No visit to Zürich is complete without a stop in one of the many Sprüngli stores scattered across the city. Switzerland's oldest chocolate maker traces its roots all the way back to 1836. Their primary location, the Confiserie Sprüngli (Paradeplatz, Bahnhofstrasse 21, 8022 Zürich - Tel. +41 1 224 47 11), has been expanded and rennovated several times over the years. Not only can you select from their many fine chocolates here, but you can also get pastries and desserts here as well. Settle in with a delicious hot cocoa and enjoy the people-watching, as Sprüngli is a very popular attraction with visitors and locals alike. They have 17 locations across Zürich; most are only open Monday to Saturday. If you have a craving on Sunday, you'll have to pop over to either the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) or the airport.
Surprisingly, Sprüngli's most popular product is not its chocolate, but petite macaroon biscuits called Luxemburgerli that come in a variety of flavors, such as lemon, caramel, chocolate, vanilla, raspberry, champagne, and hazelnut, among others, including seasonal flavors - you can buy them loose or prepackaged. These petite goodies are made fresh daily and are best eaten within the first 24 hours of baking; although if they're refridgerated, they can last 2 to 3 days. Luxemburgerli were actually introduced to Zürich in the 1950s by a young trainee from the Confiserie Namur in Luxembourg who was working in the Zürich Sprüngli. Initially, these treats were not very popular, and they were named for their country of origin. However, Zürich came to love these too, and today, Sprüngli produces over 650kg (over 1,400 lbs) every day.
They place such a high value on freshness that their Luxemburgerli and truffles are made fresh daily and only sold on the date of manufacture, and their suppliers are all located within one hour of any of their production locations. However, they do offer shipping services online, as well as personalized chocolates and pastries.
Sprüngli's latest addition to their lineup is their "Grand Cru" truffles. The cocoa beans used for these chocolates are the absolute peak of the crop, and you can tell the moment one of these delights melts on your tongue. If you consider yourself a chocoholic, and cannot get to Zürich yourself, you don't know what you're missing!
Whether it's chocolate or an unusual treat you crave, you cannot go wrong at Sprüngli!
Two convenient locations:
Confiserie Sprüngli
Paradeplatz - Bahnhofstrasse 21
8022 Zürich
Tel. +41 1 224 47 11
Mon-Fri 7:30am-6:30pm
Sat 8am-4pm
Hauptbahnhof Zürich (main train station)
Bahnhofplatz 15
8001 Zürich
Tel. +41 1 211 76 16
Mon-Fri 6:45am-9pm
Sat 6.45am-8pm
Sun 8.45am-5pm
For further locations, visit their website at www.spruengli.ch.