Traditional Swiss food not to miss when you visit Switzerland

Eaten by Kelsey of Sights Better Seen

Rösti is a classic, iconic Swiss dish (the unofficial national dish of Switzerland perhaps) that consists of a base of grated potatoes fried into a circle.

Rösti can be topped with anything you like including cheese, onions, mushrooms, and corn.

The dish originated in the German-speaking region and was a breakfast meal commonly eaten by farmers. It was so popular in the German-speaking region that it was even considered the dividing line between that and the French and Italian-speaking areas.

You definitely shouldn’t miss sampling this dish when in Switzerland! Eating Rösti with a view of the Swiss Alps (as we experienced on a day trip to Mürren) made for an incredibly memorable experience.

Fondue has become a somewhat generalized term for foods dipped into melted foods, but the original fondue is the Swiss cheese fondue which is a communal melted cheese hot pot heated over a portable stove.

Traditionally it would use gruyere cheese, mixed with wine, and will be eaten with boiled potatoes and dipping bread.

Fondue is also considered a National Dish of Switzerland and it is still popular in the resort towns of the Swiss Alps, only as a communal food, it can be tricky to track down as a meal for one.

People often opt instead for a solo serving of ‘raclette’ instead. Fondue is mostly associated with keeping warm in the harsher climates of the Swiss Alps, but its origins are more extravagant as they trace back to the wealthy lowlands of western Switzerland.

Eaten by Allan of It’s Sometimes Sunny in Bangor

Traditionally eaten on Sunday mornings all over Switzerland this plaited bread is made from white flour, eggs, butter, milk and yeast.

The bread is brushed with egg or milk which gives it a golden crust.

Raclette is a traditional Swiss food and not to be missed when you are in the country.

Raclette is a type of semi-hard cheese that originates in the Alpine regions of the Valais and Fribourg cantons. It is very popular in Geneva.

Slices of the cheese are heated and once melted are typically served with small potatoes in their skin “Gschwellti”, pickled gherkins and vegetables.

Eaten by Dymphe of dymabroad.com

You really can’t visit Switzerland without sampling one of its most famous products – chocolate!

My favourite Swiss chocolate shop? Sprungli! Pop in and buy some of their famous ladybug chocolates. They symbolise good luck and are a popular gift in Switzerland.

I recommend visiting the Lindt Chocolate Museum and Factory Outlet at Kilchberg on the shores of Lake Zurich. Be prepared to sample lots of chocolate and buy even more!

One of the tastiest Swiss dishes is Alpine macaroni (or as it is better known – Älplermagronen)

This dish incorporates macaroni, cheese, onions, cream, ham and potatoes. It was created in the 1930s to feed the herdsmen looking after the cows in the mountains.

There are many variations of this dish but most must include a side dish of stewed apple!

Originating in Bern (the Swiss capital city) this dish is not to be missed if you are visiting the region.

Incorporating potatoes and various types of meat (smoked pork and beef) and sausages with sauerkraut, pickled turnips and green beans this dish is served on a large plate.

Each of the foods is prepared separately and served together in this traditional Swiss meal.

Birchermüesli was created in the early 1900s by the Swiss doctor Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Brenner.

The dish consists of oat flakes which are mixed with milk, yoghurt, grated apple, hazelnuts and almonds.

The ingredients are then left in a fridge overnight and served for breakfast.