Cheap eats in Zurich
 

Aside from the regular grocery stores like Coop, Migros etc. do you guys have any suggestion for cheap eats in Zurich ?

I guess to be more granular, I'd say under 20 USD/person lunch and 30 USD/person dinner.

Macdonalds?

LOL, yeah other than that too. Worst comes to worst BigMac it is, can't go wrong with that right?

what?!

I think you're being told that if you're not willing to pay sky-high prices, you shouldn't go to Switzerland.

In fact, McD's does not seem to be a good value in Zurich.

If you were to search (using Google, for example) for "budget eating in Zurich" you would find lots of articles and blog posts. Almost all of them mention carry-out from supermarkets, and some suggest that Aldi or Lidl offers better value than Coop or Migros; most mention sausage stands on the street, especially Vorderer Sternen. Several mention cafés in department stores, especially Manor, at midday.

One out-of-the-way suggestion, and I mean literally out of the way of most travelers, is the university Mensa. There are multiple locations, but those at UZH Zentrum are not too far out of the way, east of Seilergraben. Locations with maps, hours, and menus are online, in German.

Don't worry, there are other possibilities...;)

If you like Italian food, I would recommend VAPIANO, near the Bellevue. The Pasta is great, and the prices are also quite good. Prices for Pasta & Pizza start from 16.50 sfr, and a basic mineral water will cost you 3.80 sfr.

More Informations:
http://www.vapiano.de/frame.php?sect...g=ch&sub=chzh2
(Be aware, this is no secret spot;) On a Friday/ Saturday evening you won't be alone...)


For Asian food I would recommend either FiveSpices or the Mishio at the Bahnhof Stadelhofen.
Both are a bit more expensive but in my opinion well worth the visit. Expect to pay at least 28usd/ person, without alcohol.

More information:
FiveSpice: http://www.fivespices.ch/kontakt.php
(Only in german, the link is for the map. Clickon "Menü" and then "Hauptgerichte" you will find the Main Dishes there)

Mishio: http://www.mishio.ch/stadelhofen/frame.htm
(Also german, just click on the Map to enlarge it. But it's right on the Bahnhof Stadelhofen, you cant miss it)
An this is the English Menu, it's a PDF File:
http://www.mishio.ch/dok/Mishio_E_07-11.pdf


These are just my favorites, there are a lot of other options.
There are some little restaurants (and Take- Aways) in the shopping mall of the main train station of Zurich (and also around it) but as I have never tried them I can't really say anything about their food & prices.

Zurich is pretty expensive.

But there are a couple of 'cheaper' options. The Zeughauskeller ( http://http://www.zeughauskeller.ch ) is decent, and fun, and the prices are fairly reasonable at around 25-35 USD for a meal.

If you want to go really cheap, there's always Bretzelkönig, which has pretty good pretzels, and their hot dogs are pretty good, if a bit shocking looking if you're american. ;) You can find them at a couple of places in the HB and in front of Globus.

Speaking of Globus, on Bahnhofstrasse also has a restaurant on top and an Apero bar in front. The restaurant on top is decent, and the prices were okay. There's also a bakery in front.

Manor on Bahnhofstrasse (http://www.manor.ch) has a decent self-service restaurant on their top floor. The prices are also pretty reasonable. It does get pretty busy at lunchtime.

Migros on Lowenstrasse has a self-service restaurant as well. It's cheap.

"Cheap" and "Zurich" cannot stand in same line.

thats not true!
There are many Supermarkets whit fresh and Cheap Sandwich and Ham/ Cheese!!!!
The price in the Supermarket are exactly the same in Canada.

20 - 30 USD / meal plus non-alcoholic drink, rather casual places:
Rheinfelder Bierhalle (swiss fare)
Odeon (Café, Bar)
Tschingg (Pasta)
Saigon (Pho)
Ah Hua (Thai)
Nimmis (Sri Lankan)
Yumihana (Korean)

Ok. Zurich is cheap.

Thank you all! These are some great info!

About 20-40 CHF should be pretty reasonable for a sit down considering everything in Swiss is pretty expensive.
I'll definitely go for some of the street vendors too.

One of the cheapest lunches or dinners in Switzerland is cheese fondue. Look for a restaurant that serves or features fondue as a main course. You might want a small green salad on the side.

(1)The COOP (2 blocks from Zurich Hbf), has lots of hot dishes, and they have a microwave also, so you can make items "freshly" prepared.
(2)Watch for daily (weekly) specials at Migros and COOP--to cut costs even more.
(3)The Migros at the airport (generally, startling in the early evening), sells some sandwiches at a discount.
(4)In some of the smaller cities in Switz. you can get the local beer for as little as 0.65 SF for 1/2 L at the COOP.
(5)Migros does NOT sell wine or beer, but the COOP does and you can find some reasonably priced wines.