Haus Hiltl, a Zurich institution and the most famous vegetarian restaurant in town, has now a small, younger and fun sibling down in Jelmoli’s gourmet section. Is there something wrong with me, preferring to eat at a take-away than an actual full restaurant? What can I say? The very informal and laid back atmosphere attracts me more than a place filled with uniformed waiters. At Hiltl take away you will find basically the same outstanding offering than the original restaurant(only cheaper). You basically take a plate and walk around the counter piling up whatever you fancy, everything carefully signaled for those with specific diets(vegan, gluten free, etc.). The highest quality veg + excellent dish offers from around the globe, my favorites being the Nepal Linsen, the samosa and some of the curries. Once you are done picking your food, you walk towards the register, weight your plate and order your drink, soup or dessert. I love the Lemongrass-Thyme tea made from fresh leaves! I usually pay around 20 francs for a generous lunch + fresh tea. There are also fresh pressed juices and conventional dried leaf tea, beer and a pretty good selection of wine by the glass; Hiltl cooking books and shared high tables available to eat in, if you so desire. Seriously, can it get any better than that?
