The Best Cafés in Bern’s Old City

A slice of heaven awaits coffee lovers in Marktgasse street: the so-called multi-roaster coffee shop Friend or Foe serves coffee from different Swiss and European roasteries. It is important to owners Anna and Ricardo to provide a platform especially for smaller roasteries. When ordering, you don’t only pick the type of coffee you’d like, but also the beans that should be used to prepare it. In general, the coffee at Friend or Foe is characterised by a light roast, which allows the coffee flavours to develop even better. Overwhelmed? Worry not! Ricardo has years of experience in the Swiss coffee roaster scene and is always happy to help. Our tip: a cup of filter coffee, a slice of homemade banana bread and a good book are a winning combo.

The chance of being seduced is great as you head down Bern’s Gurtengasse street. Seduced, that is, by the beguiling scent of freshly roasted coffee beans wafting from the “Rösterei” coffee roastery and bar. The café grinds and brews up every variation imaginable. If you stop by here, you can choose from classics such as espresso and Caffè Freddo as well as specialities including Terroir filter coffee or a trendy cold brew. And the foam on the cappuccino to top it all off? Courses and workshops on all things coffee-related are held regularly at the Rösterei. You can also peruse the onsite shop to find suitable barista equipment for your home and just the right blends, of course.

You don’t have to travel to Brooklyn for hip big-city flair. The same feeling can be found in Rathausgasse – just minus the noise and stress. One to nil for Bern! The Easy Bar & Café definitely harmonises with this vibe. As the name suggests, the atmosphere is relaxed and the interior is tastefully styled. From the cups to the paint on the walls, everything is in dark terracotta. Whether you order vegan dishes, mezze or Scones – it is always homemade. And the drinks menu is mainly low-percentage alcohol, although a small selection of Swiss gin is certainly included. By the way, you can enjoy “fizzy water” here without a guilty conscience because they use a Quooker that turns tap water into a sparkling beverage or heats it up for organic peppermint tea. Say goodbye to unnecessary transport emissions and lugging plastic bottles around!

Come back anytime! That is what “volver” stands for, and that’s what you’ll be doing, because in this Bernese café right across from Rathaus (Town Hall), they serve yummy tapas as well as great coffee and wine in a stylish and relaxed ambiance. In sunny weather, you can sit outside on Rathausplatz (Town Hall Square) and almost feel like you’re on the Costa Brava. Especially when you’re being served delicious pulpo, spicy chorizo or patatas bravas – the tempting fried potatoes with Aioli and spicy tomato sauce are always a good idea. Volver takes us directly to the Mediterranean – and we simply can’t get enough of it.

The modern coffee shop on Neuengasse street with the very likeable name is coffee specialist Tchibo’s newest café. It comes as no surprise that there’s a lot of know-how and all kinds of different coffee specialties to choose from, made from one of the most famous coffee beans in the world. You can select either a light or dark roast for your coffee, and the baristas will also gladly recommend the coffee creation that best suits your personal preferences. A must: grabbing a superfood bowl or a sandwich for lunch and sitting at the bar by the large window – a great experience!

The Einstein Haus (Einstein house) is definitely one of the most historical locations for a café. Where Albert Einstein came up with the theory of relativity over 100 years ago, there’s now a wonderful café where you can stop by for cup of coffee and a slice of cake. It’s especially cosy in the winter, with its relaxing atmosphere complete with a crackling fire. The pancake quartet with maple syrup is worth indulging on, just like the Einstein Kaffee with a dash of Amaretto and Brandy – making sure you’re warm on the inside, too! By the way: for a “coffee with a view”, we suggest the “Einstein au Jardin” pavilion on the Minster terrace, where the cappuccino is great and the view spectacular!

“Venice is built on water, Bern on wine”, as an old saying goes. Over the years, the former pantries and wine cellars in Bern’s Old City have been transformed into cafés, bars, boutiques and event locations. At Café Alpin, however, the wine cellar is not a faded memory, but alive and well: You can enjoy a cup of coffee at the little tables under the arcades or inside the small and elegantly decorated café – or you can round off a successful day of shopping with a glass of wine. If you’d like to take home some good wine, there’s a choice selection available at Cave Alpin just a few steps down.

All of Bern meets at Adrianos by the Zytglogge (Clock Tower). The café is an inherent part of Bern’s café culture and an absolute must for lovers of the “black gold”. In the morning, the creamy cappuccino is best enjoyed standing at the bar, in the afternoon, a “caffè” and a newspaper are the combination to go for – just like our southern neighbours do it. At the Adrianos coffee store just a few steps away, amateur baristas can stock up on beans, coffee makers and all kinds of supplies. The coffee beans are imported directly from the producer and carefully roasted at Adrianos Company in Stettlen (15 minutes from Bern) four times a week.

Versa is part of the Adrianos family and – just like its affiliate on Theaterplatz (Theatre Square) – serves delicious coffee from the highly skilled baristas and brewers who are true filter coffee masters – connoisseurs say it’s the best filter coffee in all of Bern’s Old City. The bar also offers an interesting selection of Vermouths from all over the world. The interior has a chic simplicity to it, and guests sitting by one of the large windows have a prime view of the hustle and bustle on and around Kornhausplatz (Granary Square).

What was once a teacher’s lounge is now a café-bar open to the public: at Lehrerzimmer (teacher’s lounge) in the PROGR cultural centre, you’ll want to stay way beyond recess. The place also includes an art bookshop and an exhibition space for contemporary art, which makes for an eclectic mix of bar, cuisine, art and literature. Delicious food is served in glass jars, and on Sundays, guests put together their own brunch at the “Frühstückspuzzle” (“breakfast puzzle”). Across the courtyard, another part of the former high school has become a space for cultural events: at Turnhalle (gym), parallel bars and vaulting horses have been replaced by coffee, concerts, cocktails and more. This place is in great shape!

Burgunderbar is a bit of a phenomenon: it’s quite small, yet coffee connoisseurs, aperitif aficionados and wine worshipers seem to always find a place to sit. The charming café on Speichergasse street is also a great tip for brunch: every Sunday from September to May, it entices its guests with a real “Buurezmorge” (“farmer’s breakfast”), tasty regional meats and cheeses and many delicious products straight from the farm. And the bar is widely known as a concert venue, too: concerts take place regularly under the name “Blau im Burgunder” (“Blue at Burgunder”).

When a small vaulted cellar houses a cosy café, it will quickly turn into a new favourite place to be. The Lieblings (“favourite”) on Gerechtigkeitsgasse street is exactly that, with its very personal, friendly and welcoming ambiance. Be it to unwind with a cup of coffee and a newspaper, meet up for a beer and a game of cards or sip on a good glass of wine: the 40-square-meter café is a wonderful and relaxing place to do so. It also hosts small but select events such as concerts, Jass (a traditional Swiss card game) evenings or brunch on (almost) every first Sunday of the month. It definitely has a lot of favourite potential!

Is there anything better than sitting in a cosy café with a good book, a fragrant cup of coffee and a fresh croissant and completely losing track of time? That’s exactly what happens at Lesbar (“reading bar” / “readable”), a café situated in the same historical building as the grand Münstergasse-Bibliothek (Münstergasse library). But it’s not only a place for bookworms and coffee fans: At lunchtime, tasty dishes are served, following the principles of seasonality and the reduction of food waste. In the evenings, people like to meet at Lesbar after work for an aperitif or a beer. The large and diverse drinks menu rounds everything off.

A large dose of authentic “italianità” awaits guest at Hotelgasse 10: Lorenzini is Bern’s number 1 Italian. The café-bar in the chic Florentine style makes for a true Italian experience, and it goes without saying that their espresso is immaculate and has us hooked. At Lorenzini, you will see politicians, businesspeople and coffee lovers enjoying a cup of coffee and the daily newspaper. The elegant café is the perfect place to recharge your batteries in style for another round of shopping or sightseeing in Bern’s Old City.