Espresso Yourself: Zurich's 10 Coolest Cafés

Milchbar — Kappelergasse 16, 8001 Zürich

Think marble tables, designer chairs, and an inner courtyard that oozes understated elegance. Your move? Grab a corner seat, pretend you're writing a screenplay, and sip slowly — welcome to Zurich's chic coffee crowd.

Tucked just off Bahnhofstrasse, Milchbar feels like a stylish secret you stumbled upon by chance and now can't stop telling everyone about.

Le Café Zurich — Bärengasse 16, 8001 Zürich

A slice of Paris right in the heart of Zurich, Le Café is where croissant dreams and cappuccino cravings collide in a très chic setting. Iconic tiled floor, curved glass façade, and a golden glow.

Coffee? Classic. Pastries? Dangerous. Atmosphere? Effortlessly fabulous.

Cafe & Conditorei 1842 — Napfgasse 4, 8001 Zürich

Step inside and time-travel — 1842 is where old-world charm meets espresso elegance, nestled inside Zurich's oldest city pharmacy. Velvet banquettes, wooden cabinets, chandeliers, and a hint of apothecary magic.

Don't miss the pastries — they're as photogenic as the interior.

miró manufactura de café — Brauerstrasse 58, 8004 Zürich

Clean architecture, smooth concrete surfaces, and high ceilings — this café doesn't just serve coffee, it stages it. Beans roasted in-house, staff who talk tasting notes like sommeliers.

Come here to impress a date, seal a deal, or just elevate your caffeine game to couture level.

Babu's — Löwenstrasse 1, 8001 Zürich

Vintage charm, velvet sofas, and a brunch crowd that looks straight out of a coffee-table book. From stacked French toast to signature flat whites, everything feels thoughtfully crafted.

Pro tip: Go early or go late, but definitely go hungry.

DRAFT Coffee & Craft — Wildbachstrasse 68, 8008 Zürich

Minimalist, bright, and bold — DRAFT is the new kid on the block, already feeling like it belongs in every stylish local's coffee rotation. Concrete chic interior, slow bar service, rotating coffee roasters.

Boréal Coffee Shop — Talacker 41, 8001 Zürich

Warm wood tones, a soft buzz of conversation, and beans roasted with care — a cozy pocket of calm just steps from Paradeplatz.

Perfect for a focused hour on your laptop, a breather between meetings, or a spontaneous "let's grab a coffee" moment.

BANK — Molkenstrasse 15, 8004 Zürich

Once an actual bank, now a café-meets-art-space in the old teller hall on Helvetiaplatz — the gold lettering of the former Schweizerische Volksbank is still set into the brickwork by the door. Black panelling, a wall of mismatched gilt frames, and raw plaster left exactly as found.

Artistic without trying too hard. Come for a coffee under the paintings, stay for a sharing plate and a pastry from John Baker next door.

Besh Café — Brauerstrasse 80, 8004 Zürich

Good taste lives here — and Besh means it. A Kreis 4 coffee-and-brunch spot where the coffee is serious, the baked goods disappear fast, and the room is warm, plant-filled and built for lingering.

Come for a slow weekend brunch, stay for the afterwork bites — this is a place designed for staying put, not for takeaway cups.

NEIGHBOR. Coffee — Augustinergasse 42, 8001 Zürich

The Old Town's newest favourite, tucked between the pastel façades of Augustinergasse. Clean lines, soft tones, olive trees on the cobbles, and a sunny terrace that catches the morning light perfectly.

Order the ube latte, stay for the lunch bowls, and drop back in at apéro hour — by the third visit, the baristas will already know how you take it.

Photo credits

• Milchbar — Milchbar / Pumpstation Gastro
• Café & Conditorei 1842 — cafe1842.ch
• Babu’s — babus.ch
• DRAFT Coffee & Craft — draftcoffee.ch
• Le Café Zurich — Le Café Bar
• miró manufactura de café — miró press images
• BANK — Bindella
• Boréal Coffee Shop — borealcoffee.ch
• Besh Café — @besh.zurich
• NEIGHBOR. Coffee — Alina Birjuk