An Chay
Aussersihl, Zürich
Restaurant in Zürich, Switzerland
Book with PearlThe Read
Price
$20–30per person
Dress
Casual
Why go
An Chay is a practical Zürich pick for diners who want an easy, casual meal rather than a major occasion. Lunch is the stronger choice for efficiency, while dinner suits a slower catch-up. Book it for convenience and low-pressure dining, not for awards, chef theatre, or a formal tasting-menu experience.
About An Chay
An Chay is a casual dining option in Zürich with service listed for weekday lunch on Tuesday through Friday and dinner from Tuesday through Saturday. Plan around the posted opening times, keep the dress code casual, and confirm any needs that go beyond the basic schedule before you go.
Choose lunch for the weekday window, dinner for broader timing
The main decision here is timing. Lunch is available Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, which makes it the narrower window. Dinner runs Tuesday to Friday from 6–10 PM and Saturday from 6–10 PM, giving diners more evening options. An Chay is closed on Monday and Sunday.
An Chay is a direct casual choice in Zürich.
Who should put it on the Zürich shortlist
An Chay works well for diners who are planning around basics: Zürich location, casual dress, weekday lunch hours, and Tuesday-to-Saturday dinner hours. Pair it with broader planning from Our full Zürich restaurants guide. For a wider trip, the city guides for Zürich hotels and Zürich bars can help place the meal within a larger itinerary.
For a quick-reference decision: use lunch only on Tuesday through Friday, consider dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and avoid planning for Monday or Sunday because An Chay is closed. Dress expectations are casual.
Planning details
- Hours
- Monday: Closed · Tuesday: 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6–10 PM
- Location
- Zypressenstrasse 94, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland
- Website
- anchayzurich.com
- Phone
- +41446210840
The take
The Take
The Vibe
An Chay positions itself as a quiet, focused counterpoint to Zurich’s meat-and-dairy dining mainstream. Tucked into Zypressenstrasse in Kreis 4, the restaurant reads like a neighbourhood discovery: modest in scope, culturally specific, and attentive to the disciplined traditions of Vietnamese chay cooking. Mushroom stocks, fermented pastes and careful tofu work are central to the cooking, and the venue rewards diners who come with some understanding of phở chay. Overall it feels like a locally minded, thoughtful spot that prioritizes authenticity and craft over spectacle, offering a small‑scale, quietly distinctive dining experience.
Best For
An Chay is best for diners seeking an authentic, plant-focused take on Vietnamese food rather than a glossy, hotel-driven meal. Its residential Zypressenstrasse address and tram access frame it as a neighbourhood option suited to lunch or dinner and to people who are curious about chay’s specific traditions. The menu calls for “a particular kind of diner” who understands, or is eager to learn, what phở chay is, so it works well for solo visits, casual meetups with friends, or locals exploring Zurich’s immigrant-run kitchens rather than for formal, expense-account occasions.
Ordering Tips
Approach the menu with attention to chay technique: mushroom stocks, fermented pastes and diverse tofu preparations form the backbone of flavor. Try signature plant-based items (Goi Du Du, Xoi Chay and Banh Cuon Chay) to sample different textures and regional approaches. If you’re new to phở chay, treat the broth as a specialty in its own right and expect umami from mushrooms and fermented elements rather than meat-derived richness. Order a couple of plates to share or a single broth-forward dish to experience the kitchen’s depth of vegetarian technique.
Venue details
Ambiance
Informal and uncomplicated with a nice casual vibe and functional decor.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Counter Service
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Small
- Kitchen
- Modern
- Menu Format
- A la carte, Small plates
- Dietary
- Vegan options, Vegetarian friendly
- Outdoor Seating
- Yes
Signature Dishes
- Goi Du Du
- Xoi Chay
- Banh Cuon Chay
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- Zypressenstrasse 94, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland
Planning details
Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6–10 PM
- Wednesday
- 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6–10 PM
- Thursday
- 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6–10 PM
- Friday
- 11:30 AM–1:30 PM, 6–10 PM
- Saturday
- 6–10 PM
- Sunday
- Closed
Location
Also consider
Also Consider
- Barranco, Peruvian, €€
- Delhi House of Best Curry Indian Restaurant and Bistro, Notable alternative
- Machida Shoten Albisriederplatz, Notable alternative
- Noodlee, Notable alternative
- Zio Panino, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
How An Chay compares in Zürich
Against Barranco, An Chay is the lower-drama choice. Barranco has the clearer category identity, with Peruvian cooking and a €€ signal, so it is the stronger pick when the group wants a more defined dining brief. An Chay is better for a simpler lunch-or-dinner plan where ease matters more than a destination feel.
Machida Shoten Albisriederplatz and Noodlee are better cross-shops when speed and a casual format are the priority. Choose those if the meal needs to be quick and tightly focused; choose An Chay if the group wants a calmer table and a less hurried feel.
Delhi House of Best Curry Indian Restaurant and Bistro and Zio Panino sit in the same practical-decision lane: useful alternatives when availability or group preference points away from An Chay. For a more built-out Zürich shortlist, compare it with 01 and Action Burger rather than treating it as a special-occasion default.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full An Chay guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare An Chay
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Price | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An Chay | Zürich | No published awards | ||
| Barranco | Zürich | Peruvian | €€ | 2026 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand2024 Michelin Bib Gourmand |
| Delhi House of Best Curry Indian Restaurant and Bistro | Zürich | No published awards | ||
| Machida Shoten Albisriederplatz | Zürich | No published awards | ||
| Noodlee | Zürich | No published awards | ||
| Zio Panino | Zürich | No published awards |
How An Chay Zürich compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lunch or dinner better at An Chay?
Lunch works if you need the Tuesday-Friday daytime window, since An Chay is open from 11:30 AM–1:30 PM on those days. Dinner offers more days, with service Tuesday-Friday from 6–10 PM and Saturday from 6–10 PM. An Chay is closed on Monday and Sunday.
What are other options to compare with An Chay?
Other comparison options include Barranco, Noodlee, Zio Panino, Machida Shoten Albisriederplatz, and Delhi House of Best Curry Indian Restaurant and Bistro. An Chay remains the relevant pick here when its Zürich location, casual dress code, and posted lunch or dinner hours match your plans.
Can An Chay accommodate groups?
If you are planning for more than a simple meal, contact An Chay directly and confirm the date, time, and party size. The posted service windows are Tuesday-Friday lunch, Tuesday-Saturday dinner, with Monday and Sunday closed.
