I had heard a lot about the Tearoom in the Langstrasse neighborhood of Zurich, a locale quite popular for an after work-chillout.

The Tearoom, officially called Maison Blunt, is a copy of a Moroccan restaurant in Fez. It is located in the new in-quarter of Zurich, an area whose previous dubious reputation is rapidly giving place to trendy bars, restaurants and highly desired apartments.

The Tearoom offers a unique combination of original atmosphere with intense flavors. The left side offers a more typical restaurant setup with tables that can be reserved; the other side is dominated by sofas and low round tables for relaxing and letting time go (see photos). Food is served on both sides.

During the warm season there are tables in the backyard so you can sit in the open air (until 22:00) and smoke the narghile. In fact, you can smoke during the winter; for that purpose, there are a few tables outside by the front entrance.

The food is tasteful. A most attractive part of Arabic cuisine is its appetizers (mezes). I recommend the chicken and meat versions (something like kebab) as well as the humus. Different types of bread are automatically served.

The Tearoom caters primarily to a young public and has a distinct bohemian character. The place is packed on weekends and is quite full during the week. You are likely to sit close to or even share a table or sofa with another party, possibly making new acquaintances.

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Maison Blunt | Snacks, Restaurants (Morocan) | Humus (Appetizer) CHF 9.50
Gasometerstrasse 5 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41432110033
Mon – Fri 11:30 – 14:00 & 18:00 – 23:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 23:00

Kreis 4 is the most densely populated district in Zurich so it comes as no surprise that this smallish park is well used by the locals. Located between Stauffacherstrasse, Feldstrasse and Hohlstrasse, Bäckeranlage is the green lung of this neighbourhood.

Take tram 8 or bus 31 to the stop called Bäckeranlage and utter relaxation is just a few steps away. Although the park isn’t very big, it offers something for everyone: large trees for shade, sunny spots on the grass and a restaurant if you’re hungry or thirsty. There’s also a children’s playground and benches, which are handy when the grass is (still) wet. The restaurant is much prettier from the outside than inside but at least it houses a loo!

I like this park because the atmosphere is very relaxed. Nobody minds if you bring a grill or a guitar along and, despite the crowd, you’ll generally find a quiet spot to read a book. On Wednesday, there’s a band playing – unplugged and for free.

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Bäckeranlage | Relaxing | Free
Stauffacherstrasse/Hohlstrasse | Kreis 4 Aussersihl
24 hours daily

I have to admit I was sceptical when Dini Mueter opened its doors in October 2010. “Just another venue with a slightly alternative concept”, I thought. But ever since, I keep returning to the restaurant / café / bar. Suggesting it myself as a place to meet for business lunch, social coffees or an after work beer until I realized, I really like it here. And I don’t feel awkward sitting in this place on my own.

The venue is not very spacious, but comfortable and cosy without trying too hard. Similar to how it would be when visiting your mom (which is what the name means) but without the fuss. And it’s the place in the city that feeds you with a Sunday roast. The staff is friendly, the served dishes tasty and seasonal and the menu changes regularly.

If you go there in the evening, check the programme before getting too comfortable. Events take place regularly, and if it happens that you don’t like the act – the space isn’t large enough to avoid it!

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Dini Mueter | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Seasonal Swiss cuisine) | Beer CHF 5
Langstrasse 10 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl
Mon – Thu 07:30 – 23:00, Fri 07:30 – 02:00, Sat 08.00 – 02:00, Sun 09:00 – 18:00

In Switzerland it’s common practice to have an intermission in the middle of the film (so you can buy some ice cream or go to the loo). This interruption of the story line annoys many cinema goers. Additionally, more and more cinemas in Zurich belong to bigger chains, so they all show the same mainstream movies and look identical. But fortunately there are several art houses as well as Uto-Kino.

This cinema is a relic from the past, full of charm and atmosphere. Hardly anything has been renovated over the last few years (or maybe decades?). The 280 seats are all covered in burgundy velvet and they’re not numbered, so it’s the first come, first served practice.

Most of the films on the programme are indie films and hits from years gone by – in the original languages with German and French subtitles. The cinema doesn’t have its own website but you’ll find its programme online or in one of the local newspapers.

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Uto-Kino | Cinemas | Ticket CHF 15.00
Kalkbreitestrasse 3 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41442419253
15:00, 18:15 & 20:30 daily

Spotters generally recommend bars, restaurants and other locations. However, I think this newsletter could be a great help for an overview of Zurich’s nightlife. Ron Orp’s Mail has established itself amongst the locals (in German) throughout the last few years and launched an English version for Zurich’s international community in September 2008.

If you subscribe to the English version of Ron Orp’s Mail for Zurich (it’s for free), you’ll receive every Thursday recommendations for clubs, restaurants, bars, art, theatre, literature, concerts and shopping all over the city including the latest openings. It’s like a diary for the upcoming weekend and week with a varied mix of happenings.

Often you also have a chance to win free tickets to concerts and events. The Ron Orp team is really easy-going and I’m sure you could pick up the tickets (if you win) either at their office or at the door of the venue itself if you don’t have a postal address to which they can send the tickets in time.

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Ron Orp’s Mail | Art & culture | Free
zuerich@ronorp.net | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41433220883
24 hours daily

The Langstrasse area, in Kreis (districts) 4 and 5, is known for both its multicultural scene and its design community. As such, it plays host every year to Kreislauf 4 + 5, when 90 or so stores and studios open their doors to show their works and give the public an opportunity to speak with the designers.

If you don’t happen to be in Zurich the weekend it takes place in May, it’s still worth checking out the event’s website, one of the best and most complete lists of Zurich’s many ateliers and designers, ranging from fashion and interior to jewellery and art – and available in English.

The entry for each label includes a short description along with a picture and the shop address. Under “Maps fo district” you’ll also find two maps to print with which you can do your own tour all year round.

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Kreislauf 4+5 | Art & culture, Shopping | Free
Kreis 4 and 5 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl
Depends on atelier

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

Tucked away at the quiet end of bustling Ankerstrasse is Si o No, quite possibly my favorite drinking den in Zurich. What makes it so great, or indeed better, than many of the other fine bars in this city?

For one, its interior is a lovely, much-copied-but-never-quite-emulated mix of quirky furniture, beautiful floor tiles, clever lighting and intriguing room layout. For another, whether you turn up in the middle of the day for coffee or in the wee hours for a nightcap, you can be sure that Si o No delivers.

The place is always pleasantly lively and yet never too crowded. It attracts a diverse bunch of locals, students and office workers so nobody feels out of place here. Furthermore, Si o No offers a decent selection of reasonably-priced drinks and bar snacks, including tasty quiches and salads for lunch. Its latest offering is a so-called Katerfrühstück, breakfast for the hung-over, from 11:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. This means weekend mornings where you have a craving for a Bloody Mary are now catered for too.

Lastly, the bar staff is friendly and efficient, making for a nice change from some of the trendier Zurich spots.

All this taken together goes some way to explaining why it’s always a Si! where Si o No is concerned.

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Si o No | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks | Glass of wine CHF 6.00
Ankerstrasse 6 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl
Mon – Fri 09:00 – 02:00, Sat – Sun 11:00 – 02:00

Mythos is conveniently located near Stauffacherplatz, a mixture of business and nightlife district. I discovered the restaurant with my work colleagues while working nearby: it was our favorite in a neighborhood full of alternatives.

Finding a table around noon during working days is a challenge. So be advised: either reserve or go early (at 11:30).

During the warm season there are tables outside. They cannot be reserved.

Greek cuisine is famous for its appetizers. Mythos offers a representative variety of dishes, starting with the famous Greek salad (tomatoes, feta, onions, etc. all with Greek olive oil) and moving higher to more sophisticated plates like “Garides (Shrimp) Saganaki (baked with feta cheese)”.

From the main dishes I prefer the Souvlaki which comes in the usual two versions: on a straw or as a pita-bread wrap. In this latter version, one senses the erratic quality gap of Mythos with respect to similar offerings in Greece. Simply put: in Greece, Souvlaki is often junk food. In Mythos, Souvlaki is gourmet kitchen. Visitors wishing to avoid the traditional version of Souvlaki with pork meat can try the chicken or the shrimp versions.

Mythos offers a superb price quality ratio (see photos). It is a great tip for an informal lunch or dinner before going to one of the many bars, night clubs or cinemas nearby.

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Mythos | Snacks, Restaurants (Greek) | Dishes from CHF 7.00
Stauffacherstrasse 35 | Kreis 4 Aussersihl | +41443722954
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 22:00, Fri 11:00 – 23:00, Sat 08:30 – 23:00