The Oepfelchammer — "Apple Chamber" in Swiss German — is the oldest tavern in Zurich, in continuous operation since 1801 in a building that goes back to the early 1700s. The interior is a string of dark, low-beamed rooms with carved benches, tiled stoves, and walls and beams covered in carved names of past customers — including the poet Gottfried Keller, who drank here for years and is now Zurich's most-cited literary regular.
The challenge of the place is the ceiling beam in the back room: hoist yourself up, lie horizontally along it, drink a full glass of wine, and you may carve your name. Most guests come for the food (Swiss classics — Cordon Bleu, ham hock, fondue) rather than the gymnastics. Reservations essential; book well in advance for weekends.