Puro — Restaurant in Zurich

I have visited Puro in Zurich several times over the past years and have always enjoyed the ambiance and the friendly service. However, during my last visit with my father, who was visiting us as he does every year, and my girlfriend, we had a truly unpleasant experience that left us shocked and disappointed.

We were sitting at our table, having just arrived and before ordering anything, when a man who appeared to be the manager (we later learned his name is Martin) came over and abruptly told us we were not allowed to eat the chocolates we had just bought from a nearby shop. He said, in a very unfriendly tone, that Puro serves food and that if we wanted to eat, we should order from the menu. While we understand that outside food may not be allowed, his approach was completely inappropriate and unnecessarily aggressive, especially considering we had not even ordered yet and were simply planning to have a coffee before continuing our day. This had never been an issue in the 4–5 times we had visited Puro in the past.

What followed was even more disturbing. Right after addressing us in English, he turned to two women sitting nearby and said in Italian: “This is what these people from the East do.” We were stunned, not only because we fully understood what he said (as we are Italian ourselves), but also because of the xenophobic undertone of his comment. Even if it wasn’t directed at us specifically, it was deeply offensive and entirely unacceptable.

Despite feeling uncomfortable, we still stayed and eventually ordered our coffee. The rest of the staff were warm and professional, which made the manager’s behavior stand out even more.

When we left, we told him that we found his earlier comment to be racist. Rather than apologizing, he shouted at us from a distance as we walked away.

This incident happened a few months ago, but I believe it’s important to share, as such behavior, especially from someone in a leadership position, is unacceptable anywhere, and particularly disappointing in a diverse and respectful city...

We went in to try this fancier/higher priced restaurant. The staff was friendly but pushed us actively towards more expensive options.

Especially when we didn’t intend to take a starter, and the waitress insisted on a starter, we said maybe to share, but she insisted that she could offer us 2 small portions for 17 chf each. We reluctantly agreed, and when we got served, suddenly the owner came and served us white truffle, which we weren’t informed was part of the dish.

The eventual bill came in at more than 400chf as they charged us for 15g of truffle instead of the 10g that we consumed. I had to call the waiter and take 75chf off the bill.

The starter that we didn’t really want ended up costing us about 70chf per person.

Generally it ruined our experience and food, and left a bitter taste in our mouth. Will discourage anyone to eat here.

I suspect they thought we were tourists and abused...

I've been to Puro Restaurant twice now, and unfortunately, both experiences left much to be desired. Firstly, while the location is nice, with a picturesque setting, the food quality simply doesn't match up. On my first visit, I ordered the rice with chicken, and the rice had a strong, unpleasant oily smell, which was quite off-putting. On my second visit, hoping for a better experience, I found the chicken to be incredibly dry, rendering it practically inedible.

Moreover, the manager's demeanor was extremely disappointing. Not only was they unfriendly, but also excessively loud and their attempts at humor fell flat, making for an uncomfortable atmosphere. Their jokes were not only unfunny but also downright bizarre.

Overall, I won't be returning to Puro Restaurant. With so many superior dining options available in Zurich, it's simply not worth settling for subpar food and...