La vera cucina Italiana | Antico

In a somewhat unprominent location above the Niederdorf, right on the Zähringerstrasse, the restaurant Antico welcomes its guests through an inconspicuous entrance. What used to be a hip nightlife hotspot back in the days, now comes off as an authentic Italian restaurant. The name Antico is no coincidence; the interior is intentionally kept antique and radiates its charm with various rarities from local flea markets.

As inconspicuous as the restaurant entrance may appear, one is all the more amazed when one steps into the large dining room, where even a big chandelier swings high on the ceiling. The welcome is very warm and you immediately feel transported to a traditional Italian restaurant, not only by the visible ambience, but also by the service staff that welcomes you with an Italian accent and a lot of attention and friendliness.

On the menu are authentic dishes that reflect the Italian cuisine and follow a simple principle: The combination of fresh and quality ingredients. Therefore, the menu does not show extravagances, but honest and down-to-earth cuisine. This is already evident in the appetizers, where the lavish buffet with various Italian delicacies such as fresh antipasti, various cheeses and sliced meats is a recommendation of the house. The buffet is a clear recommendation also from us, as the tasty delicacies served with homemade bread, are the perfect thing to stimulate your taste buds. But we also liked the grilled octopus with garlic, parsley and lemon, which tasted excellent.

The main courses are also based on classics, with scaloppine al limone or filetto di branzino alle mandorle being just two of them. We were not completely convinced by the fish, because it was cooked a bit too long and was therefore rather dry and not glassy as it should be. There is definitely room for improvement here, both in terms of preparation and presentation.

However, the scaloppine al limone was impeccable and the tagliatelle as a side were very tasty. We also liked that the dishes are each served on completely different plates, which makes the presentation kind of unique.

The dessert menu is also kept simple and classic according to their motto “less is more”, with tiramisu being one of the three desserts on offer. The tiramisu was served in a glass and tasted as we expected - simple and delicious with no extra frills.

The Ristorante Antico is fully committed to simple and honest cuisine. The rustic and antique ambience invites you to linger and lets you reminisce about old times. With dedication to quality ingredients, they serve dishes that convince in terms of freshness and taste. An authentic Italian with potential to be an all-time classic.

Prices:

$$

Address:

Ristorante Antico

Zähringerstrasse 33

8001 Zürich

Phone: +41 44 253 62 01

E-Mail: info@ristorante-antico.ch

Website: www.ristorante-antico.ch