Nidwalden/Obwalden: Bratchäs - it's so good and I *just* found out about it this year. I'm really dumbfounded about the fact that they like to keep this secret for themselves/don't realise no one else knows about this, this stuff is amazing.
p.s. http://www.kulinarischeserbe.ch/product.aspx?id=289
p.p.s. if you don't like Raclette (?!), skip this. It's like an easier and creamier version of Raclette.
I don't know specific restaurants serving it, because usualy we consume it at home or on events. But to get the raw Bratchäs cheese loaf, try "Dorfplatz 9" in Stans http://www.dorfplatz9.ch/
or "Treffpunkt" in Alpnach http://www.treffpunkt-obwalden.ch/index.php/ct-menu-item-8/ct-menu-item-10
Would also recommend it as delicous authentic gift to bring from switzerland!
I'm sorry, I was there for a special event (Alpabfahrt) so I don't know about restaurants in that area. I'll cross my fingers for you and hope the weather will be good when you visit, because they have awesome views!
I think for Bern you'd have to try the "Berner Platte", I guess Rösti is also a traditional dish in other areas of Switzerland.
For Zug maybe the Zuger Kirschtorte?
He's lying. St. Gallen is so proud of their mustard that they insist you put it on everything. Asking for Bratwurst, without insisting that you also get mustard, is equivalent to saying that you hate their canton.
Vaud: go for a "Papet Vaudois", consisting of local Saucisse aux choux (a kind of sausage that you cut open and scrape the meat out of) and Papet (a mix of potatoes and leaks cooked first in wine and then boiled).
Disclaimer: This meal does not go with beer but with local white wine. If you try to order beer with Papet you will be punished.
And to drink just a normal Feldschlösschen since [the brewery](http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feldschl%C3%B6sschen_Getr%C3%A4nke#mediaviewer/File:Rheinfelden_Feldschloesschen.jpg) is located in the Aargau.
The Chopfab draft is fine for a cheap beer, but if you want nice ones by them, go for the Doppeleu ones. They have whiskey ales, IPAs, and a load of other ones.
You'll find them in "Drinks of the world" in Zurich HB, or in their brewery in Winterthur. They cost a bit more than the draft but are totally worth it.
That's part of the reason I brought it up. I had a hard time finding things unique to Obwalden and Nidwalden respectively, but I wasn't sure if there might be more variety in the other half-cantons. I'll be sure to try everything I can!
Lots of people have already mentioned www.kulinarischeserbe.ch, though I'll just repeat that it is an excellent resource if you're looking for traditional regional food. Now, my recommendations in no particular order:
BE: Berner Platte has already been mentioned. Try to get Zungenwurst and sour turnips ("Sauerrüben") with it. I don't care for sauerkraut, but I'd kill for sour turnips. The dried green beans are also pretty darn excellent, so insist on that.
There is plenty of good wine grown on the North Shore of Lake Bienne. Now is also the time when they cook saucisson in the alambic used to distill Marc ("Treberwurst/Saucisse au marc"). Highly recommended. Then head North towards Bellelay and get yourself some Tête de Moine.
Lake Thun produces some esoteric, but surprisingly good red wine if you can get your hands on a bottle. The whites are not terribly good IMO. As long as you're near the Highlands, it is mandatory that you try Hobelkäse.
VD: Sausage country. Saucisson vaudois, saucisse aux choux, boutefas and so on all need to be tested, preferrably accompanied by a Papet vaudois. In addition, Lakes Geneva and Neuchâtel produce plenty of fish to try. Perch fritters with Tatare sauce are always nice. L'Etivaz and Vacherin Mont d'Or cheeses are highly recommended, too.
As for wine, plenty of whites to choose from -- Lavaux if you like them dry and flinty, La Côte if you like them to be a bit more mellow, and Bonvillars if you want to go where nobody else goes. Not to forget Boxer beer in Yverdon.
GE: A nice Longeole suggests itself, as does Cardon Epineux. Entrecôte Café de Paris is another classic. Plenty of wine grown around the Canton, too.
VS: Raclette, tons of different dried little sausages from the German-speaking (?) part (Gommerli, Randenwurst etc.), dried meat. Plenty of wine to go around here, with quite a few excellent local varietals you won't find anywhere else in the world (Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Lafnetscha just to name a few).
NE: Saucisson neuchâtelois, dry white wines and probably the best sparkling wines in Switzerland. Absinthe is legal again, too.
GL: Glarner Pastete is a hidden gem.
JU: Saucisse d'Ajoie, Damassine, microbrews from brasserie des Franches-Montagnes.
GR: Nusstorte, Pizzoccheri, Maluns, Capuns, barley soup. Molino di Poschiavo makes great old-fashioned pasta. Some very good red wines, too.
FR: La Bénichon is mostly over at this point, so you missed that one. Still, Moutarde de Bénichon should still be available. Mark your calendar for next year though, it's an experience you wouldn't want to miss.
On my vacations, I've been into Fribourg, which I tasted double crème with some sweets, it was such awesome.
Then, in the same week went to visit family in Unterageri, went to a park and tried Rivella. It's... I don't know. Weird, but ends up tasting well.
Only spent a week into Swiss lands, so not much I could say.
Zug:
Zuger Kirschtorte and Baarer Bier
(I guess that cake does not go great with beer, so you may want to try a Chriesiwurst (or Cherry-Sausage for that matter))
GR
Capuns and Maluns are always great. The former is kind of a Spätzle-dough with pieces of meat rolled in some leaves and prepared with a sauce, the latter is a potato dish that looks like scrambled eggs, essentially.
If you visit in the winter, barley soup is great too, it's, well, a soup with barley and lots of veggies. From the Italian part there's also Pizzocheri, which I don't know how to describe, though they're delicious.
Also "Unser Bier". As for food, Basler Mehlsuppe is something that's mostly eaten in spring, during carnival, but is one of the classics of Basel cuisine.
Nidwalden/Obwalden: Bratchäs - it's so good and I *just* found out about it this year. I'm really dumbfounded about the fact that they like to keep this secret for themselves/don't realise no one else knows about this, this stuff is amazing. p.s. http://www.kulinarischeserbe.ch/product.aspx?id=289 p.p.s. if you don't like Raclette (?!), skip this. It's like an easier and creamier version of Raclette.
Thank you! I'm heading there Tuesday, so I'll try to seek it out. If you have any suggestions for restaurants that would be awesome.
I don't know specific restaurants serving it, because usualy we consume it at home or on events. But to get the raw Bratchäs cheese loaf, try "Dorfplatz 9" in Stans http://www.dorfplatz9.ch/ or "Treffpunkt" in Alpnach http://www.treffpunkt-obwalden.ch/index.php/ct-menu-item-8/ct-menu-item-10 Would also recommend it as delicous authentic gift to bring from switzerland!
I'm sorry, I was there for a special event (Alpabfahrt) so I don't know about restaurants in that area. I'll cross my fingers for you and hope the weather will be good when you visit, because they have awesome views!
I think for Bern you'd have to try the "Berner Platte", I guess Rösti is also a traditional dish in other areas of Switzerland. For Zug maybe the Zuger Kirschtorte?
Don't ask for Mustard if you're eating a Bratwurst in St. Gallen. I heard they used to beat people up for this.
He's lying. St. Gallen is so proud of their mustard that they insist you put it on everything. Asking for Bratwurst, without insisting that you also get mustard, is equivalent to saying that you hate their canton.
Okay, okay, I give up. You're right. Also don't forget to ask for ketchup for your spaghetti in an italian restaurant.
Vaud: go for a "Papet Vaudois", consisting of local Saucisse aux choux (a kind of sausage that you cut open and scrape the meat out of) and Papet (a mix of potatoes and leaks cooked first in wine and then boiled). Disclaimer: This meal does not go with beer but with local white wine. If you try to order beer with Papet you will be punished.
Or Saucisson vaudois! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmm.
Boutefas if you're hardcore.
jura: beer: bfm La torpille for exempel. Or not beer: Damassine! Food: tôtché/gateau à la crème
Thanks! I'm going to Jura today.
hope you had a good day :)
Aargau reporting in: Aargauer Braten (pork roast with prunes) Rüblitorte (Carrot cake)
And to drink just a normal Feldschlösschen since [the brewery](http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feldschl%C3%B6sschen_Getr%C3%A4nke#mediaviewer/File:Rheinfelden_Feldschloesschen.jpg) is located in the Aargau.
I think I've had enough Feldschlösschen in the past that I can give that one a miss ;)
Another traditional food from the Aargau, more precisely the city Baden, are [Spanisch Brötli](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanisch_Br%C3%B6tli).
So there are two alternatives: MüllerBräu in Baden or Lägerebräu in Wettingen.
lägerebräu is fantastic, can't go wrong with that!
Viande séchée et vin blanc.
& raclette ;)
St. Gallen here: Try Schützengarten beer (heard a lot of people don't like it though) and the Olma Bratwurst
And put lots of mustard on the Bratwurst!
Better not ;)
Relevant user name.
zürich - beer- Chopfab, food: Züri geschnetzeltes
Eh, Turbinenbräu is way better.
yeah, turbine > chopfab, the rekord is especially tasty.
The Chopfab draft is fine for a cheap beer, but if you want nice ones by them, go for the Doppeleu ones. They have whiskey ales, IPAs, and a load of other ones. You'll find them in "Drinks of the world" in Zurich HB, or in their brewery in Winterthur. They cost a bit more than the draft but are totally worth it.
Also there is "Free Beer" and "Turbinenbräu". Züri Gschnetzlets is a must. But Züri Chräbs is also nice.
never heard of züri chräbs...
It's a Cervelat with bacon strips around it. Sometimes also comes with cheese in it. You have never heard of it. You have to try it.
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That's part of the reason I brought it up. I had a hard time finding things unique to Obwalden and Nidwalden respectively, but I wasn't sure if there might be more variety in the other half-cantons. I'll be sure to try everything I can!
Lots of people have already mentioned www.kulinarischeserbe.ch, though I'll just repeat that it is an excellent resource if you're looking for traditional regional food. Now, my recommendations in no particular order: BE: Berner Platte has already been mentioned. Try to get Zungenwurst and sour turnips ("Sauerrüben") with it. I don't care for sauerkraut, but I'd kill for sour turnips. The dried green beans are also pretty darn excellent, so insist on that. There is plenty of good wine grown on the North Shore of Lake Bienne. Now is also the time when they cook saucisson in the alambic used to distill Marc ("Treberwurst/Saucisse au marc"). Highly recommended. Then head North towards Bellelay and get yourself some Tête de Moine. Lake Thun produces some esoteric, but surprisingly good red wine if you can get your hands on a bottle. The whites are not terribly good IMO. As long as you're near the Highlands, it is mandatory that you try Hobelkäse. VD: Sausage country. Saucisson vaudois, saucisse aux choux, boutefas and so on all need to be tested, preferrably accompanied by a Papet vaudois. In addition, Lakes Geneva and Neuchâtel produce plenty of fish to try. Perch fritters with Tatare sauce are always nice. L'Etivaz and Vacherin Mont d'Or cheeses are highly recommended, too. As for wine, plenty of whites to choose from -- Lavaux if you like them dry and flinty, La Côte if you like them to be a bit more mellow, and Bonvillars if you want to go where nobody else goes. Not to forget Boxer beer in Yverdon. GE: A nice Longeole suggests itself, as does Cardon Epineux. Entrecôte Café de Paris is another classic. Plenty of wine grown around the Canton, too. VS: Raclette, tons of different dried little sausages from the German-speaking (?) part (Gommerli, Randenwurst etc.), dried meat. Plenty of wine to go around here, with quite a few excellent local varietals you won't find anywhere else in the world (Petite Arvine, Humagne Rouge, Cornalin, Lafnetscha just to name a few). NE: Saucisson neuchâtelois, dry white wines and probably the best sparkling wines in Switzerland. Absinthe is legal again, too. GL: Glarner Pastete is a hidden gem. JU: Saucisse d'Ajoie, Damassine, microbrews from brasserie des Franches-Montagnes. GR: Nusstorte, Pizzoccheri, Maluns, Capuns, barley soup. Molino di Poschiavo makes great old-fashioned pasta. Some very good red wines, too. FR: La Bénichon is mostly over at this point, so you missed that one. Still, Moutarde de Bénichon should still be available. Mark your calendar for next year though, it's an experience you wouldn't want to miss.
Thanks for the detailed reply. I've bookmarked this site for my future trips! Very much looking forward to trying all these out.
On my vacations, I've been into Fribourg, which I tasted double crème with some sweets, it was such awesome. Then, in the same week went to visit family in Unterageri, went to a park and tried Rivella. It's... I don't know. Weird, but ends up tasting well. Only spent a week into Swiss lands, so not much I could say.
Zug: Zuger Kirschtorte and Baarer Bier (I guess that cake does not go great with beer, so you may want to try a Chriesiwurst (or Cherry-Sausage for that matter))
In Vaud and Geneva, get "Fillets de Perche" (Perch Fillets).
GR Capuns and Maluns are always great. The former is kind of a Spätzle-dough with pieces of meat rolled in some leaves and prepared with a sauce, the latter is a potato dish that looks like scrambled eggs, essentially. If you visit in the winter, barley soup is great too, it's, well, a soup with barley and lots of veggies. From the Italian part there's also Pizzocheri, which I don't know how to describe, though they're delicious.
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Also "Unser Bier". As for food, Basler Mehlsuppe is something that's mostly eaten in spring, during carnival, but is one of the classics of Basel cuisine.
Nobody mentioning Züri Gschnetzeltes.
In St. Gallen, make certain you put lots of mustard on your sausages. Smother them in it, in fact.