Kronenhalle

Picasso Over the Veal

3.5 of 5

Kronenhalle has been feeding Zurich since 1924, on Rämistrasse by Bellevueplatz, and the walls carry original work by Joan Miró, Marc Chagall and Pierre Bonnard. The Michelin guide says so. I would not spend my time counting paintings if the plate in front of me were worse than the wallpaper, so it is a relief to report that it is not.

The order is the sliced veal fillet with rösti, the dish the guide holds up as the house classic. Brown butter, cream, a pile of potato that has been properly pressed and fried. Many dishes are presented at the table by professional waiters, the sort who know their job and do not need a name tag to prove it. The kitchen cooks hot food until 10:30 at night, and the doors stay open daily from noon to midnight.

There are three places to sit. The lively brasserie, the intimate Chagall Room, and the Swiss Gallery on the first floor. They feel different, so say what you want when you book. The cooking is not the most daring in the city, and it has never claimed otherwise. It is Zurich as it likes to see itself, with the check to match. Come for the room, stay for the veal, and leave knowing why locals still take their out-of-town guests here. If you want a drink first, the bar is next door.

Order this: Sliced veal fillet with rösti, Whatever the waiter carves or finishes at your table, A coffee at the end, under the Chagall
The damage: $$$
Go: Midweek at lunch, when the room is calmer
Find it: Rämistrasse 4, 8001 Zürich