Soft x-ray Zernike phase contrast microscopy was implemented using a "Zernike zone plate" (ZZP) without the use of a separate phase filter in the back focal plane. The ZZP is a single optic that integrates the appropriate +/-pi/2 radians phase shift through selective zone placement shifts in a Fresnel zone plate. Imaging using a regular zone plate, positive ZZP, and negative ZZP was performed at a wavelength of lambda = 2.163 nm. Contrast enhancement with the positive ZZP and contrast reversal with the negative ZZP were observed.