Bars & cafes – All our local tips

I like Acapulco and I’m there regularly, mostly during the week. If the weather is nice enough it’s best to catch a seat outside so you can watch the passers-by. There is a lot going on at that corner. Inside, the sofa seats are so comfortable that you’re likely to stay much longer than you intended to.

Despite its name and logo, the bar has no Mexican or Hawaiian features inside. With mirrors and lots of red it’s a modern and relaxed bar throughout.

This aside, the venue has some special features. Downstairs, a room wallpapered with Panini-soccer-pictures sets the mood for table soccer, where you can compete against rather competitive locals. Once a month, Acapulco hosts the Musikschau night, where you can watch the best music videos of the last 30 years for free.

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Acapulco | Bars | Beer CHF 5.20
Neugasse 56 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41442726688
Mon – Tue 17:00 – 01:00, Wed – Thu & Sun 17:00 – 02:00, Fri 16:00 – 03:00, Sat 17:00 – 03:00

Big Ben Pub. When you hear the name, what do you think of? Does it wake associations, does there… ring a bell? (Sorry for the lousy pun). Well, it’s exactly that: A real British pub. You have the TV’s with sport-channels on, you have pints, you have English, Guinness-drinking guys, the darts and a lot of indie and britpop music.

So wether you’re a homesick englishwoman or englishman or if you’re just into the above mentionned things, you should give the Big Ben Pub a visit, the atmosphere is always great. Sometimes they even have live Bands playing, not regularly though.

I should mention that there are actually two Big Ben Pubs in Zurich, but I’m writing about the one in the old industrial quarter, because I like it a bit better. If you plan on going out in the Niederdorf, the old town, there’s one too, the address is Niederdorfstrasse 52. Cheers mate!

And another thing: Every Thursday Chris Black plays there. Who’s Chris Black? He’s a rocking one man band with a guitar and a Laptop which provides full band support: drums, bass and sometimes a second guitar. He’s slightly punkish and plays all kinds of rock classics, from Nirvana over Beatles, Doors, Oasis, the K

illers and of course the Clash and Sex Pistols. He does a great job sounding like these bands (exept for the cure, he doesn’t sound anything like the cure at all)!

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Big Ben Pub | Bars | Beer CHF 4.50
Hardstrasse 234 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41442710266
Sun – Thu 17:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 17:00 – 03:00. Live music every thursday

A crazy place full of crazy art and crazy people. It is not a usual white-walled gallery decorated with a few precisely placed pictures. It isn’t a place where you sip white wine, wear huge nerd glasses and hold pompous conversations in an overly civilized atmosphere with super stylish people that call themselves artists.

This gallery has a bar with a couch integrated, you drink beer, it is loud and smokey and the crowd manages to admire the exhibited art without constantly discussing the deeper meaning that might be underlying it. Sometimes, the walls are white, sometimes covered in colorful street art by leading Swiss and international artists of the urban scene.

On Wednesdays the „Artsy Fartsy Nights” are on, where you can hang, socialize and exchange ideas with other creative people. One night someone will show a film, another there will be some live painting. You can always count on mad little appetizers served on old skateboards though.

BlamBalmBlam is a gallery that isn’t elitist but refreshingly „real life” (and probably a little “blamblam”). Check it out and enjoy!

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BlamBlamBlam | Art & culture, Bars | Free
Hönggerstrasse 45 | Kreis 5 Industrie
Wed – Sun 16:00 – 20:00

The context:
Zurich’s Niederdorf: a couple of decades ago it was the focus of the city’s nightlife (that version of nightlife that ends around midnight). All tourists or newcomers would head to the Niederdorfstrasse by default. To be fair: the area is always a must. It is full of bars, cafes, restaurants, stores with expensive fashion clothing stores with original offerings (guess what the store called condomeria sells) or outdated business models like porno-cinemas.

The need:
I like live music establishments even when the music would not always qualify for my portable player. So ten years ago, as a newcomer to Zurich, I quickly spotted the casa bar during my explorative strolls in the Niederdorf.

The venue (born in 1958):
Imagine a wooden décor, a scene for the band to play, sofas along the walls, a bar area with some seats and, in between, space for standing (see photos). So if you like to sit, come around half an hour before the show. If you come much later, expect to stand in relatively small distance to the other standing guests. In plain words: it gets full even on Mondays. In the weekend it is packed.

The crowd:
Everybody could be there: the nerd with the jeans and the sneakers, the blond with the fur, me, you, etc. A bit of the sound escapes to the busy street so some curious by-passers step in for a quick glance.

The photos: click here.

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Casa Bar | Bars, Music | Orange juice CHF 9.00
Münstergasse 30 | Kreis 1 City | +41442612002
Sun – Thu 17:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 17:00 – 03:00

I enjoy being a spotter because I like to tell the world stories about my favorite places and things. But there is more to it: I developed the habit of having my eyes open and ending up noticing new spots.

I can’t explain otherwise why I noticed the Coco this year although it exists since October 2006.

Why should I have noticed it earlier? Because it is located so dramatically at a point I often go by: very close to Paradeplatz and on the way to other spots I have already written about (check the Palavrion article, Hyatt Bar article).

Why is it hard to notice? Because it is well hidden as if it wants to let its guests relax in peace. Take Bleicherweg from Paradeplatz and on the second opening look left. You will see a charming place with a garden: elegantly and simply setup. There are nice wooden tables with a simple light complementing the surrounding little lights (see photos). And there are also two little sofas (my favorite setting for a drink) without a table in front of them. So if you don’t want to place your glass on the floor, steal a chair from the nearby tables.

I have only tried the drinks but I certainly will test the venue as a restaurant as soon as possible and will update.

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Coco Bar & Grill | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Grill) | Drinks for two CHF 10.00
Bleicherweg 1A | Kreis 1 City | +41442119898
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 14:30 & 17:00 – 00:00, Sat 17:30 – 00:00

Are you looking for a restaurant combining quality, quantity, a good atmosphere, all at a reasonable price? In Zurich? For me, the Mexican Restaurant Desperado pops up high on the list; in the last 9 years, it has never disappointed me.

There are actually two Desperados in Zurich, one in Höngg and one in Wiedikon. I am a regular of the former.

The menu usually puts me in a dilemma because too many of its dishes appeal to my taste. But most often the winner is: fajitas a discrecion. This meal requires a minimum of two persons and implies unlimited rounds of chicken, beef and shrimp. To enjoy, follow the following strategy: leave out the chicken (nothing special) and concentrate on the beef and the shrimp which are superb. Reduce the proportion of carbohydrates: roll generous quantities of meat and shrimp in the tortillas and leave out rice, beans etc. And don’t order any appetizer before the fajitas.

Some of the deserts are masterpieces: I love the “helado de crema catalana”, yamm! A cigar from the humidor and/or an espresso can be the triumphant epilogue to the entire ritual.

The music is in cultural harmony with the rest of the venue.

If you take your friends to Desperado for your birthday party and declare it, preferably in advance, you eat for free.

The service is excellent; some waiters have been working there for many years.

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Desperado | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Mexican) | Fajitas à discrecion CHF 42.50
Limmattalstrasse 215 | Kreis 10 Wipkingen | +41443417040
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 14:00 & 17:00 – 00:00, Fri 11:00 – 02:00, Sat 16:00 – 02:00,Sun 17:00 – 02:00

Most people have heard of the Dada art movement, but few realise that it originated in the Niederdorf in Zurich in 1916, in partnership with Cabaret Voltaire.

The founder’s house has been preserved and was opened to the public in 2002 as a museum. Last summer, its café was turned into a bar and Duda was born. The name is a play on words, coming from Dada and the German for ‘you there’. So far, very few people know about the bar, as you have to walk through the museum shop – great for unusual gifts – to get to it, and because Duda is not allowed to advertise itself on the historical façade.

The management team is aspiring to create a local meeting point, which is missing in Zurich’s city centre, with a comfy lounge corner and good music and the cheapest (and exclusively local) beer in town! The stylish bar, made from what looks like copper, and the original architectural features, make this bar one of a kind in Zurich. I’m very happy that the funding to keep it going was secured last autumn, and I hope they’ll receive their funding again this year! So visit it while it lasts.

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Duda | Art & culture, Bars | Bottle beer CHF 4.50
Spiegelgasse 1 | Kreis 1 City | +41432685720
Tue – Sat 12:00 – 00:00, Sun 12:30 – 18:30

The Dynamo is Zurichs youth centre with a big range of cultural projects and workshops – an ideal place for creative, active youngsters. Music, Dance, Theatre, Graphics, Photo and Handcraft are what the Dynamo is all about. The place is supported by the city, which means that there is a lot going on and projects, that wouldn’t find sponsors get some financial support.

At the weekends there are parties and often concerts (mostly rock). Besides the main concert location in the Building, under ground there is also a kind of basement, the “Werk 21“, for more underground shows. Every Band can play here, no matter if they’re good or not. So if you want to see real local, real young (and sometimes really bad) Punkbands, check this place out. I even played there myself when I was in a punkband, and oh boy did we suck The crowd at these crowds is normally very alternative, so if you’re scared of tattoos and piercings then maybe they’re not made for you.

The Dynamo is right at the Limmat-River and there is a Café too. So even if you don’t feel like concerts or parties, you can have a coffee (or a beer) and enjoy the artsy atmosphere and (hopefully) the good weather besides the water.

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Dynamo | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Mediterranean)
Wasserwerkstrasse 21 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern | +41443653444
Restaurant Tue – Fri 10:30 – 19:00, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 19:00

The walls of this small bar are covered by porn art of different, often slightly sick minded artists. One week you find aesthetic black white photography of sexy pin-up girls that also prude people can handle without nightmares. Another week, the paintings are, lets say, more explicit.

When you go to the bathroom, you’re surrounded by lots of red and lots of naked women (only pictures of them, of course!). And there are hidden stairs leading all secret porn lovers up to the legendary porn cinema Stüssihof. So don’t get worried if an old man stumbles to the toilett and doesn’t return to the bar for a few hours. He didn’t collapse. On the contrary, he’s probably enjoying himself very much!

You meet crazy and interesting people at Edi’s Weinstube and they are all very communicative. Some of them you’d never expect there, some completely embody the place, like Louisa Lamour, a famous swiss porn star that is regularly hanging around. And the best is yet to come, you get amazing wine for no money. I don’t think wine is cheaper anywhere else, which is one of the reasons the place has become super trendy. You can also buy bottles of wine to take out or have your own little

degustation and try different wines for only CHF 3.00 a glass. If you aren’t afraid of nakedness, you should stop.

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Edi’s Weinstube | Art & culture, Bars | Bottle of wine from CHF 6.40
Stuessihofstatt 14 | Kreis 1 City
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 14:00 – 22:00

Are you a pirate, a sailor, a pilgrim on the paths of Diego “el pibe de oro” Maradona, or a social revolutionary? No? Well, you’ll have to come to El Lokal anyway, because this is a one-of-a-kind-place.

Situated at the Sihl, a small stream, this Bar will make longing for the faraway. Like the Hafenkneipe nearby, the interior of El Lokal reminds you of docks, ships and the far far sea. But that’s only part of its charme: El Lokal is appointed with so many strange, cool and strangely cool objects that you can discover something new every time you visit. Especially in the men’s toilet (I don’t know about the women’s, for obvious reasons): A room full of captivating pictures, I look forward to peeing every time I’m in El Lokal. Seriously.

The owner seems to be obsessed with Che Guevara, Elvis and Diego Maradona (who you can admire on the tv-screens from time to time). The screens are good for something else too: important Swiss football games are shown in El Lokal. If you wanna be part of it, be in time, it’s usually very crowded.

What else does the place have to offer? There is a small stage for concerts (the music-booker has taste), and you can eat Mediterranean inspired food – the tapas are drop dead delicious. Now winter is fading away, and the great days of sitting outside next to the stream are beginning again. It’s the best.

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El Lokal | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks | Beer CHF 4.80
Gessner-Allee 11 | Kreis 1 City | +410433448750
Mon – Thu 10:00 – 00:00, Fri 10:00 – 02:00, Sat 14:00 – 02:00, Sun 14:00 – 00:00

Exil is the club to go crazy at these days. Being from Zurich, you can’t truly call yourself hip if you haven’t had a minimum of one wild night at the Exil or at least pretend to have had one. Being in there, feels like being underground. Kind of like being in one of those party rooms in your teenage years, but very much more wicked.

I suggest the EXILENCE nights, where only the best of black music is played or performed live. Those nights, the club is overfilled, sweaty, loud and sexy. If you want to fit in perfectly, wear red lipstick or, male version, a gangster hat à la Léon the Professional from Luc Besson. For all those, who are sick of hopping around to the great (great!) music, or too cool to hop at all (quite common at parties like these!), there’s a smaller room, all in red that makes everyone look ten times better than during the day.

You can be sure that you won’t be leaving before 6 am and at 6 you’ll be just in time for the first trams to run, but probably so exhausted, that you’ll just throw yourself into the next completely overpriced taxi.

There are also other great parties and concerts at the Exil. No matter what music you like, they’ll have something in store for you. Check the program on the website.

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EXILENCE | Bars, Music | Entrance from CHF 10.00
Hardstrasse 245 | Kreis 5 Industrie
Check the website for opening times

I like places with which I can associate a color. If you have read my other articles: Mata Hari Bar (check the Mata Hari Bar article) is red, Paddy Reilly’s (check the Paddy Reilly’s article)is green. And then you may also have noticed that I like several restaurants near Stauffacher. So now I add one more spot from this area and, at the same time, one more color to the collection.

It is yellow and is located at the intersection of the Langstrasse and Badenerstrasse. Being within walking distance from Mythos (check the Mythos article) or Le Cèdre (check the Le Cedre article), it is a favorite “next destination” after a dinner.

It is called the Forum and for my intents and purposes it is a lounge-bar.

So once again, I find things I like: Sofas, located in the middle enabling a panoramic view of the venue and its visitors, a humidor, music at the right volume; conversation is possible. A mostly young (in the broader sense of the term) public adds a cool flare reminding me of the cliché from my student years: “there is always something going on there”.

If you go during the summer, you can sit outside and watch the crowds enjoying an evening out in the city. However, the big sliding doors would be open on a warm evening so even from inside you would feel being a bit outside.

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Forum | Bars, Music, Restaurants (Intern.) | Orange Juice CHF 5.50
Badenerstrasse 120 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41432438888
Mon – Fri 08:00 – open end, Sat – Sun 10:00 – open end

Für Dich – meaning ‘for you’ – has already earned its name by becoming the favourite haunt for its neighbourhood since its launch in September 2008. Several regulars have even gone as far as getting an anchor tattoo done in homage to the anchor hidden in the café’s logo (it also happens to be the symbol for Aussersihl, the district in Zurich where the bar is located). It’s a great bar because it’s located right next to Bäckeranlage and because for once in Zurich, you get a feeling of spaciousness.

The four founders did the entire renovation itself, from planning to building and furnishing, which took them six months in total to complete. This allowed time for some spontaneous decisions, such as leaving one wall bare after the tiles were removed or adding gold foil to another.

The result is an open, spacious, rather simple venue with large windows – it was a shop in its previous incarnation – which nevertheless radiates warm

th due to a preponderance of wood (floor, bar, tables and chairs) and the red children’s corner with a huge blackboard that turns into a comfortable lounge area at night. This is definitely a place to linger, chat and feel at home and a few times per month there are bands playing (unplugged) there as well.

Saturdays and Sundays are dedicated to breakfast: On Saturday you get the choice between for different kind of morning meals and on Sunday you’ll find an all you can eat buffet with pancakes, bread, jam, cereal, cake and pies.

The café is now also a small pension, where you’ll find three rooms, starting at CHF 120 for two people.

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Fuer dich | Bars, Music | Sunday brunch CHF 20
Stauffacherstrasse 141 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41433179160
Mon – Thu 09:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 09:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 20:00

Somehow, and I am unsure why, this is a wonderful place. Apart from the round windows, there is nothing special about it. You feel a little like in a canteen from the 70s (lots of orange!) with better lighting. The couch in the corner, which you should pounce at immediately if it’s free, is quite ugly, but super comfy.

Lovely Gloria goes through a metamorphosis daily. It changes from a café you go to for breakfast in the morning, to a restaurant for lunch, back to a café in the afternoon and ends the day transformed into a bar, nothing being changed about the interior. This way it is everything and nothing really at the same time.

If you are lucky, one of the Indian waiters/waitresses will serve you and you’ll feel very well taken care of. If it is not your day, the infamous lady with the long blond hair will pull your mood down (all the way!). Try to ignore and don’t start asking yourself what you have done wrong that she treats you like someone that killed her cat. Many have wondered. Up to date, nobody knows.

I suggest the spot for breakfast. You get it till 11:30 and it isn’t overly expensive. If you’re too late, take the Gloria Salad with bacon and eggs and croutons and tomatoes and many many more tasty things and an

even tastier sauce, that I could easily live of for a few weeks.

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Gloria | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Intern.) | Gloria Salad CHF 16.70
Josefstrasse 59 | Kreis 5 Industrie
Mon – Fri 07:30 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 18:00

I’m sure you’ve heard at least one famous band say they missed the old days, when they could play in smaller venues. The Hafenkneipe is exactly the kind of club they’re talking about!

Reopened three years ago with a new, music-heavy, concept (for ten years the place was a techno club) it’s already famous for its intense and intimate live-concerts. At least once a week (mostly mondays) there is a show, mostly Indie-Rock, Grunge, Folk, Singer-Songwriter-Stuff and anything to do with Punk.

The venue has space for 100 people, so it’s not only very tight, good acts are sold out pretty quickly. So Make sure to check out the program on their website soon enough. Because, if you like sweaty, unforgettable concerts this place is definitely for you.

When there’s no live music, the Hafenkneipe is a regular Bar and still very worth visiting. In the “Dockland pub”, as the English translation would be, you’ll find corner banks porthole-lamps and bright blue walls that make you longing for the sea.

One little downer: the location gets very very hot and smokey because of its bad air supply (or lack thereof). But not for long any more: In may a law that prohibits smoking in bars becomes effective in Zurich. Until then, if you tend to have breathing trouble, consider bringing a respirator to the concerts

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Hafenkneipe | Bars, Music | Beer CHF 4.80
Militärstrasse 12 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +410433220282
Tue – Thu 17:00 – 01:00, Fri 17:00 – 02:00, Sat 20:00 – 02:00

This is a wonderful café, whose owners have devoted themselves to celebrate the art of coffee making. Entering is almost like coming home. You’ll feel comfortable the second you step in.

Throw yourself onto one of the couches or find a seat at a rustic wooden table. In the menu you’ll find a huge variety of classic and innovative coffee creations.

If you’re hungry, you have to try a freshly made tarte flambee (Flammenkuchen), a speciality from Alsace. And then start observing the scene. The Henrici is a place where the so-called Niederdorf Originale, people that have lived in Zurich’s old town forever (quite an eccentric crowd), meet with their usually over-fed and rat-like dogs.

It’s a place, where you’ll see grey-haired men, taking notes with old-fashioned fountain pens. A place, where students debate between piles of books, where construction workers check out whatever female is passing by and where young trendy mums are busy keeping the volume of their kids to an agreeable level. If you’re lucky, you might even walk into an amazing (and free!) jazz concert.

This is one of these places you can bring your dad or your super cool DJ friend to and both will like it just as much. The Henrici is full of life, just like a café should be!

Extra tip: The paintings on the wall are from Tika, a street artists whose art you’ll find all over town. Keep your eyes open: http://www.myspace.com/tika_tgs

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Henrici | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks | Classic tarte flambee CHF 16.00
Niederdorfstrasse 1 | Kreis 1 City | +41442515454
Mon – Thu 08:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 08:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 22:00

I discovered this bar when I lived in Kreis 6 for one year. What a relief when it opened as this area has few places to go otherwise.Kafischnaps is a café during the day and a bar in the evening. While many bars in Zurich close their doors early on Sunday, this venue is open until midnight and is also open every day of the week (another plus).

The beautifully tiled space harks back to its former life as a butcher’s at the turn of the last century. Exuding warmth and calm and a welcoming atmosphere, the only complaint uttered by a few is that it can get too smoky. Besides the usual list of drinks, you get a variety of alcoholic coffees and a vast selection of speciality fruit schnapps (hence the name). Another great feature is that they serve breakfast until 16:00 every day. However, they do have to close the bar at midnight every day as they’re in a residential area.

Upstairs, Kafischnaps also has five rooms to rent (B&B) – for a bargain by Zurich standards.

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Kafi Schnaps | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Rooms from CHF 44.00
Kornhausstrasse 57 | Kreis 6/7 Fluntern | +41442154040
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 00:00

The “Niederdorf” is Zurichs old town and it’s really sweet and quite beautiful. It’s also good for shopping, especially fashion (also second hand), and there are a lot of bars and restaurants. My problem is: There’s a lot of places that are a bit too fancy for my taste. So if you’re in the Niederdorf and looking for a dark, smoky Bar where you get a White Russian with 2/3 of Vodka because the bartender is really drunk (and you don’t want to meet to many fellow tourists/travellers), look out for the Kon-Tiki.

The music program consists of rock, and a lot of metal. And it’s pretty loud. So if you want to have tea and have good conversations, this place might not be the best choice – I agree, and there are times I don’t feel like going to the Kontiki. On the other hand there are times where smoke and loud music are exactly what I need. How about you?

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Kontiki | Bars | Beer CHF 5.30
Niederdorfstrasse 24 | Kreis 1 City | +41442513577
Sun – Thu 17:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 02:00

La Catrina calls itself the first real Mexican bar in Zurich although you won’t find any sombreros and ponchos. It’s a tiny place but every Tuesday abd Thursday manages to squeeze in a band. The acts vary from local bands to international gems and the best, entry is for free.

I came across La Catrina because a good friend of mine was hosting his birthday party there. Before that I wasn’t even aware of this venue as it lies a bit hidden in a side street.

The bar is really small but has a great atmosphere. Skulls and dolls are omnipresent but make the crammed space very cosy (which you wouldn’t expect when you read the word ’skulls’). The list of served drinks is long but their specialities are, of course, first class tequila and margarita.

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La Catrina | Bars, Music | Concerts from CHF 00.00
Kurzgasse 4 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41787711346
Mon & Wed 18:00 – 01:00, Tue & Thu 19:00 – 01:00, Fri 18:00 – 03:00, Sat 19:00 – 03:00

La Stanza was destined to catch my eye and become an addition to my list of favourites. The venue is located on Bleicherweg, somewhere between Paradeplatz and the next Tram stop (Stockerstrasse), near Palavrion, Onyx Bar and Coco. La Stanza opened its doors in the summer of 2008.

It was not only the location but also the style that fitted my taste. That first Friday evening I saw a bar packed with young people, most of them standing in the Art Deco interior (built by an Italian bar constructor brought from Northern Italy). The crowd was loud; come in Italia.

What did I order that first time? Espresso, of course, what else? I consumed it standing up and in a hurry. Since then, I always order the same when I go there. A word of caution: the Espresso in La Stanza is so strong and bitter that even an Espresso fanatic like me needs to add a bit of milk.

La Stanza is also well visited during the daytime and offers snacks. But I choose the late summer or autumn evening when it is dark: the crowd is in the small side terrace with the wooden tables, the wooden chairs, the wooden floor and the colourful hanging lamps (see photos). It is a small terrace so table sharing is common (I like that). But it feels quite relaxed: the Espresso does not have to be consumed standing up and in a hurry.

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La Stanza | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Espresso CHF 4.00
Bleicherweg 10 | Kreis 1 City | +41438176282
Mon – Wed 06:30 – 23:00, Thu 06:30 – 00:00, Fri 06:30 – 02:00, Sat 11:00 – 02:00

The Maier’s is a little Mekka for cultural events a bit offside the centre of Zürich. Month after month,they have a packed program with many kinds of things: comedy, cabaret, plays, bands, solo artists, dance performances, choirs and so on. You can find pretty special/interesting stuff too, like improv theatres or singalong-performances (whatever that exactly is).

But I have to admit, I haven’t been to the theatre-room in the back of the place a lot. Except when there were Slam Poetry-championships, which really rocked. Anyway, what I wanted to say: There is also a Bar, where you can hang out before or after a performance or just because, as I do from time to time, because I like the atmosphere.

If you want to have lunch, maybe this is the wrong place for it,  but they have tapas to satisfy your little hunger. Check it out!

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Maier’s Theater | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Theaters
Albisriederstrasse 16 | Kreis 3 Wiedikon | +41438186565
Open when there’s an event, from 18:00

This club just by the lake is part of a building full of history. It was built at the turn of the century – which makes it one of the oldest clubs in Switzerland. From the thirties on it was a famous place for Swing and Jazz, Show- and Dance-orchestras. Then came the eighties, the time of Laser-Light, Vinyl and DJ’s, the mascotte was the most popular location in town.

There were a lot of style and owner-changes, several in the last fifteen years, where the place lost a bit of its glamour: For a short time the place became “Café Grössenwahn” with mainstream-partys, then the fantasy-themed “Paradise”. Now, since 2004 it’s called mascotte again and the owners try to build on the success of the eighties – with a widespread program (English speakers: check out Funny Laundry) and good concerts.

And that’s why I like it so much: the concerts. While the clubbing is a bit on the fancy side, which is okay but not really my cup of tea, there are many many good concerts in the Mascotte. And if you like rock, you should pay a visit on a Tuesday, when it’s “Karaoke from Hell” time. A band that lets people of the audience sing their favourite rock, punk, metal-Hits while the band plays along.

Fun-Fact for German speaking people: Schlager-Singer Udo Jürgens lives in the building.

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Mascotte | Bars, Music | Beer CHF 5.60
Theaterstrasse 10 | Kreis 1 City | +41442601580
Opening times depending on the party (check out the programme)

The Langstrasse neighborhood is gradually getting rid of its red-light character and is becoming the new trendy quarter in Zurich. Upon moving to Zurich 9 years ago, I was told to avoid the area by night. Nowdays a seat at a restaurant or an apartment for rent are objects of desire.

After a dinner in the area, the Mata Hari bar is a good final destination. The bar is conveniently located near Limmatplatz.

“It is sooo red” will be your first and most dominant impression. I don’t know if this intense redness is a tribute to the district’s reputation but I find it very tasteful.

Rock music plays in the background. Having grown up in the 70s with Deep Purple and Pink Floyd, the sound matches my taste but, 30 years later, I appreciate its moderate volume: conversation in Mata Hari is possible without screaming at each other’s ear.

The (red) sofa area feels very relaxing. It is also possible to sit at the bar or at elevated tables nearby (see photos).

The area behind the bar is another highlight; I find it quite elegantly designed.

The public is young, casual and unpretentious. Prices are reasonable. Drinks are served only at the bar.

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Mata Hari | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Juice CHF 8.00
Langstrasse 237 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41432052250
Mon – Thu 17:00 – 03:00, Fri 17:00 – 04:00, Sat 19:00 – 04:00

Zurich’s district of Wipkingen is waking up. Its latest addition, the bar and restaurant Nordbrücke, is just beside the local train station and is great for Saturday afternoons. Buy your fresh vegetables, fruit and flowers at the nearby stall and then spend the rest of your time enjoying a beer or a coffee in the former train station buffet, while you watch people pass by. It’s a place to go for drinks or coffee, but also a good address to get some food.Open since March 2008, it seems the sheer volume of clientele and the variety of people visiting proves that the concept has hit the spot. Combining old (they simply varnished the nicotine-stained walls, kept the tables and chairs, and added comfort with Biedermeier sofas) with new (a blue/green fitted bar and new lighting system), the venue still has an air of train station buffet, but with a contemporary feel.

The big windows are great for people spotting and have recently been unveiled after a lifetime behind net curtains. The result of the gentle makeover is a charming and comfortable bar in which you immediately feel at home. It’s a place where you sense the past, making it feel somehow more real than many of today’s cloned modern, trendy bars.

In winter, the terrace and garden are not much use but the comfy interior as well as the diverse lunch menu make up for this. The menu alsways includes a vegetarian as well as a lactose-free dish.

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Nordbrücke | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Swiss) | Lunch from CHF 17
Dammstrasse 58 | Kreis 10 Wipkingen | +41442710177
Tue – Thu 07:30 – 01:00, Fri 07:30 – 02:00, Sat 09:00 – 02:00, Sun 09:00 – 23:00

This café is historic. Maybe it’s the oldest in Zürich. Maybe not! But one of the oldest certainly!

Admittedly, the once glorious café has faced quite a decline over the past years. It used to be the number one hanging place for great thinkers like Einstein, Lenin and James Joyce. Once the era of the great thinkers was over, the artists and all those who wanted to be artists came. This was before the gay scene captured the place and turned it into their number one hunting ground, which was then evily destroyed by tourists and 8th grade students who invaded and „de-cultured” the café brutally.

Probably because of that, the elderly waiters, who look like they could easily already have been present in Lenins days, have lost their humour (all of it!). They are so incredibly unfriendly, that you just have to start smiling to compensate for it (there is a nice waiter one once in a while!).

The coffee they serve, is about as bad as their mood, the food quite ok but too expensive. Still you shouldn’t miss out! The Odeon is very art nouveau, with red cushions, brass, marble and chandeliers that beam you back in time.

In between all the tourists and 8th grade students, the place somehow still manages to make you feel a bit more intellectual than you are (Thank you Einstein!). If all fails, you can always order an Absinth!

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Odeon | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Glass of tea CHF 4.50
Limmatquai 2 | Kreis 1 City
Mon – Thu 07:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 07:00 – 04.00, Sun 09:00 – 02:00

Onyx Bar is best known as Hyatt Bar. I discovered it shortly after it opened a few years ago and gradually adopted it because it reminded me of my nights out in Helsinki during the 90s.

Hyatt Bar feels classy and sinful at the same time. It is the choice of many well-dressed people. Once I commented to a lady with whom I was sharing a table in Onyx: “there are many beautiful women here” and she replied: “and many beautiful men too”. Indeed, many people there are good looking; they know it, they show it and many like to take advantage of it.

You will encounter diversity and contrast: coats and ties together with jeans and leather jackets; young people of student age as well as a more mature public; young women conversing with older men and vice versa; dresses ranging from the very conservative, teacher-type to the most extravagant outfit.

You will hear non-local languages: German as spoken in Germany, English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese and a lot of Russian.

There is background music whose volume rises as the evening progresses. And during the warm season, there are tables outside. Maybe there would be a Ferrari or a Lamborghini parked on the pavement.

To complement the offering: nuts roasted in-house and sweet coconut-flavored chips (you eat one, you can’t stop) as well as a large humidor with the flagships of Cuban and Dominican production.

The service is excellent.

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Onyx Bar – Park Hyatt Hotel | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants | Juice CHF 9.00
Beethoven-Strasse 21 | Kreis 2 Enge | +41438831072
Sun – Wed 06:30 – 01:00, Thu – Sat 06:30 – 02:00

You want to travel through time and meet eye-witnesses of the last half century? Search no further, the “Outlane” is your place: a mix between bar, museum and private collection of pinball machines and old video games that you can play.

The Outlane is run by two crazy collectors and contains 50 Flippers and about 10 old consoles with ever-changing old video games. The most ancient flippers are from the beginning days in the forties, very simple and sweet (and pretty boring to play), whereas the newest ones have a lot of kick-ass features. All these machines have a story to tell, they reveal things about the time they were made. If you’re interested, drop in and talk to the owners, they like to tell people about their collection.

Being no regular bar, the Outlane is only opened once per month – and it’s almost impossible to find. In the middle of a living quarter, you have to walk down a car garage and ring on an unimposing door. Well, that has it’s charm too, doesn’t it? Check out the comments of this article for a detailed description how to get there.

One last thing: Please consider this place a museum, not a bar to get shit-faced and out of control. You got plenty of opportunities to do that at the Langstrasse.

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Outlane | Art & culture, Bars
Fuchsiastrasse 10 | Kreis 9 Altstetten
Every last Thursday in the month from 20:30

For several years, Paddy Reilly’s had attracted my attention. Located between two major locations of Zurich, Paradeplatz and Stauffacherplatz, the place was a regular view from the tram window during daily commuting. Its stylish green decor (by the way, it is an Irish Pub) and the crowd sitting outside during the warm season repeatedly triggered the thought: “next time I should try it”.

So I did. After becoming a fan of public viewing of sport events (meaning football), I became an irregular visitor of Paddy Reilly’s.

On the occasion of a major football event and warm weather: arrive half an hour before the game to find a table outside. You will hear English, sometimes with a hardly understandable heavy British accent: it feels a bit like Old Trafford, a bit like Anfield Road. But not all guests are British. More people rejoiced the goal of Barcelona (on the 92nd minute) than the early goal of Chelsea during this year’s Champions’ League semifinal.

Well, you wouldn’t expect me to recommend spaghetti would you? Go for the cheese burger. Fish and chips is also available.

I have not yet witnessed the very tasteless and low level habit of beer flying around when a team scores.

In case you have read my other articles: no, the venue is not on the waterside: no lake, no river. Instead, a very urban setting which I also find appealing (for a change).

I am already looking forward to FIFA’s world cup next summer.

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Paddy Reilly’s | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Irish) | Cheese Burger CHF 21.00
Talstrasse 82 | Kreis 1 City | +41434973966
Mon – Fri 11:30 – late, Sat – Sun 13:00 – late

Plüsch means plush, which describes how this venue’s interior looked years back when I’d just moved to Zurich. Nowadays its styling is clean and airy but still fairly colourful with bright shades of green and orange.

This bar has become one of my most frequented locales over the last 12 months, as I live nearby. It offers great breakfast and coffee (best decaf in town!), tasty lunches and snacks, and is a nice place for a drink in the eve as well. So with this venue you’re taken care of all around.

In the morning, most seats are taken up by individuals who are reading the newspaper or enjoying a cup of coffee before work. During the day its clientele mostly consists of small groups but in the evening it can get really packed.

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Plüsch | Bars, Restaurants (Breakfast/lunch) | Large salad CHF 10.00
Aemtlerstrasse 16 | Kreis 3 Wiedikon | +41444668887
Mon – Wed 07:00 – 00:00, Thu – Fri 07:00 – 01:00, Sa t 09:00 – 01:00
Sun 10:00 – 17:00

Pur pur is a place with two faces. In the warm season you chill out on the terrace outside. At other times, you can relax in the oriental setting inside during the early hours but as the evening progresses, the venue turns into a night club with beautiful people and loud music (see photos).

The terrace has two sections. The front side, along Seefeldstrasse, is the “see and be seen” area where seeing really means “(people) watching”: something like the after-work drink for the professional crowds in their thirties.

If you are lucky you get to sit on the little sofa at the edge. The side terrace feels quieter: a place for focusing on the person you are with. The tables are decorated with nice red candlelight.

During major football events, there are two TV screens outside, one in the front terrace and one in the back. During the Euro 2008, the former had a visible region of dead pixels (which probably means the crowd didn’t really care about football).

Inside the venue you get to sit on pillows and smoke the hookah to get in some “1000+1 nights” mood. The first thing you notice when you find a nice free spot to sit is the little paper note telling from which time the spot is reserved for others. But there is usually enough time to enjoy an evening drink.

From the snacks, try the tartar. From the non-alcoholic cocktails I like the frullato.

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Pur Pur | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks | Non-alcoholic drink CHF 12
Seefeldstr.9 | Kreis 8 Seefeld | +41444192066
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 02:00, Fri 11:00 – 04:00, Sat 14:00 – 04:00, Sun 14:00 – 02:00

When the Volkshaus restaurant was renovated not long ago, everyone was scared that another hyper trendy place with uncomfortable seats would be the result. A place, like so many, that would soon be governed by only the most stylish, who passionately protect it against all not so stylish invaders. Everyone was wrong. At least partially.

The result is probably a bit trendy (not too much though!) but the seats are completely fine. Overall, they did a fantastic job! The huge room is skillfully divided by old-school partitions and sparely furnished with antique tables, chairs, carpets and beautiful, beautiful lamps, giving it all a very Parisian brasserie flair. This clashes nicely with the modern industry-like floor and ceiling.

The waiters perfectly fit the scene. Most of them are about as old and used as the furniture (old!). But not the bad type of old. They are passionate about their job, charming and look a lot like the butler in the TV series „The Nanny”. There is also some younger exemplaries, who are equally charming and who will also look like that crazy butler in a few years.

The food isn’t too expensive and not too cheap either, but really quite good. Something like Swiss traditionalism gone hau

te cuisine. Lovely!

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Restaurant Volkshaus | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Swiss) | Tiramisu CHF 10
Stauffacherstrasse 60 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41442421155
Mon -Tue 08:00 – 00:00, Wed – Sat 08:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

The Rote Fabrik is one of the bigger cultural centres in Zurich. As the name implicates, the building-complex once was a factory.

Music is a big thing here, there are over 100 concerts, partys and festivals every year. Now, if you know me (respectively my texts on this site) you’ll expect that there’s mainly rock music. Wrong. Hip-Hop, Reggae, Soul, R’n'B, Worldbeat, Folk and Jazz are equally as important. The people in charge characterize their program as “music from aficionados for aficionados”, speak: stuff that’s good but not necessarily mainstream.

But there’s not only the music, there’s a theatre, there are a lot of readings, sometimes panel discussions, a Bar to have a drink and Restaurant where you can eat really well. Oh yeah, I almost forgot: The Rote Fabrik is located right at the lake… which is nice.

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Rote Fabrik | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Snacks, Theaters, Restaurants (International)
Seestrasse 395 | Kreis 2 Enge | +41444855858
Restaurant Tue – Thu & Sun 11:00 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 01:00

I don’t know what it’s like in your city, but here most bigger bookshops have a Café at some floore where you can sit down and rest from the tiring bookshopping. Now I’ve even seen Starbucks built in Bookstore. That’s… well, I won’t go there now. Anyway, the Spheres is kind of like this – except it’s different. Because the Spheres is not a Bookshop with a Café in it, it’s a Café with a Bookshop in it. Or at least both equally.

So if you want to have a coffee in an inspiring atmosphere, go to the spheres, order something to drink and take a book to skim through – if you speak German. Unfortunately, you won’t find English books there. If you do speak German, I’m sure you’ll like the choice of books.

Something I haven’t told you yet: The Café and Bookshop, that’s not all. From time to time, one part of this place turns into a stage for book-readings or discussions where people are invited to take part in. For example there’s a monthly event called “Science Bar” where top-scientists answer burning questions about modern science. No, not a lecture, but an unforced discussion with the guests. I bet your bookstore ’round the corner doesn’t have that.

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Spheres | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Coffee CHF 4.50
Hardturmstrasse 66 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41444406622
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 09:30 – 19:30

20 years ago Zurich had the reputation of a lame place. The saying went: “only the Niederdorf has some life until midnight”. Things have changed. Maybe Zurich is not yet “the city that never sleeps” but it certainly goes to bed late. The Niederdorf, the old-town stretch running parallel to the Limmatquai, has lost its nightlife monopole but has certainly followed the trend: “there is a lot happening there”, especially during the weekend.

Splendid Bar, located at an alley near the river, recently celebrated its 33rd birthday. It is housed at the lobby of the small Hotel Splendid. The bar pianist (not always the same one) is at the epicenter of attention. Often he is only English speaking and sings, guess what, in the English language. Over the years I have heard the piano versions of “Hotel California”, “The House of the Rising Sun” and “Smoke on the Water”. You get the idea. Several guests cluster around the piano, follow the tune with body movements and occasionally sing along.

The public spans a wide range of ages and nationalities. There are regulars and passers-by, coming for a drink before going to a club or moving on with bar hopping.

If you don’t like standing: there are some tables at the perimeter and seats at the bar. Notice the decoration with photos of several jazz artists.

The limited space favors starting a conversations with other guests.

Here are some photos.

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Splendid – Piano Bar | Bars, Music | Orange juice CHF 9.00
Rosengasse 5 | Kreis 1 City | +41442525850
Sun – Thu 17:00 – 02:00, Fri – Sat 17:00 – 04:00

Although Gessnerallee has been the home of avant-garde theatre in Zurich for more than twenty years, its foyer became Stall 6 – a thriving bar and club – just four years ago. The former stable appeals to those looking to avoid the clichés and genres of Zurich’s nightclubs; and it promises new ideas, a few of which will be realised this year.

Banishing clubbing stereotypes in Zurich is tough, yet the varied music styles at Stall 6 mean the club has no set clientele and is one of the few places in Zurich where you never feel out of place no matter what you wear. The organisers are also not interested in a set concept for the club. It’s therefore possible to find reggae on a Monday, funk and soul on weeknights, and electro at the weekend. Alternatively, grab a programme and seek out a Hum Rush party, where you’ll hear all music styles in one night.

Situated in the foyer of Gessnerallee, Stall 6 makes a feature of elements of its past, when the building belonged to the military – such as the horse’s feeding troughs. With visitors ranging from theatregoers to night owls, the audience is constantly changing and the place is never empty; you can even start clubbing at 23:00 if you like, as you’re unlikely to walk into a deserted club.

Sometimes installations from the theatre make their way over to Stall 6, adding to its unique atmosphere, and the generous space offers ample room for groups to arrive at any time without a reservation.

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Stall 6 – Gessnerallee | Art & culture, Bars, Music | Concert CHF 25.00
Gessnerallee 8 | Kreis 1 City | +41442258154
Daily from 17:00

“So where do we go now?” you asked your companion(s) that Saturday evening after dinner; it somehow felt too early to call it an evening and you had something like a bar with music in mind.

Or maybe you felt like having a tea or a snack that Saturday afternoon after shopping?

Read my other articles to get plenty of ideas for such occasions. Read this one to know a place that offers all in one for you: Café Terrasse.

The special thing about Café Terrasse is that there is nothing special about it: it is an excellent choice for all occasions. Centrally located near Bellevueplatz, the venue is open from early till late: for a snack, a complete meal, a tea, a late drink, inside or outside, with or without music.

There is a big central area with tables and plenty of light during daytime for the bourgeoisie that wants to feel pampered with a bit of luxury: yes, the moment of truth is when that big tea portion you ordered arrives.

Lights are dimmed later on and the mood adapts accordingly.

The outside: a garden terrace for the warm season, Zurich style (flip flops and tattoos on those areas of the body that can be decently exposed). For some intimacy, there is a small balcony terrace on the side of the river.

Last but not least: a bar area with a younger (or younger feeling) public and the appropriate (electronic) music. Sounded like house last time.

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Terrasse Café | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Espresso CHF 6.20
Limmatquai 3 | Kreis 1 City | +41442511074
Mon – Tue 10:00 – 01:00, Wed – Sat 10:00 – 02:00, Sun 10:00 – 00:00

The blond asked for the bill and turned to me: „so shall we go for another drink? Let’s try the Widder bar. It’s only a few minutes from here”.

I agreed. We crossed the Bahnhofstrasse, entered the Augustinergasse and headed for the Widder hotel with its famous piano bar. We sat centrally at a small table.

“What can you tell me about this place?” I asked her. “Oh, I’ve been here only three times”, she replied while performing the feminine ritual of lighting a cigarette. “As you can see, there is a pianist but sometimes they have concerts. And the whiskies are excellent (but you probably don’t care anyway)”, she continued. My hands caressed the camera in my bag but I felt I wasn’t ready; so I went on with the smalltalk: “seven years ago, when I first came, the lights were bright, it was almost empty, there were only senior citizens”, I remarked. “I like it better now, the lights are dimmer, the crowd is more diverse, it has character“.

The waiter came: she ordered a Caipirihna (19 CHF), I stuck to the usual: Espresso (6.50 CHF), what else? “Do you really have concerts?” she asked him. “Yes”, he said, “on Tuesdays, yesterday we had Flamenco, I bring you the program”.

The pianist was singing: “a minha saudade, o meu amor”. She asked him for a song. He sang it after his break and she whispered along.

It became more crowded as the evening progressed.

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Widder piano bar | Bars, Music | Tuesday concert CHF 45
Widdergasse 6 | Kreis 1 City | +41442242988
Mon – Wed 11:30 – 01:00, Thu – Sat 11:30 – 02:00 , Sun 11:30 – 00:00

In February 2009, the Wohnzimmerbar opened its doors just next to cinema RiffRaff. As the name suggests (Wohnzimmer means living room), it’s small and pleasant and the atmosphere familiar, filled with comfy chairs, small tables and a chaise longue.

The area in the back normally sports one large table but can also be booked for a party up to 10 people for a customized dinner. For all other empty stomachs there are tapas plates available as well as various spreads with bread.

Since this spring, they’re able to open the front window fully so it’s like sitting outside while being inside. They serve a killer Margarita and now that it’s a bit warmer also punch (which we Swiss love!).

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Wohnzimmerbar | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Tapas) | Tapas from CHF 9.00
Neugasse 75 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41762104880
Mon – Sat 18.00 – 00:00

If you’re a film lover or cineast and thinking about watching a motion picture in Zurich, you should do that at Xenix. Why? Because it is one of the most reputable indie-cinemas in Switzerland (and probably Europe) with a wild history and many myths and legends attached to it.

The place had its beginnings in the eighties, the time of political and social unrest in Zurich. A group of people built up a cinema in the self-governed youth center which was the headquarters of the resistance against the establishment. The center closed, the cinema had to move, and not for the last time.

Over the years the Xenix was set up in many different places until it, almost thirty year ago, found a place it could stay for good: the Barracks on the Kanzlei-area. Over the years it grew up and became more and more professional.

And that’s where it still is. In the building there’s also a Bar to have a drink before, after or while the film (it’s no problem to get a beer and take it into the cinema). If you’re early, you can get one of the sofa seats in the front – veeery comfy. So if you’re going with your significant other, make sure you be there in time.

The Xenix has topical program-months; about a specific theme, director, era or genre. In summer, they host an open air cinema – well worth checking out. Normally, Xenix has several showings a day, with many different films – just don’t expect to see a Blockbuster with Angelina Jolie here.

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Xenix | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas | Showing CHF 16.00
Kanzleistrasse 52 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41442420411
Mon – Thu 16:00 – 00:30, Fri 16:00 – 02:30, Sat 11:30 – 02:30, Sun 11:30 – 00:30

Zum Guten Glück (which means fortunately or literally to the good fortune in German) is open daily and offers a tasty range of sweet and savoury pancakes, waffles and freshly made ice-cream. If you’re in a hurry there is also a take-away service. The pancakes are wonderful; I recommend the Bolognese or spinach topping – hmmm!

The venue – a café during the day and a bar at night – is separated into two rooms. When you enter, a huge bar made of pure tin, handcrafted by a local artist, will catch your eye. In this front room you get a good view onto the street in a non-smoking environment. Smoking is still allowed in the adjacent room, which is also bit darker and more suitable for a drink at night. The locale is run by the same team which own Kafi Schnaps in Kreis 6 and it also offers five stylish rooms for a good price.

Zum Guten Glück is situated right at Weststrasse which used to be the motorway connection through the city – so a lot of traffic! Since May 2009, there is now a motorway that leads the traffic around the city and within a year, this street will become a residential road with a maximum speed limit of 30 km/h.

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Zum Guten Glück | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Pancakes) | Food CHF 9.00
Stationsstrasse 7 | Kreis 3 Wiedikon | +41435407299
Mon – Sat 09:00 – 00:00, Sun 09:00 – 20:00