What the Swiss like to eat at home and when out is heavily influenced by their neighbours' cuisine, especially the Italians. But what is real Swiss cuisine? Most Swiss would probably say: käsefondue (cheese fondue), a hot soup of cheese and white wine eaten by dunking cubes of bread in it. Delicious, but the smell can take getting used to. Raclette is another cheese speciality, melted cheese on potatoes served with different pickles and sides.

Würste or sausages are also very Swiss, the bratwurst (usually veal) and cervelat (pork) being the most common. Züri gschnätzlets is a traditional Zurich dish, thin strips of veal cooked in a cream sauce, often with mushrooms. This is often served with rösti, a cake of fried grated potatoes, a bit like Spanish tortilla but also on the list of Swiss traditionals.

Switzerland also has an impressive range of breads to go with the cheeses, e.g. the rich zopf (plaited loaf) is a favourite for Sunday breakfasts. Fondue chinoise and fondue bourgignonne are not traditionally Swiss, strictly speaking, but these two meat fondues are very popular too. Both involve dipping meat into a pot, full of either hot broth (chinoise) or oil (bourgignonne) and then enjoying with a range of sauces and sides.