The world’s first vegetarian restaurant

Renowned for leading the world in sustainability, are we at all surprised that the world’s first vegetarian restaurant was born in Switzerland? Probably not. But you will be surprised at how old it is and how many customers are actually vegetarian.

Humble beginnings (and an uninviting name)

In 1898 a restaurant called Vegetarian Home and Abstinence Cafe opened on Sihlstrasse in Zurich. Its name wasn’t particularly appealing and, as vegetarians were thought of as cranks at the time, it did no great business. The few customers who visited often scurried in the back door, embarrassed to be seen visiting the establishment.

Welcome to Hiltl

Fast forward 124 years and we can only marvel at the foresight. The Abstinence Cafe, renamed Hiltl, is now into its fourth generation of family ownership. It’s as innovative as ever, and one of Zurich’s hippest restaurants. Guinness World Records recognises Hiltl as the oldest continuously open vegetarian restaurant in the world, and how times change: 80 per cent of their customers aren’t vegetarian at all.

The Hiltl story began in 1901, when an ailing Ambrosius Hiltl was told by his doctor that he should renounce meat. He began frequenting the peculiar Abstinence Cafe, became its manager and – feeling in much better health – took it over in 1904.

It was good timing, since locals were becoming more open to vegetarianism, especially under the influence of Dr Max Bircher-Benner, the famous muesli pioneer. The restaurant flourished and always looked to the future: in 1931, for example, Hiltl installed the city’s first all-electric kitchen.

Haus Hiltl Bibliothek (Image: Switzerland Tourism) — Hiltl is the oldest continuously open vegetarian restaurant in the world. (Image: Switzerland Tourism)

Hiltl introduce Switzerland to the spice market

In the 1950s, after Margrith Hiltl travelled as Switzerland’s official delegate to the World Vegetarian Congress in Delhi, the restaurant introduced the then-exotic spices and flavours of Indian cuisine. Hiltl today is still noted for its Indian influences: you can delve into tikka masala with soy yoghurt and broccoli, or a palak paneer flavoured with ginger and date chutney.

These days, fourth-generation Rolf Hiltl brings another new outlook, thanks to his time in restaurants in San Francisco, Acapulco and Paris. The aim is to show that healthy vegetarian dining can not only be enjoyable but even indulgent.

Expansion into fast vegetarian food

These days Hiltl employs 300 staff and has opened another restaurant on Langstrasse, as well as fast-food outlet Tibits in Zurich, Winterthur, Bern, Basel and Lucerne. It’s also committed to social responsibility and sustainability: Hiltl uses organic and regional ingredients, reusable takeaway bowls, biodegradable cups and biogas electricity, and focuses on minimising food waste.

Hiltl Tatar (Image: Switzerland Tourism) — The historic Hiltl features organic and locally sourced delicious meat-free dishes. (Image: Switzerland Tourism)

Modern day indulgence

No abstinence is necessary at flagship Haus Hiltl on Sihlstrasse these days, and there’s certainly no skulking through the back door. Office workers pack in at lunchtimes, and on weekends DJs spin mood music. Sit at the bar and have a spritzed prosecco with elderflower and yuzu, accompanied by jalapeño poppers, which offer a spicy hit when you crunch into the battered cheese bites. Try a pulled BBQ burger with pickled cucumber at the vegetarian butchery, or plunder the patisserie for a classic mille-feuille or tiramisu.

You can dine in two venues: buffet or à la carte. The buffet is legendary and features over 100 hot and cold dishes, from mushroom stroganoff to Thai red curry, with detailed labelling for those looking for vegan or allergy-free options. Restaurant dishes include the likes of cordon bleu made with organic smoked tofu, eggplant tartare, and traditional local dishes such as Züri Geschnetzeltes, typically made with thinly sliced veal in a creamy mushroom sauce, but here redesigned using organic seitan.

The Hiltl Academy completes the vegetarian foodie journey; classes cover things like the Vegan Family Brunch where kids and parents learn to make the ultimate vegan mid morning feast or an entire lesson on cooking with medicinal herbs.

Hiltl Vegimetzg butcher (Image: Switzerland Tourism) — Sample treats from Hiltl’s vegetarian butchery and patisserie. (Image: Switzerland Tourism)

Zurich now has more than 30 vegetarian restaurants

It isn’t only Hiltl that has changed since it first opened in 1898, as things have moved on in Switzerland too. Almost five per cent of the Swiss are vegetarians – the number increases every year – and, per capita, the Swiss eat more organic produce than any other nationality. Zurich alone has some 30 vegetarian or vegan restaurants.

The demand for organic, vegetarian meals is also growing, and more restaurants now have a weekly vegetarian day. A study from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology found that if everyone in Switzerland went vegetarian just one day a week it would save the equivalent of car emissions from a 3.7-billion-kilometre drive.

What sounded like abstinence in 1898 is now beginning to sound like good sense – with great flavours.

Linger over a meal at the stylish Haus Hiltl à la carte restaurant. (Image: Switzerland Tourism)

Five indigenous Swiss plants you may eat when in Switzerland

The Alps are home to many medicinal and culinary plants. Here are five often found on Swiss menus.

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1. Hyssop

An aromatic condiment said to be a relaxant, hyssop appears in meat dishes, sauces, and flavours Swiss absinthe.

2. Linden blossoms

These tannin-rich yellow flowers are dried to make springtime herbal tea. Linden syrup goes well in the prosecco-and-gin Hugo cocktail.

3. Zwetschgen acidic prune plums

Similar to damsons, these are used on top of delicious tarts at the end of summer.

4. Alpine sea buckthorn

These vitamin-rich, lemon-flavoured berries are made into juices and syrups, and are increasingly used as an upmarket restaurant ingredient.

5. Wild alpine garlic

A springtime herb, often called ramson or Bärlauch, this is used in cream soup and raw in salads.

Over 150 restaurants and cafes in Switzerland celebrate World Vegetarian Day on 1 October by offering creative vegetarian menus that focus on tasty, healthy and climate-conscious local vegetables. Learn and discover more sustainable ways to travel in Switzerland.

Why is it so hot in Europe?

Signs of a hot summer loomed in May, when the mercury hit unprecedented spring highs. Now, extreme high temperature warning alerts have been issued in countries such as Spain, Italy, France, England, the Netherlands and Germany.

France saw its hottest day on record on Wednesday, with an average temperature of 30°C across the day and night. This surpasses the average temperature for June, which is 15°C to 25°C. Dozens of people have died, including 40 from drowning.

In Spain, 212 deaths have been linked to the heatwave.

The UK recorded its hottest June day ever on Wednesday with temperatures soaring to 36.1°C. In an article published by the Met Office – the UK’s national meteorological service – Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Met Office Chief Scientist, shared his concerns about June’s heat. “To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering. Events like this bring home the implications of climate change, with very high temperatures and humidity bringing significant health implications from heat stress, as well as impacts to a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply,” he said.

Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in Europe and the UK, neither of which is prepared for such extremes. The World Meteorological Organization reported that in 2025, at least 95% of Europe experienced above-average annual temperatures and that the continent was heating up twice as fast as the global average.

How travel is impacted

A pharmacy sign displaying 40 degrees Celcius

A pharmacy broadcasting local weather data. (Credit: Getty/Dragoncello)

During a heatwave, power grids, water systems and transport networks can be affected, resulting in disrupted itineraries for travellers. In France, power outages have left thousands without electricity and early closures have been implemented for two of Paris’s biggest attractions, the Eiffel Tower (early afternoon rather than late at night) and the Louvre (two hours early). Eurostar cancelled its London to Paris and Paris to London services from the 22nd to the 25th, and major UK rail companies have been advising travellers to avoid using trains where possible, or to travel during early hours.

If a heatwave is predicted, being flexible with your itinerary and having fully refundable/changeable tickets is key, as extreme heat can force the cancellation of outdoor activities, impact rail and flight services and change the opening hours of sites and eateries.

Why does summer in Europe often feel hotter than summer in Australia?

People swimming in the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris to cool off. (Credit: Rachael Thompson)

With some of the highest UV levels in the world, Australians are no strangers to the heat, adapting well to intense weather. But our infrastructure is largely equipped to withstand soaring temperatures with climate-responsive passive design, refrigerated air conditioning or evaporative coolers, as well as swimming spots aplenty.

Buildings in Northern and Western Europe and the UK, however, are constructed to retain heat and handle frosty winters. The lack of universal air conditioning means it generally feels hotter even though the temperature on your app might not look it. During a heatwave, it can feel like you’re in a sauna as cities act like heat traps.

How to stay cool and prepare for another heatwave

Relief is expected across Europe and the UK later this week, but more heatwaves are still possible in the coming months. Summer heat typically peaks in July and August.

Public transport often doesn’t have air conditioning, and buses in particular can be swelteringly hot. If you’re heading outside or your accommodation has no air conditioning, it’s worth buying a spray bottle and a handheld fan from a pharmacy or tourist stand. Check ahead of time if restaurants and cafes have air conditioning and make a booking in advance. The highest temperatures typically hit between 3pm and 6pm, so aim to head outdoors outside of these hours.

Rising temperatures invite travellers to enter a more intentional era of seeing the world. Now more than ever is the time to embrace lower-impact “coolcations” and off-season getaways.

The world’s first vegetarian restaurant – it’s in Switzerland of course