When the temperatures rises, you find the majority of Zurich’s inhabitants near the water. Just five minutes from the main station is the pool area Oberer Letten, located at the Limmat. Floating in the river is one of the best feelings you’ll ever experience!

On the left hand side you’ll see a concrete construction from 1952 which is also called PierWest; that’s where you’ll find the changing rooms as well as a bar. (The picture is taken upstream, so it’s just the other way around). This side is for all who prefer shade and who like it a bit quieter. However, at dusk this area turns into a barbecue place / bar with music and the perfect chill-out area.

On the right hand side of the river there’s a patch of grass – though it’s generally so packed that it’s hard to make out the green between all the bodies. On one side of this patch is a (rather over priced) restaurant and on the other a beach-volley court. Here the young and hip meet after work for a swim and a chat.

To swim in the river, it’s best to walk upstream and then to float down, up to 400 m all in all. There are several ladders where you can leave the water within the pool area so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

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Oberer Letten | Bars, Music, Relaxing | Free
Lettensteg 10 | Kreis 5 Industrie | +41443629200
24 hours daily

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 a few years ago. The former stable appeals to those looking to avoid the clichés and genres of Zurich’s nightclubs.

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

Für Dich – meaning ‘for you’ – has 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 (which is also 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 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, 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 a place to linger and a few times per month there are bands playing (unplugged) there too.

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

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 and 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 cozy (which you wouldn’t expect when you read the word ‘skulls’). The list of served drinks is long but their specialties are, of course, first class tequila and margarita.

Patrick, the driving force behind La Catrina, grew up in Mexico and frequently mentioned that he misses REAL Mexican food. As no one else filled that gap, he recently to open the first original Mexican Cantina in Zurich: El Luchador at Konradstrasse 69.

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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

The bar and restaurant Nordbrücke, open since May 2008, is just beside the local train station Wipkingen 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, especially over lunch.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. But when the sun is shinning you’ll be on one of the two terraces anyway.

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.

Nordbrücke also offers a flat to rent, if you intend to extend your stay in Zurich.

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Nordbrücke | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Restaurants (Swiss) | Lunch from CHF 17
Dammstrasse 58 | Kreis 10 Wipkingen | +41442710177
Mon 16.00 – 01:00, Tue – Thu 07:30 – 01:00, Fri 07:30 – 02:00, Sat 09:00 – 02:00, Sun 09:00 – 00:00

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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
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

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

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

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

“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