Carouge – Local tips (coffee & tea)

To all chocoholics: If you are looking for the ultimate Swiss-chocolate experience, forget about “Toblerone” and indulge yourself at this chocolate café!

A leisurely tram ride will take you from town into Carouge, a quaint and small ”suburb” built in the 18th century by Turinese architects. The tiny chocolate shop, located at Place de l’Octroi, offers a fine selection of delicious, home made Pralinés. Spoil yourself to an assortment or treat your family and friends with one of the gift boxes (variety of sizes and packages available). Quality has its price (10 Fr. for a 100gr) but it is worth the spend!

The place is a little tea-room as well, so if you would like to have a break and a hot chocolate or enjoy your Pralinés with a cup of coffee you can sit down at one of the three tiny tables. In summer, the friendly staff will serve you on the terrace.

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Chocolaterie de l’Arve | Coffee & tea, Shopping | 100 gr CHF 10.00
Place de l’Octroi 13 | Carouge | +41223434500
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 12:30 & 14:00 – 18:30, Sat 09 :00 -13:00

The history of the “Bio” goes back as far as 1929. It has changed names and owners many times and has even been at the heart of a political controversy a few years ago. The cause: The building, privately owned, was about to be sold and turned into a fast-food place.

Direct democracy can be a powerful tool and the inhabitants of Carouge used it successfully to save their cinema: They launched a petition, asking the local authorities to buy the building and in April 2004, people went to the polls and approved the project. Public funds as well as private donations made it possible to acquire and renovate the building and a foundation has been running the cinema profitably since then.

Cinema Bio is part of the independent cinemas of Geneva (see also “Les Scalas” -article) and they offer a variety of quality films from all over the world. There is a tiny café where you can have a drink before or after the showing and its terrace is appreciated by the locals in summer, especially after a stroll through the Carouge Market (see the Carouge Market article).

If you are interested, you can find a list of all independent cinemas of Geneva on this website.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cinema Bio | Cinemas, Coffee & tea | Mondays CHF 12
Rue St-Joseph 47 | Carouge | +41223015443
Check website for opening times

Calm stands for “Comme A La Maison” (meaning that you will feel like at home) and if you are looking for a coffee break in a really cosy place right in the heart of Carouge you should try this café.

If the sun is out, you may want to relax on their beautiful shady courtyard terrace. They serve soups, salads, home made quiches and cakes and they also have a good selection of tea and coffee. On Saturday and Sunday, the place is known for its brunch. If you want to  make sure to get a table, you better go early as they do not take any reservations.

The place has been criticized for being rather pricey (CHF 6.00 for a pot of tea and about the same for a slice of cake) and service is certainly not among the best in Geneva. But despite critics, I like this cosy hangout because a) Geneva is not exactly known for being a service-heaven and b) the cakes are simply delicious (try the apple crumble!).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
ô Calm | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Pot tea CHF 6.00
Rue Ancienne 36 | Carouge | +41223012220
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00