4 Independent Food Shops in Zug that help lighten my suitcase

Something strange happened during the last minutes aboard my Swiss flight 314 from Manchester to Zurich. During decent, for the first time since I had moved to Switzerland 18-months ago, I felt a sense of coming homing. 

I felt relief at the thought of pouring tea from my own kettle, enjoying Swiss tranquillity and getting back into my bumpily established ‘feel good’ routine. But surprisingly, I was just as excited to walk back into Coop and Migros and the other independent shops I had discovered in Zug.

 Swiss Food Shopping – tedious or delicious?

 While during the five days I spent in the U.K., I had all my favourite food fixes: fish and chips, Cadbury’s crème eggs, Pret and plenty of oriental food (crispy squid, to be specific). On this trip, my suitcase returned a little lighter. 

Surprisingly, I have discovered that food shopping in Switzerland isn’t dull or tedious. But instead, if you branch out of the Coop/Migros route, there are plenty of small independent shops with just what I need and miss. 

Warning- don’t read while hungry

Fresh Shop Market (Oberdorfstrasse 2, 6340 Baar)

There are a few Turkish owned shops around the Zug area, but “Fresh shop” is my favourite. Next to the fresh meat counter is a library of spices that lend themselves particularly well to Ottolenghi dishes like chicken with Sumac and Zaatar. 

Sumac is a beautiful powdery spice saturated with a wine-red hue. Originating from a delicate tree native to the Arabian peninsula, it is citrusy and tart at the same time, fantastic for a variety of rubs and marinades. 

Zaatar is a versatile and impressive Middle Eastern spice blend. The everyday fried egg and plain pizza dough turn into something else once sprinkled with herbaceous and seedy zaatar. 

You may know from previous articles that spice specialist “Beat Heuberger” in Zurich is my Mecca for unique spices. But most Turkish owned shops house an absolute rainbow of pocket-friendly spice options, including useful everyday items like large vats of Himalayan pink salt. 

The exotic fruit and vegetables here are also typically more pocket-friendly than in the main supermarkets. I love to buy courgette flowers for stuffing with goat’s cheese, vitamin-rich deep purple tomatoes as well as an Indian Kenyan favourite fruit called guava! 

An unexpected find has been the British company Unilever’s Domestos bleach (toxic product for use in small quantities for cleaning only). For e, no cleaning cupboard is complete without it. I have also found baking soda and British household beloved P.G. tips tea here for emergencies! 

Ram Asian Grocery Store, Metallstrasse 9B, Zug

Bless my parents who would initially visit me here with suitcases laden with all my favourite British and Indian products. Teapigs Everyday Brew and M&S crumpets, packets of lentils and Chevra (Bombay mix!). 

So keen to shave a few kilos of my sweet mum’s baggage, I was delighted to discover Raam stores behind Metalli shortly after arriving in Zug. 

This shop stocks some of the finest and rarest fruits and vegetables I have seen in Switzerland. Bitter gourds (Momordica charantia), frequently hailed as a superfood, honeydew mangos in summer (tasting entirely different from the green/red south American mangos typically found in the main supermarkets), fresh aromatic curry leaves and oriental specialties such as choy sum and rambutans! With its fair price point, I also stock up on spices and large bags of lentils here. Come Diwali I literally walk out with half the shop!

While I like to sprout mung beans to make a delicious hot lentil salad, I love to do this so often that I will frequently just buy a ready sprouted power mix from Coop or Migros. See the end of the article for my recipe.

Alnatura within Migros Metalli Zug

Having discussed exotic foods until now, I am not saying the Swiss supermarket offering is limited. For example, in Zug, we have an Alnatura within our large Migros, a gold mine of extensive healthy and delicious food. 

Actually, I like their ready done daal soup and was shocked to find high-quality ayurvedic supplements like Triphala (especially good for digestion) and Meghan Markle’s favourite ashwagandha (an ayurvedic herb thought to relax nerves, amongst other things). 

I also like to discover new things here in Switzerland, such as jams and juices from the mountainous Sanddorn berry (sea buckthorn shrub). I first tried this bright orange, vitamin C rich berry in a Sanddorn Pie at the Alpenrosli restaurant in Klosters. Having never even heard of this berry before, I  was delighted to discover something so unusual!

Through the selection available at Alnatura, one can see that the Swiss consumer population is becoming ever more curious (Ayurveda), innovative (products like healthy Swiss rhythm 108 biscuits also sold in popular whole foods market worldwide) and interested in variety (uncommon Sanddorn berry produce)!

The Sour Bros. in Sattel & Café Plaza Cham

Up until recently, I have missed a true decent artisan sourdough in Switzerland. So thankfully, The Sour Bros, opened up a micro-bakery in the village of Sattel, specialising in my favourite tangy bread. 

From wholesome whites to grainy browns, these talented bakers also supply their outstanding loaves via Café Plaza in Cham. 

Back to the U.K.

Honestly speaking, if I drive to the U.K. in summer, I will still fill my car with a decent M&S grocery shop (and some Fortnum mason for good measure). However, stocking up on those ethnic and whole food items so important to my healthy eating habits won’t be necessary.

I have been surprised and impressed with what is available here in Switzerland. Exciting produce keeps cropping up, just like my new favourite Zugerberg sourdough. 

Recipe for Quick Stir-fried Sprouted Pulses

Ingredients:

• • Bio-Power mix sprouted chickpeas and lentils (or sprout your own mung beans)
  • Coconut oil or ghee for frying
  • Spices: half a teaspoon each of -turmeric, mustard seeds, cumin, salt, red chilli powder
  • Lemon juice (half a small lemon)

Method:

Heat up your oil of choice, throwing in the spices (except salt and chilli powder) once the oil is hot. Let the spices sizzle for a few seconds, the mustard seeds will start to spit. 

Throw in the sprouted lentil mix and coat it evenly in the hot spice-laced oil. Stir fry for around 3 to 4 minutes and then sprinkle with salt and a chilli powder according to taste. Stir fry for a further 3/4 minutes, squeezing a generous amount of lemon juice over to finish. 

At this point, I stir in a little apple cider vinegar. But as mentioned, this is just a personal health hack I use to help balance my blood glucose levels. You can also add other fresh items you may have to have such as freshly chopped coriander.

Enjoy the warming, contrasting lemon, salt and chilli flavours in this insanely healthy dish!