The story
Zum Pflugstein is a Swiss restaurant at Pflugsteinstrasse 71 in Erlenbach, in the Zürich region, and Gault&Millau rated it 14 points in 2026. It occupies a half-timbered farmhouse with a view of Lake Zurich.
Head chef Maria Appel, born in Bavaria in 1983, joined as sous-chef in 2007 and now leads the brigade. Nearly everything is made in-house, from fish stock and ravioli to the friandises that arrive with coffee. Michelin lists the restaurant with a Bib Gourmand (2026) for good quality, good value cooking.
The loup de mer comes to the table baked in a salt crust, and the service taps it free before plating it with couscous, lemon, matchstick fries and spinach. The "Pflugstein" Hacktätschli, juicy minced meat patties with crisp vegetables and mashed potatoes, is another house fixture, alongside Wienerschnitzel and Siedfleisch. For dessert, the affogato is served in reverse, with the espresso poured over the vanilla ice cream. These Swiss classics are treated with care and not dressed up with trends.
Guests can sit in the romantic Stübli, the fireplace dining room, or the garden with its lake view. Hostess Jeannine Meili describes the style as refined and still cosy. The house also hosts birthdays, baptisms and anniversaries.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
good quality, good value cooking
High above Lake Zurich in the Riegelhaus, the service presented the whole loup de mer in a salt crust at the table, gently tapping the perfectly cooked fish from its snow-white coating and plating it with couscous, half a lemon, matchstick fries, spinach leaves, and a sweet-and-tangy Croatian olive oil. During our early spring visit, we sat in the cozy dining room rather than on the dream terrace, and ordered a second main course: a “Pflugstein” classic—juicy minced meat patties served with still slightly crisp vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, green asparagus, peas) and excellent mashed potatoes. Before and after the main courses came well-matched starters and complementary desserts: to begin, a chicory salad with avocado, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, and blueberries dressed in a sweet balsamic vinaigrette. A lukewarm, butter-tender carpaccio of veal tongue with a vegetable vinaigrette. And artichoke hearts with cherry tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and arugula. To finish, a seasonal rhubarb tartlet with sour cream ice cream and (less seasonal) berries. Or an affogato (“It always works!”), which at the “Pflugstein” is served in reverse: here, the vanilla ice cream isn’t poured into the espresso, but rather the other way around. Hostess Jeannine Meili and head chef Maria Appel simply have the knack for it: guests are not startled by trendy modern gimmicks here—but the classics never feel dated.
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