Zurich

Beizen, Spünten, Chnellen - restaurants from back then

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The Swiss equivalent to the British pub is probably the beiz or spunte. Here they serve cheap and hearty food and big beers in an unpretentious atmosphere. You can usually recognize a beiz by its simple menu, the waiters of rough charm and tables occupied by guys playing cards, which is called jassen. Many of the venues have a regulars' table, the so-called stammtisch. Before smoking was banned, these tables were often marked by huge metal ashtrays with a sign saying stammtisch on top. In the city centre, only a few beizen have survived, and even around Langstrasse which used to be the worker’s district, there are less and less of them as many have turned fancier. To experience a bit of old-style Swissness we definitely recommend visiting a beiz once - they often have good food at good value. As long as you like hearty stuff like cordon bleu, schnitzel and fries, that is. Just don’t expect anything fancy. Another good thing about beizen: you won't be rushed to make room for new customers. After your meal, take a breath (or rather a liquor to help your digestion, a verriserli) and relax. The words beiz or spunte aren't negative by the way. As long as the locals don’t call a venue a chnelle, you should be on the safe side.

The following beizen were tested by Zurich In Your Pocket and can be recommended:

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Game season
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Italian
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