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

Not only the location but also the style fitted my taste. That first Friday evening I saw a bar packed with young people, most of them standing in the Art Nouveau 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. Be warned: the espresso in La Stanza is so strong and bitter that even a fanatic like me needs to add a bit of milk. The October 2010 issue of the Swiss Airlines on-board magazine calls it the best Espresso in town.

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 on 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.