Placid Hotel · Zurich, Switzerland

Around the corner, sumptuous jewel-toned armchairs are assembled around a dark wood table, on which international newspapers and magazines are neatly stacked. The compact, open-plan foyer opens out onto Placid’s all-day restaurant, the Buckhuser—a reference to the street’s name, as well as the Swiss German term for a host who knows everyone in the neighborhood. Fittingly, the restaurant and bar are also open to the public, serving market-fresh, regional cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Buckhuser’s chefs work together with a local startup that connects farmers and vegetable growers in the canton of Thurgau with Zurich restaurants, allowing chefs to see exactly what’s in season and plan their menus accordingly, ensuring freshness and seasonality while minimizing waste.