The story
Since 2015, when Adriano set out to offer modern Italian cuisine with an authentic, traditional flavor, Gandria has occupied a quiet address on Rudolfstrasse in Zürich's 8th district with a clear and uncompromising idea: Italian character, expressed through craft. The kitchen brigade is entirely Italian, every ingredient traces back to Italian agricultural tradition, and nothing on the plate is assembled without intention. Gambero Rosso's recognition with 2 Forks in 2026 reflects what regulars already know — this is one of Zürich's most considered Italian tables.
What distinguishes Gandria from a straightforward trattoria is the "Gandria Lab," a dedicated workspace for techniques that go well beyond conventional kitchen prep. Cold natural smoking, glass fermentation, artisanal preservation, drying, natural sourdough, plant-based umami — these are not decorative flourishes but daily working methods. The philosophy, as the restaurant puts it, is a kitchen that "never forgets who we are or where we come from," where Italian origins and new experience converge rather than compete.
Tasting menus — Orme (4 courses, 98 CHF), Equilibrio (5 courses, 110 CHF), and Evoluzione (6 courses, 125 CHF) — are available on request for vegetarians, vegans, and guests with dietary requirements including lactose or gluten intolerance. The à la carte selection is equally deliberate. Starters range from burrata with Vesuvius cherry tomatoes and Cetara anchovy essence to smoked foie gras crème brûlée with Mantua pumpkin ice cream and Saba. Among the pasta dishes, ravioli made with burnt wheat and Sicilian sheep's milk ricotta with borage pesto and bottarga stands out, as does the Risotto "Riserva 8 anni Acquarello" with saffron, liquorice, and Calabrian lemons — a combination that reads as bold on paper and lands with precision on the plate.
For mains, Piedmontese Fassona beef fillet arrives with black truffle and Sicilian caponata; crispy lamb chops come with courgettes and potato soufflé. The pastry section, guided by a chef described as a creative and expert pastry artist, closes the meal with desserts that carry their own identity — from the Cassata siciliana moderna to the Cremino Piemontese 2.0.
The wine selection travels the full length of Italy, with emphasis on indigenous varietals, vintage selections, and a considered range of dessert wines. It is a list built to complement the food's regional specificity rather than to impress with breadth alone.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
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2 Forchette
Pasta with mushroom cream sauce? Not at the Gandria, the cozy restaurant in Zurich's Seefeld. Instead, here you get homemade pappardelle tossed with arugula in a rich cream sauce with chanterelles and porcini mushrooms, topped with black truffle from Norcia—the pasta course from the surprise menu is the star of the evening. Italian cuisine that surprises. This holds true for the first appetizer as well: hand-shredded, exquisite buffalo stracciatella served with anchovies, intensely aromatic Piennolo del Vesuvio tomatoes, crispy diced potatoes, and oregano from Pantelleria—Italian chefs like Adriano Peroncini know exactly where to source each ingredient. The second antipasto is equally super-fresh and elegant: a delicate grouper carpaccio with tomato and basil emulsion, trout roe, and lemon foam. The meat course has a distinctly Japanese minimalist feel: sharply seared, surprisingly tender slices of Chianina beef served with peppers, herb oil, and a well-balanced jus—we could have easily done without the lemon foam, this time finished with parmesan. But we certainly wouldn't want to miss out on the dessert: the inventive tiramisu with garden peas. Yet for once, we felt more Italian than many Italians here and would have preferred the classic original.
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