flavours and old-school Alpine traditions.

Swiss cuisine has evolved, incorporating local ingredients like cheese, potatoes, and fragrant mountain herbs into hearty and comforting dishes.

Due to historical, cultural, and environmental factors, Swiss food is typically heavier, favouring hearty and filling dishes.

With a mountainous landscape and a cold climate, the Swiss historically favoured substantial meals to sustain them through challenging conditions. 

You will notice from this list of popular foods from Switzerland that the Swiss love carbohydrates!

From savoury treats to sweet delicacies, Swiss food offers a taste of tradition and will fill you up!

Whether you’re hitting the ski slopes, trekking the countryside, wandering its cities or chilling at a comfy mountain chalet, the foods from Switzerland are guaranteed to hit the spot.

Staple Foods in Swiss Cuisine

In Switzerland, four staple foods play a significant role in the daily diet:

• Potatoes: Potatoes are a staple in Switzerland because of their versatility, nourishment, and capacity to thrive in diverse conditions, such as Switzerland’s mountainous regions. They offer essential carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, serving as a reliable food source throughout the year, even during harsh Swiss winters.
• Dairy Products: Milk, butter, cream, yoghurt, and cheese are paramount in Swiss cuisine. These are a staple of the Swiss diet and are prized for their exceptional taste and quality, mainly due to the milk quality from cows feeding on alpine pastures. 
• Meat: Meat is a staple in Swiss cuisine because it’s a traditional source of protein and nutrients, readily available due to the country’s history of farming and plentiful pasture.
• Bread: Bread is a staple in Swiss cuisine. It’s a versatile and suitable source of carbohydrates, providing energy for daily activities. Additionally, Switzerland has a long bread-making tradition, with many breads available. Swiss bread is some of the best I’ve eaten worldwide—and incredibly good when toasted.

20 Most Delicious Foods from Switzerland

1) Cheese Fondue

Cheese fondue is a traditional food in Switzerland, designed to be a communal dining experience. Typically, it involves melting a combination of Swiss cheeses like Emmental, Gruyère, and Appenzeller in a pot, called a caquelon. 

Melted cheese is often seasoned with garlic and white wine, creating a creamy, thick, velvety mixture.

Traditionally, fondue is served with bite-sized pieces of bread skewered onto long forks and dipped into the cheese. But be careful not to lose your bread in the pot, or the rule is to kiss the person sitting to your left! 

Regarding this cheesy, delicious food in Switzerland, you can add variations to make your fondue even tastier!

Cracked pepper, chilli, and herbs can kick up the flavour, and accompaniments, such as boiled potatoes, vegetables, and cured meats, are also used for dipping.

2) Potato Rosti

Rosti is a Swiss dish made from grated potatoes. It is generally fried or baked in a pan with lots of butter or oil until crispy and nice and tender on the inside. 

Rosti is the ultimate comfort food and can sustain you for an entire day of exploring the best sights in Switzerland.

Variations of rosti may include additional ingredients such as melted cheese, grilled onions, bacon, fried eggs, ham, cheese and cornichons or grilled chanterelles (mushrooms) to make it even more indulgent.

3) Raclette

Raclette is one of the most popular foods in Switzerland, originating in the Swiss Alps. 

It involves melting cheese and serving it with cured meats, boiled potatoes, gherkins, and pickled onions. 

Traditionally, a wheel of Raclette cheese is heated, either by an open fire or a particular machine, until it becomes soft, melty, and blisters. The cheese is scraped onto a plate and enjoyed with the above accompaniments.

4) Apfelkuchen

Apfelkuchen is a soft, moist cake base topped with sliced or diced apples, sometimes with a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top.

Variations of Apfelkuchen may include nuts, or raisins too. It’s a delicious cake, especially popular during autumn when apples are in season.

Served warm with a dab of freshly whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a generous spoon of warm custard sauce, this is one of the best dessert foods from Switzerland.

5) Landjäger 

Landjäger is a dried sausage from Switzerland that is popular in Germany and Austria. 

The sausage is made from beef and pork. The mixture is first seasoned with pepper and garlic, and then it is air-dried and smoked to complete the process. 

This salami-type sausage perfectly accompanies cheese, bread, pickled onions, and pickles. 

TIP: Pack this sausage on your hike to Harder Kulm for the ultimate snack! Reserve your funicular ticket here.

6) Zopf

Zopf is a traditional braided loaf with a shiny, golden-brown appearance. 

The bread is made from a simple mixture of white flour, milk, butter, eggs, yeast, and salt. Zopf dough is kneaded until smooth, left to rise, then divided into portions and braided.

Zopf is enjoyed with butter, jam, honey, or cheese.

7) Kartoffelsuppe

Kartoffelsuppe, or potato soup, is a satisfying and filling dish.

Key ingredients include potatoes, onions, and leeks, simmered in a tasty broth until the vegetables are soft and tender. 

Adding parsley or thyme may enhance the flavour, along with seasonings like salt and pepper to taste. 

Swiss potato soup recipes are versatile and may include the addition of fresh double cream or smoked bacon to elevate the flavour.

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8) Bratwurst 

The Swiss love their sausages as much as they love their cheese and offer several varieties. 

The bratwurst is a traditional Swiss sausage made mainly from pork and seasoned with herbs and spices. Bratwurst is often baked in the oven or pan-fried until crispy and golden brown, usually busting at the seams when cooked perfectly.

Bratwurst is then served with mustard (which is fantastic, don’t miss it), fresh Swiss bread, and sauerkraut if you want the whole experience. 

This combination works like a treat, and it’s one of the easiest foods to prepare in Switzerland.

9) Chocolate

Swiss chocolate is known to be among the best quality chocolate in the world; I’ve eaten so much of it, and 100% agree!

The quality of the cream milk products used to produce this delicious food in Switzerland is a top reason. 

You may be familiar with some of the most famous chocolate brands that originate in Switzerland; these include Lindt, Milka, Nestle, and Toblerone.

Toblerone is renowned for its distinctive triangular-shaped chocolate bars representing the Swiss Alps.

10) Bircher müesli

A Swiss Doctor invented bircher müesli, a breakfast food in Switzerland, in the early 1900s. 

Bircher müesli consists of rolled oats soaked overnight in milk (dairy or plant-based) or apple juice to soften them. 

When served, fresh yoghurt is often added, along with grated or chopped fresh fruit (apples are best).

Adding nuts or seeds is standard to add extra crunch, texture and fibre.

11) Meitschibei

Meitschibei are scrumptious horseshoe-shaped pastries hailing from Bern in Switzerland. 

Buttery pastry loaded with sweetened ground hazelnuts, lemon zest, orange peel, cinnamon, and sugar.

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12) Malakoff

Golden in colour, crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside balls of deliciousness; that’s how I’d describe Malakoff.

A Malakoff hails from the Swiss canton of Vaud, nestled in the picturesque vineyard slopes overlooking Lake Geneva. 

Crafted from a firm cheese blend, it forms a domed crown atop a circular bread base. 

Upon frying, the exterior and bread develop a luscious golden crisp, while the interior cheese melds into a creamy, fondue-like consistency within its crust. 

These are just heavenly, one of my guilty pleasures when enjoying more foods from Switzerland on each visit.

13) Swiss cheese

Swiss cheeses cater to a range of tastes and preferences.

From Emmental’s sweet, nutty tones to the sharpness of Gruyère and the intense scent of Raclette, this country produces some excellent cheese varieties.

If you plan to travel to quaint little village of Lauterbrunnen, you’ll find vending machines packed with fresh cheese and dairy products which are products by the farmers – you can’t get fresher than that.

14) Älplermagronen

Älplermagronen, also known as Alpine macaroni, is a classic dish in Swiss cuisine; a meal consisting of macaroni, potatoes, cheese, onions, and often bacon or ham; the heaviest and most delicious staple foods from Switzerland.

The ingredients are cooked together, often layered, and then topped with melted cheese. 

15) Cervelat

Cervelat is a much-loved Swiss sausage made from pork, beef, bacon, and spices. It’s usually grilled and served with fresh Swiss bread or in a bun. 

And yes, sausages in Switzerland always taste better with mustard, so add that to the mix when enjoying this simply satisfying Swiss sausage!

16) Zuger kirschtorte

Zuger Kirschtorte is a delicious Swiss dessert featuring layers of pillowy sponge cake infused with cherry compote, cherry brandy, and freshly whipped cream.

Dessert food in Switzerland doesn’t get much better than this! 

17) Basler Läckerli

Basler Läckerli is a treasured cookie originating from the city of Basel. 

The cookies are made from a blend of honey, almonds, candied peel, and aromatic spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and are a firm favourite with the locals. 

Basler Läckerli are enjoyed during festive seasons, such as Christmas and Easter, but are enjoyed year-round.

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18) Zurcher geschnetzeltes

If you want to try quintessential food in Switzerland, order this dish!

Zürcher Geschnetzeltes originates from Zurich and is renowned for its hearty and delightful taste. 

Thinly sliced veal is cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce, typically flavoured with white wine, onions, and occasionally lemon juice or mustard, depending on personal preference.

The veal is lightly pan-fried and then simmered in the sauce until all the flavours marry together. You know it will be a good dish when you add mushrooms, cream, and onions—it works!

This dish is best eaten with a side of rösti; the creamy sauce soaks into the crispy, grated potato, and it’s simply heaven.

19) Bündner Nusstorte

The Bündner Nusstorte, or Engadiner Nusstorte, is a classic sweet food from canton Graubünden in Switzerland. It’s an unmissable soft pastry tart filled with caramelised nuts (commonly walnuts)!

Enjoy this delicious treat alongside fresh berries and a salted caramel sauce, or it’s lovely to eat alone accompanied by a cup of tea or coffee.

20) Rüeblitorte

Rüeblitorte is a moist and delicious carrot cake known for its heavenly texture and pleasing taste. 

Made with finely grated carrots, ground nuts, eggs, sugar, and spices, it offers a slight sweetness perfectly balanced with the warm spices of cinnamon and nutmeg. 

The cream cheese frosting makes this cake so divine (variations exist with plain frosting, too).

Rüeblitorte is a universal cake you may encounter nationwide; when you do, treat yourself; it’s too good to pass up!

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We’ve reached the end of our summary of Switzerland’s 20 most delicious foods! Have you tried Swiss cuisine? What is your favourite dish? Let us know in the comments below.

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To help you plan the best time, these 16 best things to do in Switzerland are essential to know.

Travel Tips for Europe

We have many travel guides and tips for Europe— an incredible continent!

Are you travelling on a budget? These ten cheapest European countries will help you plan an itinerary that lets you see as much as possible while there.

Furthermore, if you plan to travel long-term (or at least until the money runs out), these 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you make your hard-earned dollars stretch a bit further.

Delicious cuisine can be enjoyed across Europe, and our food map of Europe will inspire your culinary journey.

For food lovers, don’t miss our top 10 best countries for foodies, a couple of them are located in Europe.

Here are 8 things to know about travelling to Eastern Europe and it’s good to know these 7 misconceptions about Eastern Europe too.

These top 6 travel hacks to save money are great to read when planning your travels.

You’ll need to stay connected while travelling in Europe. We recommend eSIM. It’s easy, reliable and affordable. View eSIMs for individual European countries, or consider a regional eSIM for Europe (which covers 39 countries).

If your travels in Europe are part of a much larger global adventure, then a Global eSIM may be the answer. It connects you in 124 countries, offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text eSIM. The Global eSIM has been a game-changer; we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.

If you want to travel with like-minded travellers, consider joining a group tour. View the best deals on group tours in Europe.

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View the travel gear we use on the road, and don’t miss our best-ever travel tips compiled from more than twenty years of experience.