Where to eat in Zermatt: what to order and where
Zermatt eats the food of the Valais: raclette, fondue and dried meat, with the cheese and cured beef from the valley. The village has a handful of year-round restaurants and many that close between seasons, and the best meals are often at lunch in the hamlets above. Book, and check what is open.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The Bahnhofstrasse for dinner, and the hamlets of Findeln and Furi for lunch.
- Order this
- Raclette or a Walliser Teller of cheese and dried meat, and cheese fondue in the cooler months.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 11:30, dinner from 18:30. Mountain restaurants close by late afternoon.
- Book or walk in
- Book mountain terraces and dinner in season. Walk in at cafes.
- Tipping
- Service is included. Round up or leave a few francs for good service.
What to eat in Zermatt
- RacletteMelted Valais cheese scraped over boiled potatoes, with pickled onions and gherkins. The dish of the region.
- Walliser TellerA plate of raclette cheese with several kinds of dried and cured meat, bread and pickles. A good first lunch.
- Cheese fondueMelted cheese and wine in a pot, eaten with bread. A winter dish, sold all year to visitors.
- TrockenfleischAir-dried beef, sliced thin, from the Valais. Eaten with bread and cheese on a mountain terrace.
- RöstiFried grated potato, served beside sausage or with a fried egg. A hiker's dish.
- ÄlplermagronenMacaroni, potato, cheese and cream, with fried onions and apple sauce.
- Valais wineFendant, a dry white, and Petite Arvine are the local wines. Pour one with raclette.
Where to eat in Zermatt, by neighborhood
Bahnhofstrasse and the center
The village's restaurants line the main street and the side streets. Good for dinner, dearer than elsewhere. Walk a street back for better value.
Findeln and Furi
Old hamlets above the village with mountain restaurants and terraces facing the Matterhorn. Walk up or ride a lift, and book.
On the lifts
Huts and restaurants at Sunnegga, Blauherd, Riffelalp and the Gornergrat. Handy on a mountain day, and dearer than the village.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
Whymper-Stube
CHFCHFCHFValais restaurant · Bahnhofstrasse
OrderCheese fondue or raclette
A historic room in the village named after the first man up the Matterhorn, serving Swiss dishes from local products. One of the few places open every day and in the evening.
- Book
- Book online or by phone
Confirmed open: monterosazermatt.ch
-
Chez Vrony
CHFCHFCHFMountain restaurant · Findeln
OrderDried meat and cheese from the family farm
A family restaurant at 2,100 meters with a terrace facing the Matterhorn, serving its own cheese and cured meat. Lunch only.
- Book
- Book online up to three months ahead; two lunch seatings
- Closed
- Closed between seasons; winter opens 28 November 2026
Confirmed open: chezvrony.ch
-
Findlerhof
CHFCHFCHFMountain restaurant · Findeln
OrderA lunch plate of regional dishes on the terrace
A long-running restaurant in the hamlet of Findeln at 2,051 meters, listed by the Michelin Guide. A simple, good lunch after a walk.
- Book
- Book online or by phone
- Closed
- Closed between seasons; opens 28 November 2026 if the lifts open
Confirmed open: findlerhof.ch
-
Zum See
CHFCHFCHFMediterranean-alpine restaurant · Zum See, between Furi and the village
OrderA seasonal lunch in the old chalets
A family restaurant in a small hamlet reached on foot from Furi or the village, about 40 minutes from the center, serving fresh Mediterranean-alpine cooking in 350-year-old chalets.
- Book
- Book online or by phone
- Closed
- Winter season from 4 December 2026
Confirmed open: zumsee.ch
Food markets in Zermatt
- Swiss Food Festival on the BahnhofstrasseAn annual festival that turns the main street into a market of chalets selling regional products, with Hérens beef grilled on the church square. A festival, not a daily market.Once a year in late summer; check the datesSource: timeout.com
How Zermatt eats
- Meal timesLunch is the main hot meal, and mountain restaurants close by late afternoon. Village kitchens close early in the evening.
- TippingService is included in the price. Round up or leave a few francs for good service.
- ReservationsBook dinner in season and any mountain terrace. Bookings open weeks or months ahead at the busiest.
- PicnicsThe Coop and bakeries sell bread, cheese and cold cuts. Many walkers buy lunch there because summit restaurants are dear.
- WaterTap water is safe and good, and village fountains run drinking water. Take a bottle up the mountain.
Signs of a place to walk past
Menus in several languages with photos of the dishes on the main street.
Fondue sold to tour groups at lunchtime, with no cheese blend named.
Summit restaurants as your only plan for lunch, when a picnic costs a fraction of the price.
Eating in Zermatt: questions people ask
What food is Zermatt known for?
Raclette, cheese fondue and dried meat from the Valais. The local wines, Fendant and Petite Arvine, go with all of them.
Where is the best place to eat in Zermatt?
For a village dinner of raclette or fondue, Whymper-Stube. For lunch with a view, Chez Vrony or Findlerhof, when they are open.
Where can you eat fondue in Zermatt?
Whymper-Stube serves cheese fondue, and many hotel and village restaurants do too. Book, as fondue is often for two or more.
Do you need to book restaurants in Zermatt?
For dinner in season and any mountain terrace, yes. Cafes and bakeries take walk-ins.
Is Zermatt expensive for food?
Yes. Set lunches and supermarket picnics are the best value, and tap water is free.
Are Zermatt restaurants open in October and November?
Many close between seasons. Chez Vrony and Findlerhof reopen on 28 November 2026 for winter, so check before you go.