5 Foods in Switzerland You Should Try

When visiting Switzerland, don't leave without trying Swiss specialities such as fondue, raclette and rösti. It's best to not count the calories.

Swiss cuisine is mainly famous for two things: cheese and chocolate. Many traditional Swiss dishes, such as the ever-popular fondue and raclette, contain mainly Swiss cheese. Finish your meal with some high quality Swiss chocolate. Be warned though: the following recommendations are not meant for those who like to count their calories.

Swiss Specialities: Fondue

One of the best-known Swiss foods is fondue, a pot of melted cheese into which are dipped small pieces of bread. The fondue pot stands in the middle of the table over a flame that keeps it hot, those sitting around it are given small cubes of bread and a long fork, and everyone simply dips their pieces of bread into the hot cheese and eats one cheesy piece of bread after another. The secret of a traditional fondue is in the mix of Swiss cheeses that go into the pot. It is very easy to eat fondue until you suddenly feel ready to explode. But fondue does not have to be made of cheese; fondue Chinoise is a beef fondue, and for dessert there is always the chocolate fondue.

Swiss Specialities: Raclette

Another famous Swiss cheese dish is raclette, a traditional dish that is said to originate from cow herders in the Swiss mountains. They used to place a chunk of cheese next to their campfire in the evening and when the cheese was melting, they would scrape the soft part of the cheese off and eat it with bread. These days raclette is usually made in a special raclette grill. Thick slices of cheese are placed in the grill and then eaten with potatoes, often accompanied by gherkins and pickled onions.

Swiss Fondue

Julien 20 (Wikimedia Commons)

Swiss Specialities: Zürich Geschnetzeltes

Extremely difficult to pronounce, this dish is for meat lovers. Traditional Zürich Geschnetzeltes is made with veal, cut into small pieces which are then cooked with cream, mushrooms and white wine. It can sometimes be served with another traditional Swiss dish: rösti.

Swiss Specialities: Rösti

Rösti is made with grated potatoes that are fried in a pan with butter or oil, and shaped into a flat cake. Rösti is essentially a side dish and resembles hash potatoes, and can be topped with cheese or bacon.

Swiss Specialities: Chocolate

Swiss chocolate comes in many shapes, sizes and flavours, and is regarded as one of the best types of chocolate in the world. Quality control in Swiss chocolate factories is strict, and consequently Swiss chocolate has a reputation for extremely high quality. Some chocolate factories in Switzerland organize factory tours for visitors if you're interested in seeing how some of the best chocolate in the world is made.