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The striking Im Viadukt opened in 2010 beneath century-old stone arches with Zurich’s first permanent covered market and 50 vendors. At Berg und Tal, owners Simon Rietschin and Daniel Rufli stock their food shop with items sourced mostly from within Switzerland and purchased directly from the producer, from sausages to the more unexpected, like Lindenblüten teas from the Swiss mountainside and absinthe made from angelica and grande wormwood from Val-de-Tavers. The wine shop Südhang sells small production bottlings including those made with grapes grown around Zurich, and Tritt-Käse specializes in local raw milk cheeses. Photo © Ralph Hut/Im Viadukt.

Zurich’s original 14 guilds were established in Medieval times to represent different crafts- and tradesmen, and their grand, stately buildings that still dot the city are a testament to their one-time power. Fortunately, most are well-preserved and now serve as fine restaurants. Zunfthaus zur Waag, house of the guild of wool and linen weavers, has a Biedermeier-style dining room with lots of wood-paneling, stained glass windows, and a terrific view of the Münsterhof. The dish to order is the Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, the classic Zurich specialty of pan-fried veal with a creamy white-wine sauce.

This silk mill turned cultural center on Lake Zurich’s left bank hosts over a hundred concerts, parties and festivals a year and is home to 60 art studios. It’s also a popular bar, especially come summer, when locals flock to the communal outdoor tables steps from the water’s edge (a favorite place to sit is in one of the handful of old-school ski lifts for prime views of the Alps). The setting is colorful and edgy—graffiti everywhere, plants shooting out from clawfoot bathtubs—a rarity so far from Kreis 4 and 5. Photo © Christian Beutler/Zürich Tourismus.

Most of Zurich’s department stores have restaurants, but by far and away the most sprawling—and value-oriented—is this spot, atop Manor near Hauptbahnhof. The city’s unofficial canteen has a tantalizing salad bar (that’s priced not by the pound, but by the plate, which you can pile as high as you would like for about 12 Swiss francs or $13), grill (for burgers topped with herbed butter, steaks and local fish prepared as you wait), and sections for pastas, stir-fries, desserts, and fresh-squeezed juices.

Locals all agree this is the home of Zurich’s—perhaps Europe’s—best sausage. What they’re divided on is which is better, the St. Galler bratwurst or the Servelat—both superbly juicy, flavorful, and with excellent snap—and divine with a crusty bürli roll and super spicy mustard. After a two-year renovation (during which the grill operated out of an airstream trailer nearby), the original 1963 location reopened its doors in 2013 with roomier, more modern digs.

The hippest restaurant in Zurich operates out of (yes, even more) used shipping containers with al fresco seating on the terrace or under a huge circus tent. The locavore spot serves a daily changing menu that uses produce from its 60 raised on-site garden beds.

Zurich has two outposts of this global chain, though the Bellevue location scores points for its proximity to the Altstadt. It’s a lunchtime favorite for its terrific pastas (prepared with noodles made fresh daily), pizzas (fired as you order) and fresh salads.

Über restaurateur Michel Péclard made waves in Zurich when he took over the iconic Café Schober in the Niederdorf a few years ago. In 2012, Péclard set his eyes on another classic establishment, Milchbar, which had sat tucked away in a quiet square off of Paradeplatz for over three decades. Now in its new incarnation near the Zurich Opera House, the café is as alluring as ever with Edison bulbs hung from the ceiling, long wooden communal tables, single origin coffee and super smooth espresso made with an exclusive blend by Fresh Coffee in Rüschlikon.

Zurich West’s answer to Bahnhofstrasse is lined with boutiques of its own, the most popular of which are Einzigart for design-minded goods like Kristian Vedel’s handcrafted birds and Little Black Dress for chic, edgy takes on the style classic. The restaurant Josef has long served as the neighborhood’s unofficial canteen with its imaginative tapas-sized dishes and buzzing bar scene. Photo © Gian Marco Castelberg/The Brander

The hip and edgy kids of Zurich West cool off at this graffitied urban badi on the banks of the Limmat River. They’re either sunbathing on the narrow strip of lawn, dangling their legs off the wooden platform, or taking a plunge into the 400-meter long swimming channel. If you want to follow suit on the latter, take caution: currents can get strong. Tamer pursuits include petanque and beach volleyball.

Strolling down the Limmatquai is an obvious choice for most visitors to Zurich. But just across the Limmat, on its left bank, lies an even more charming path lined with cobblestones and a covered passageway with arches that overlook the river. Artisan workshops and quaint stores can be found, including Lederladen for beautiful, hand-cut and sewn leather bags and Susanna Rüttimann Kiepenheuer for whimsical sculptures.

Atop the Prime Tower, Switzerland’s tallest building, Clouds offers two dining experiences: an ambitious restaurant that serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes such as a Jerusalem artichoke velouté with smoked mackerel as well as a bistro with more casual dishes and a terrific weekend breakfast. Both offer phenomenal views from floor-to-ceiling windows. Photo © Clouds.

The right bank of the Limmat is home to the busy, cobblestoned Niederdorfstrasse, lined with bustling cafés, bars and restaurants, none more bustling than the sprawling over-a-century-old Johanniter, a can’t-miss-it spot with its giant Swiss and Zurich flags marking its entrance. Inside, patrons dine on huge portions of traditional specialties like raclette (melted cheese served with potatoes and pickled cucumbers and onions) under tall, vaulted ceilings.

The terrace at ETH Zurich—where Einstein was an alum—lords high above the city for catch-your-breath views beyond to the lake and the Alps. A number of trams will take you to the terrace, but the most fun way to get there is on the fire-engine red Polybahn, one of only two funiculars left in the city, and the most conveniently located. It runs every 2.5 minutes from the Central stop.

A midsummer night’s fantasy—Zurich-style. Tucked away near the stock exchange, the city’s oldest badi, the men-only Männerbad Schanzengraben, transforms into the popular Rimini Bar come evening. The scene is surreal: a mixed crowd mingling along the edges of the pool, a shooting fountain, technicolor lights—all surrounded by the ivy-covered old city wall. On Monday evenings, local fashion designers add to the mix by showcasing their creations.