The story
Sihlhalde, at Sihlhaldenstrasse 70 in Gattikon (Zürich), holds one Michelin star (2026) for classic cuisine with very few components on the plate. Gregor "Smoly" Smolinsky cooks in the 17th-century Riegelhaus where his father Jürg worked the stove for 36 years.
Smolinsky trained under Adolf Blokbergen in Vevey and Philippe Rochat in Crissier. He cooks the way he likes to eat: a sea bass pan-fried briefly, served with cima di rapa, cicorino rosso and a classic beurre blanc. Gault&Millau rates the kitchen 16 points (2026). Many regulars first came in his father's time and still feel at home in the tavern rooms.
Brasato ravioli with Périgord truffle sauce is the signature, and some guests order it as a main course with two servings. Between 40 and 50 kilos of truffles are preserved each year to meet the demand. Other fixtures include duck liver terrine, scallops in the shell with catalogna, veal braised in Barolo jus and an Emmental-crusted veal chop. The quark soufflé has a following of its own.
The seasonal side of the menu shows in the first asparagus from Baden, served three ways: hollandaise, vinaigrette and morel cream. Gitzi comes from France, paired with crisp wild garlic from the nearby Sihlwald. A daily-changing three-course lunch costs 66 francs. In summer, tables are set in the shaded garden.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
I cook the way I like to eat myself," says Gregor "Smoly" Smolinsky. So he buys a sea bass from Bianchi, pan-fries it briefly, and serves it with some Cima di rapa, Cicorino rosso, and a classic beurre blanc. Top-quality products, perfect preparation; there's no need for gimmicks on the plate. The regular guests appreciate this. Many of them already dined at the Sihlhalde when Papa Jürg was behind the stove (for 36 years), and they also feel comfortable with the son and in the tavern "like at home." Gregor learned from the greats: from the unfortunately early-deceased Romandy stars Adolf Blokbergen in Vevey and Philippe Rochat in Crissier. A few dishes probably stay on the menu forever in the 17th-century Riegelhaus. We count the brasato ravioli with elegant Périgord truffle sauce among them. Insatiable diners order the ravioli as the main course and get two servings; truly insatiable ones take a few extra portions in a Styrofoam container home as an emergency supply. 40 to 50 kilos of truffles are preserved annually to satisfy the huge demand. Also among the classics are the duck liver terrine, the scallops served in their shell with catalogna, the veal ragout braised in a precisely prepared Barolo jus, and the Emmental-crusted veal chop. Is "Smoly" seasonal? He orders the first asparagus from Baden in good time for his guests and offers it in three variations: Hollandaise sauce, vinaigrette, and morel cream sauce. The chef surprisingly buys the Gitzi from France ("better and more consistent quality"), served with crispy wild garlic from the nearby Sihlwald forest. Also worth recommending is the daily changing lunch offer: a three-course meal with plenty of quality for a reasonable 66 francs. In summer, service is available in the shaded garden.
Location