The Best Beer Places in Bern

The beer café Au Trappiste in Bern’s old town is a craft beer lover’s mecca. Connoisseurs can choose from over 100 exciting beers from all over the world. And beer sommeliers Oliver Vurchio and Eliane Münger are constantly changing up the menu in order to introduce Bern’s beer fans to the different kinds of barley. By the way: The café adheres to the credo of the Trappists, a Roman Catholic monastic order from the 17th century: in addition to praying and studying, the monks brewed their own beer at the monastery and used most of the revenue to support charities. There may not be as much praying and studying involved anymore, but the owners of Au Trappiste also donate a portion of the proceeds to people and animals in need.

With its creative, ever-changing menu, the Taube manages to fulfil even the most extravagant of cocktail dreams. But what does one of Bern’s best cocktail bars have to do with beer? A whole lot! At 50 Rathausgasse, you can not only enjoy a real beer cocktail – made with Junker beer from the Felsenau brewery and Aperol – no, the Taube is also one of the rare places that has Felsenau’s dark special beer «Bärni» on tap. And of course there’s also a delicious selection of other beers. Our tip: Place your order with Lorenz Ernst. He is both barkeeper and beer sommelier and can find the perfect beverage for everyone.

A few years ago, a couple of 30-year-olds started brewing their own beer in their garage. It was so well received that they promptly took up a hammer and paintbrush and transformed an old pharmacy in the heart of the Breitenrain neighbourhood into a cool pub. On the opening night of Barbière – microbrewery, trendy restaurant and neighbourhood bistro in one – 1,000 litres of beer were poured out. And it hasn’t stopped flowing since. In the brewery at the back, named «Garage» in homage to the old days, the two brewers Matthias and Christoph work on their own creations that go way beyond the mainstream. If you want to know which beer creations are currently on tap, go ahead and pop into Barbière!

You haven’t had a real beer until you’ve tried craft beer, as they say at OnTap. There are always twelve different craft beers on tap in the old vaulted cellar at 53 Rathausgasse, and as soon as a keg is empty, a new one gets its turn. From the Belgian blonde to the IPA with lactose and vanilla extract to the sour beer with mango and passion fruit – when it comes to flavours, the sky’s the limit. And if your favourite brew is not on tap at the moment, you’re sure to find something you like among the 60 different bottled beers. By the way: the impressive selection is also available «über d’Gass» (to go).

Fortunately, nomen is not omen at Wartsaal (waiting hall) – no one is kept waiting for their beer. The laid-back café-bar in the Lorraine neighbourhood shares a love for Swiss craft beer with its guests. The team usually orders one or two cases of IPAs, stouts, porters, or sour beers from various small, local breweries. This means that there are always six or seven different beers available. «Es het solangs het» – first come, first served! Then the space is filled up with new specialities. There’s also a permanent selection of on-tap beers, including the guests’ favourite, the fruity-fresh «Wartsaal-Spez» from the Schuum microbrewery located in the west of the city.

A good beer before going to the theatre, to accompany your dinner, or to end a long day of work: At Le Beizli in the Vidmarhallen in the Liebefeld neighbourhood – run by the same people that also own the restaurants Du Nord and Eiger, by the way – you’ll find the right brew for every occasion. Current specialities on the beer menu are the beers of the local microbrewery Schuum. We especially recommend the London Porter, a top-fermented beer with subtle warm notes of chocolate and caramel. Regulars know and love the bar’s regional selection and are happy to hop on the bus (no. 17 towards Köniz Weiermatt to «Hardegg Vidmar») and then walk a few steps to enjoy it.

Who likes British beer? Off to Marta on Kramgasse, then! The café-bar has a delightful selection from the island, including some sparkling ciders. Marta has also tasted and approved different local and regional beer specialities, for example the «Haarige Kuh Four C’s IPA» or the «Aare-Bier» from Bargen in the Bernese Seeland region. Be it at one of the blue tables under the arcades or down in the vaulted cellar: at Marta, everything is that little bit more relaxed, cosy, happy. The place is also known for its (in)famous pub quiz, where quiz fans regularly rack their brains to compete for fame and glory. We bet that a beer or two will help those brain cells get to work!

Is there anything better than getting together to enjoy a cold beer under big, shady trees in the summer? That’s where the famous beer gardens come in. We know them mainly from German cities such as Munich, Berlin and Cologne. But they also exist in Bern: Gustav’s beer garden in Länggasse is one of them. While party and concert-goers dance the night away in the neighbouring Bierhübeli, sit back and enjoy a good beer and good conversation at the Biergarten. Our beer recommendation: the Berner Weizen from the Felsenau brewery.

What would a pub be without beer? Luckily, the Old City Irish Pub at 28 Kramgasse has lots of it. Guests love the different cult beers from Australia, Ireland, Switzerland and other countries around the world. As befits a pub, Guinness is available on tap and at probably the most decent price per pint in all of Switzerland. And the Old City Irish Pub lives up to its name with its authentic atmosphere that brings a touch of Irish flair to the lower part of Bern’s old town.

At Café Kario in the Lorraine neighbourhood, quality and organic ingredients are non-negotiable. They may not offer a huge variety of beers, but the ones they serve are and always have been special: Since opening in 1998, this iconic cultural venue has always included products from small Swiss breweries which were hardly known or noticed before the beginning of the craft beer boom just a few years ago. This includes the creations of the Brasserie BFM from Saignelégier in the canton of Jura, for example. By the way: the Café Kairo always has two beers on tap. No one’s going home thirsty!

Bern, bears, and beers go together like water, hops, and malt. From the famous BearPark, where Bernese brown bears Finn and Björk and their daughter Ursina live in a 6,000 square meters natural enclosure, it is only a few steps to the Altes Tramdepot. Both restaurant and brewery, about 30 different beers are brewed here each year in the two huge, gleaming copper kettles that stand right in the middle of the restaurant. Even going to the restroom is an experience: on your way, you pass the brewing room in the basement. Speaking of experiences: the view from the terrace over the River Aare and Bern’s old town at sunset is a sight to behold.

At 69 Lorrainestrasse, Bilal Erdogan has fulfilled a lifelong dream of his with the help of his friends: the founder of the cult beverage delivery service Bierexpress runs the small gem that is the Zoo Bar. Its permanent drinks menu includes around 60 different beers, and there are constantly changing, carefully selected regional special beers and an equally large selection of non-alcoholic drinks. The Zoo Bar is conveniently located on the way to the Lorraine public swimming pool, which makes it an ideal place for a refreshing stopover in the summer.

At the Bristol at 10 Schauplatzgasse, everything is «very British», starting with the name and going on to the team’s sense of humour. And it doesn’t stop there – after all, what would an English enclave be without an authentic Full English with baked beans, proper five o’clock tea with warm scones, or a freshly baked pie for dinner? Accompanied by the right beer, of course. The selection ranges from Grimbergen to Zähringer to Braufrisch. In our opinion, a quick trip to the Bristol for a cool beer is always worthwhile.