Hi All,
sorry if you feel like I am asking again one of those 'where to go out in ZH?' questions .. but I did a search in the forum and despite the tons of recommandations for clubs and restaurants I already found ... I need something a bit more specific.

Here is the background. I am organizing my BF 30th surprise bday party
We have friends flying from half of Europe and CH for the occasion, and I am looking for some suggestion for where to go for dinner and also where to go after.

Here is what I am looking for: a restuarant with good food (Italian, Swiss, French, something nice and not too complicated) and a a nice atmoshpere (that can serve a group of 16 noisy adults and a toddler) around the center of the city

Somewhere to go out after dinner with good music (preferibly Rock, Indie Rock, or just some good lounge/dancing music), where we can have a good time (and good drinks) without having to be dressed to the nines (e.g. going full out clubbing).

Any suggestions? I just recently moved to the area ... and I really have no idea. In exchange I can provide loads of tips about Geneva and Nyon

Cheers,
ValeC

Hiya - still getting to know the place myself but i can tell you a couple of places suitable for a big group - so the criteria is somewhat noisy, fun atmosphere....

Casa Aurelio - Had our Christmas Lunch here - Superb food and very laid back Spanish restaurant by Langstrasse
Forum - Very relaxed restaurant and late bar
Hermannseck - Very relaxed and cool restaurant
Restaurant Italia on Zeughausstrasse - Chilled out excellent Italian
Zeughauskeller (havent eaten here but it's the 'authentic' Swiss experience in the centre and noisy and could easily handle big groups)
Restaurants Josef and Cinque - 2 very cool restaurants right now but small places so you need to check if they can take such a big number...

For later on im less helpful as i tend to just stay in bars till late....e.g. like Forum or the Grand Cafe across the road from Forum....

Have fun....

Zeughauskeller is fun, but a little too touristy for my taste...

Thanks for the suggestions! I'll look into it this week!

ValeC

I'd go somewhere like Alpenrose and then head over to Abart.

Which night of the week will this be? Might help us recommend the club.

Oh sure, didn't realize i didn't mention it, this will be on a Saturday.

Thanks again for all your help!
V

Abart sounds awesome, perfect type of music. The only concern i have is that it looks like pretty much away from everything ...
... any good restaurant in the neighbourhood?

Thanks again.
V

Tao

Club, pub and grub all in one place...

Expensive.

There are two pretty good restaurants in Enge, which are a five to ten minute walk away:

Don Leone, which serves good pizza and other Italian dishes:

http://donleone.ch/cms/zh_waffenplatz/

If you want to dine there be sure to book more than a week ahead (especially as you have a big group) as it is rather popular.

The Bederhof serves well-executed Swiss classics and has a bar next door.

http://www.bederhof.ch/

It tends to be full of suits during the week, but doesn't have that problem at the weekend.

Thinking of another area:

There are some good restarants around Wiedikon and Langstrasse and you'd be close to Zukunft, which might suit your taste depending on the night.

http://www.zukunft.cl/

And as another idea, how about Hardbrücke/Escher-Wysse. Here you've got restaurants like Les Halles and Rosso which are suitable for a large casual group (Alpenrose's not too far away as well). And then you've got Exil. Again, whether that has the right vibe depends on the night . . . good club though.

http://www.exil.cl/

14 Gault Millau points . . . But it doesn't really look fun. And far far away from an indie vibe. Do people dance there?

If you are planning this for summer time consider to throw the party at the Zurich lake in one of the boat clubs - it provides a cool, posh location on the water