«La Trattoria Freilager», Zürich

Antonio Colaianni has a permanent address again, a new role and his proven signature style

Since August 2024, he has been co-owner of the “Freilager” in Zurich together with the previous host Marco Però and assures us that he has come to stay - until his retirement in any case. Instead of bistro cuisine, there is now trattoria cuisine. The chef likes brasato: we find the braised beef in the stuffed ravioli (with butter and sage) and as a main course in the “Menu d'affari”. We would also order the fish again at any time: Sea bass fillet on vegetable saffron rice. The hit of the evening: the “Cotoletta di Vitello Burro e salvia”, a dry-aged veal cutlet weighing 350 grams for two people. The pizzaiolo also has his oven (380 degrees!) well under control; children's pizzas are also available. Something completely new has also been created in the former bar.

“La Cucina Colaianni”

There is an open kitchen in which Antonio Colaianni and another chef offer a five-course menu for 30 guests on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; the interior comes from Casa Armani. The 55-year-old chef, who has a reputation among his fans as “the best Italian in town”, already has the starter menu in mind: it consists of classics from his career that are as popular as pop hits from the nineties: bouillabaisse, Ormalinger young pork or “Tiramisu leggero”.

The tiramisu is also available in the 80-seat trattoria, it is prepared at the table and consists of sponge fingers, coffee from the bialetti, coffee ice cream, mascarpone espuma and almond crumble. Although the rest of the menu is simple, it is based on excellent products hand-picked by Antonio Colaianni. He has even carefully selected the flour, mozzarella and tomatoes for the excellent pizza. It is the task of head chef Alessio Zappia, whose past at Heinz Beck in Rome, at “Lasarte” in Barcelona and at “Ornellaia” and “La Réserve” in Zurich gives us confidence, to realize the quality ideas of the Italo-Bernese.