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[title]I had just hiked 3.4 miles (5.5 kilometers) from Uetliberg to Felsenegg and was dripping in sweat. Despite the sunny, bucolic farms and lush forest I’d just passed through on the Planet Trail, I was spent. It was only my second day in Zurich and I’d been quickly initiated into the Swiss lifestyle of hiking gorgeous mountains like it’s a stroll through Central Park. I was soaked. I was parched. And I was hungry. As I’d quickly come to realize, thanks to my trip paid for by Switzerland Tourism, the Swiss always have a solution ready. Switzerland’s incredible culture of hiking is accompanied by its love of good food and drink in the form of mountaintop restaurants. You hike and then you dine!
Hiking is not the only way to ascend to these restaurants—you can take railways and gondolas, too. But there is something quite gratifying about climbing to your reward.
Up 804 meters or 2,638 feet, Felsenegg is a lookout point over 4 miles (7 kilometers) southwest of Zurich on a range of hills called the Albis chain. The view is spectacular—to the east, you see the Sihl Valley and Lake Zürich, and to the west, Reppisch valley, Türlersee Säuliamt (or the District of Affoltern). But waiting there to take in weary travelers is Restaurant Felsenegg, a family-owned spot that has been serving Swiss cuisine since 1889 and overlooks all of this beauty.
The outdoor terrace was buzzing on this particular Monday around noon, but we got a table in the very corner, meaning we had no one to block our view. We ordered a round of drinks—wine spritzers—and some iconic Swiss dishes—potato rösti with tomatoes and melted Swiss cheese (my favorite), Swiss raclette cheese with potatoes and pickles and, of course, fondue (my very first!).
Restaurant Felsenegg was my first foray into mountaintop dining in Switzerland and I'd come across it time and again as I traveled the country. It turns out there are hundreds of mountaintop eateries across the country, including Bern's Jungfraujoch — The top of Europe (11332 feet/3,454 meters high), Schilthorn Piz Gloria (9,744 feet/2,970 meters high), and the panoramic Alpen Tower in the Jungfrau Region (7,365 feet/2,245 meters high).
But I found my next one in Lucerne near the top of Mt. Rigi at Rigi Staffel, called Lok 7. At a 5,262 feet (or 1,604 meters) elevation, Lok 7 is known for its six variations of the Swiss cordon bleu and its seasonal and regional dishes. Chasing after my amazing rösti experience at Felsenegg, I ordered it again with raclette and a tall glass of red Rivella.
This restaurant, which can be reached by cog railway from Goldau and Vitznau, overlooks the bucolic mountainscape, which contains farmland. In the distance, I heard cowbells ringing as the bovine residents commuted to and from their grazing patches. Where as Felsenegg offered the pristine, nearly birds eye view of land below, Lok 7 offered a closer view of the mountain's verdant landscape.
Some mountaintop restaurants are a little more of a trek to get to, at least in my experience. Down in Ticino, I boarded a tiny funicular from Locarno to Orselina, then a cable car that quickly whisked us up to Cardada—the top of the Cimetta, a mountain north of Locarno and Lake Maggiore. After my first ride on a chairlift to the summit from there, and a breathtaking hike down the mountain, I stopped in at Casa Colmanicchio, which is back in Cardada. This gorgeous mountain hotel, which is at an altitude of 4,335 feet (1,340 meters), has a restaurant with a terrace that overlooks Lake Maggiore and serves as the perfect pitstop on your way down Cimetta. Of course, you can reach Casa Colmanicchio via car and get there right after taking the cable car to Cardada, but a hike and follow-up meal is an experience worth having.
By the the time I sat down at Casa Colmanicchio, I was in dire need of a cold beverage. Quickly supplied with an Aperol Spritz, I ordered the risotto with gorgonzola, walnuts and pear. The dish was the perfect way to cap off one of the more vigorous hikes I went on in Switzerland.
Southwest of there, closer to Lake Maggiore, I made my way up Monte Verità, which is technically a high hill at 1053 feet (321 meters) above sea level that has a long history of attracting spiritualists, naturalists, poets, philosophers, artists and unconventional thinkers. It comes down to its purported magnetic pull that is said to come from its location on the Insubric Line—part of the Periadriatic Seam that divides the African and Europen continental plates.
After the quick journey by car to Monte Verità Park and its museum and restaurant, it was a nice surprise to find a charming and extremely peaceful tea house. The Casa del Tè actually harvests its own Camellia Sinensis tea leaves on premises to create green, black and white tea. Monte Verità's microclimate allows the plants to thrive. Here, I met my zen in its garden overlooking the lake, but also inside during a Japanese-style tea ceremony. The ceremonies occur on the first and third Saturday evenings of the month and the first and third Sunday mornings of every month from December to February. I tried a few different varieties from a traditional matcha to an ice cold "mango rosso" tea with matcha biscuits in the shape of a butterfly.
When traveling Switzerland, it can be overwhelming to know where to dine with so many incredible restaurants and a national cuisine that spans flavors and fresh ingredients. But get to higher ground, because chances are you'll likely find some of the country's best dishes at the top of a mountain.