I’ve been going to the farmer’s market pretty regularly ever since I moved here. I’ve always taken my kids and it’s become part of our weekly routine. The Zürich Farmer Markets are a fun part of city life and great want to help kids learn about food. Sometimes I talk to people who’ve never been the markets or know nothing about it. So here’s some information to get you started.
first stop is always the bread stand – never shop on an empty stomach!
We have our favorite vendors and certain items we always get depending on the season. I like how my children learn about the seasonality of food and get excited when certain things show up at the market. The vendors are usually very friendly to children and often give them free samples, like a carrot, apple, slice of cheese, or piece of bread.
Since the market only runs in the mornings until 11am, my older son hasn’t been coming with us the past few years because he is in school. And this is my last year that I can regularly take my younger son with me before he starts Kindergarten in the fall and I’m getting a little sad about it. I’m so thankful that he has had such a wonderful exposure to good food and the people that produce it.
Where are the markets
This website gives all the details for the markets in Zurich city. I usually go to Bürkliplatz or Helvetiaplatz, which both run on Tues and Fri from about 7am to 11am. Oerlikon is also good and runs on Weds and Sat.
If you don’t live right in the city, don’t worry about parking; it’s not as hard as you might think. I usually take public transportation to the market, but sometimes I drive (because I’m lazy or too busy) and I almost always find a parking spot within a couple blocks.
When to go
Fridays are busier than Tuesdays and 10am is quieter than 9am. With kids, I find it’s better to go when it’s bit quieter. Many other towns run a weekly market, so check your local Gemeindehaus for advertisements.
Some of our favorite vendors:
– When we first get to the market, we always stop first at the Känzig bakery stand to get a Schoggibrötli for my boys and a fig bread for me. In winter, we’ll get quarkinis, a fried doughball rolled in sugar, so super good! We’re always sad when quarkini season ends.
– Rossetti at Helvetiaplatz (shown in the pic at the very top) sells some special produce from Italy that you won’t see at other booths. Our favorite is the piccadilly tomatoes (in season now!) which taste just like candy. They are expensive but totally worth it.
– Haab-Walser at Helvetiaplatz. They grow most of the stuff they sell (not true of all vendors) and the produce has always been excellent quality. They usually promote what’s best that day on a chalkboard by the booth.
– Tritt Käse, cheese vendor at Bürkliplatz. It’s always a busy booth, but they are very helpful when I’m not sure what cheese I want and they mostly speak English. They usually give my kids a taste of cheese, which has taught my kids to like different kinds of cheese. After several visits here, my older son strangely decided he liked Fourme d’Ambert, a very creamy blue cheese, and insists we get it for him every time we go to the market.
– My son always reminds me to go visit our friend at the Mörgeli stand at Bürkliplatz. They have great apples there and we make an effort to try lots of different kinds. My favorite is Mairac. We get our süssmost there, when it’s in season.
our vendor friend … my son eating a sample of cheese from Tritt Käse
I’ve dragged lots of people to the market and most are a little uncomfortable at first. I was super awkward for a long time, self-conscious about my poor German skills, confused as to what to buy, not sure which vendors to choose. But practice makes perfect, or least enjoyable. A couple tips:
– It helps to bring a shopping list, but it’s more fun to buy stuff that looks fresh and interesting. Treat your visit more like entertainment than a chore. I often buy something I haven’t tried before just to keep things interesting.
– All items for sale should indicate country of orgin. When possible, try to buy from vendors advertising “eigene bau” meaning they grew it themselves.
– Don’t get scared off by the prices. The prices are often higher than the grocery store, but the quality is generally also higher. So buy a smaller amount, but enjoy it more. I always come home with way more food that I planned to get because it’s all so beautiful and it’s a fun environment.
my son likes to unload all the fresh stuff we brought home from the market, even if he won’t eat it all
3 responses
Thank you for this post! Is it customary to ask for a taste or cheese before buying it?
Yes, it’s usually fine to ask for a taste of cheese that is already cut. But not possible for small cheeses (like brie or brillat-savarin) that are completely enclosed by the rind.
I'm glad you mentioned about Markt. We live at the Markt Platz in Oerlikon and I step out of our apartment on Saturday early morning to get some fresh fruit and vegetables. My favorite vendor is Yamagishi Farm. Mr. Yamagishi in Japan started this farm a couple of decades ago. Some Swiss people loved the idea such as everything they sold is produced in their farm. Bacon is awesome, I buy meat, Jam, and bread sometimes. The price range is a bit high but totally worth it, esp. if you have a child /children. My favorite food is their home made flan. Unfortunately, they don't sell flan all the time. So if you see it, you are lucky. I've been going to markt for a year now, I realized that most of the vendors (old people) don't speak English. But young people usually speak English.