Ladurée Macarons Without the Wait – ZH

Grüezi! If you didn’t know, I landed in Zurich two days ago, and yes, I’ve been stuffing my face with bratwurst, pretzels, beer, and cheese… good lord, lots and lots of cheese. But what’s also great in Zurich is that there’s a Ladurée with no freakin’ wait time. I tried going to Ladurée in New York when they first opened, and it was ridiculous. It was raining, and there was still a line down the block. (I ain’t got time for that!) I’m sure now with Cronut mania in full effect (New Yorkers, what the f*ck is wrong with you?!), a macaron at Ladurée is much easier to come by, but I’m not taking any chances. I’ll be having my fill of macarons before I leave Zurich in a few weeks.

Yesterday, I had a yuzu ginger macaron (CHF 2.50 / USD $2.69), and it really tasted like yuzu, not a random citrus fruit. The problem with macarons in New York is that the fillings all taste like buttercream with just a hint of whatever flavor it’s supposed to be. Not so at Ladurée. All the flavors are pronounced and distinct. There’s also issues with the cookies, either too soggy or too crunchy. I like macarons with a slightly crisp shell and a chewy center. Ladurée macarons are just that.

I also went with my favorite, old reliable, the salted caramel macaron (CHF 2.50 / USD $2.69). The caramel was smooth, salty, and not too crazy sweet.

If you ever find yourself in Zurich, definitely take advantage of a line-free Ladurée. Also, if you’re interested — although not as good in my opinion — Switzerland has their own version of macarons called Luxemburgerli. More on that and Zurich’s savory offerings in the coming weeks. Stay tuned. Uf Widerluege! (FYI, writing goodbye in Swiss German is much easier than saying it!)

Ladurée
Kuttelgasse 17 (map)
8001 Zürich, Switzerland ‎
+41 44 211 88 84