Santa Lucia Paradeplatz — Restaurant in Zurich

We were in Zurich and we were looking for a place to eat after 10pm and a nice waiter in Ristorante Bindella referred us to Santa Lucia! This was great advice as Santa Lucia was open later than the other restaurants in the area and they served excellent food freshly made to order! There was a queue to get a table however, we got lucky as there was only two of us and there were able to get a little table for two downstairs!

The Staff: The staff was very friendly and as I mentioned they were able to get us a seat almost immediately. When seated our server was very attentive providing us with a wine recommendation with our respective choice of meal as well as freshly grating parmesan over our meals at our request!

The Food: We ordered one serving of the Bruschetta ai pomodori and a pasta dish each, with my partner going for the Bolognese and I went for the Santa Chiara. The bruschetta was divine with fresh herbs and olive oil and beautiful tomatoes on a crunchy piece of bread! The pasta dishes were also amazing! The protion size was perfect as we were both really hungry and the meal hit the spot! The Santa Chiara was lovely creamy and the Bolognese was rich with a lovely tomato ragu! There was a choice of pasta to choose from and I went for tagliatelle and my partner going for rigatoni! What more could you want for a meal late at night!

Layout: The restaurant is split into a ground level area and a downstairs area. Both sections were large with lots of tables and seating. We were seated in the downstairs area right next to the pizza oven/station area. It was entertaining to see the pizza area open to all the restaurant and watch the quick and speedy staff churn out delicious food! There is a lovely large spiraling staircase between the two floors with a little kids area beside it!

Kids Area: If you have a couple of small kids taging along with you then this place is ideal! They have a great little area for children to play downstairs so they can be occupied while you can have a chance to enjoy a meal with a loved one!

Wheelchair Access: Unfortunately I did not pay attention as we were entering the restaurant to see if there was a step or not... However, from reviewing my pictures I believe that there are no steps entering the premises! I did not notice if there was a lift of some kind for wheelchair users to access the lower level of the restaurant so I am not sure if that is possible but I would imagine that there is some form of access? I did not use the toilets so I am also not sure as to whether they have wheelchair friendly toilets. Apologies for not having more information about wheelchair accessibility on this premises.

Overall Opinion: Since it was last night in Switzerland I certaily feel Santa Lucia did a great job on making it a special one! I am a little ashamed to say that I had no real expectation for this restaurant when it was so late however, I was pleasantly proved wrong! The food, staff and atmosphere here are all great and it is certainly a restaurant...

Great Wine, Sweet Staff, and a Carbonara Crime Scene 💀🍝

The Serbian waitress is an absolute angel sent from above, and the colleague working with her was just as lovely. So why 3 stars? BECAUSE THEY DESERVE 5 ON THEIR OWN! 👼💫 The house Sauvignon Blanc was actually really nice, strong 8.5/10 for that! 🍷 Not cheap, but hey, quality!

But now, the food 😮‍💨 Guys, come on. First of all, the Carbonara was literally swimming in hot eggy cream sauce. If this is what you call an “authentic” Italian restaurant, I’m sorry but LOL. They even grilled BACON on top, really? 😂 I poked around in the pasta, expecting at least a hint of cheese binding it all together, but nope, nothing had really clung to it. At that point it became obvious, this was cream based, not even pretending to play by the rules. I did ask for some parmesan cheese on the side, and yeah, full transparency, I didn’t dare say pecorino romano out loud, because let’s be real, I feel like the chef might have frozen in place hearing that, so I played it safe😅 The waitress, still being super sweet, offered to have them redo it without cream, lol, not sure what magic would have come out of that kitchen next, but I passed and asked for a lasagna instead.

The lasagna? Taste-wise it was decent, but meat? Let’s just say it was there, somewhere 🫠🤦🏼‍♂️

(I love italian food, I’ve been to Italy twice a year for the past 10 years, so I KNOW WHAT A REAL CARBONARA IS)

So here's a friendly PSA for the chef, with all due respect:

🥓 Guanciale, pork cheek (or pancetta if you’re desperate), NOT bacon! 🍝 Spaghetti, or bucatini (I love with tagliatelle) 🧀 Pecorino Romano, not parmesan 🥚 Egg yolks only, 1 per person plus one extra ⚫ Black pepper, fresh cracked, generously 🧂 Salt, only in the pasta water ❌ NO CREAM, EVER ❌ NO GARLIC, ONIONS, BUTTER, OR BACON

You mix the egg and cheese off the heat so you don’t scramble it, add a bit of that beautiful pasta water to make it creamy, NOT CREAM, PEOPLE 🙃

Anyway, it’s currently 5AM and I’ve just been to the toilet for the third time tonight, so congrats on the lasagna too...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fast, Flavorful, and Fabulous – Santa Lucia, Zurich

Our dinner at Santa Lucia in Zurich was nothing short of spectacular – a perfect blend of authentic Italian flavors, warm ambiance, and impressively efficient service.

🍝 Delicious Dishes, Beautifully Served

We ordered a range of standout plates that delighted both the eye and the palate: • Gnocchi al Pesto with Burrata – soft, pillowy gnocchi dressed in rich pesto, topped with ultra-creamy burrata and fresh basil. Every bite was comforting and deeply flavorful. • Ravioli in Butter-Sage Sauce – delicate pasta parcels in a velvety, fragrant sauce. Elegant and soul-warming. • Casarecce in Tomato Sauce with Burrata – fresh tomato flavors elevated by a generous dollop of burrata and basil. A perfect classic. • Shrimp in Garlic-Herb Oil – plump, perfectly cooked shrimp with bold notes of garlic, rosemary, and chili – simple, rustic, and irresistible. • Trofie & Penne with Pistachio Pesto – nutty, aromatic, and finished with a creamy burrata center. A creative twist that worked beautifully.

⏱️ Quick, Seamless Service for a Large Group

We were a party of eight and were pleasantly surprised at how quickly everything came together – our meals were served promptly, and the entire dinner was wrapped up in under 40 minutes. That’s nearly unheard of for a sit-down meal of this quality, especially for a group our size.

🕯️ Ambiance & Experience

The setting was cozy yet polished, with soft lighting and attentive staff who made sure everything went smoothly. It’s clear they know how to handle both the food and the flow.

⸻

✅ Highly Recommended

Whether you’re looking for a flavorful Italian meal, speedy service for a group, or both – Santa Lucia delivers. We left full, satisfied, and impressed.

We’ll absolutely be back (hopefully with a bit more time for dessert...