The best bars and cafés Switzerland

Overlooking the vineyards and the lake, the Deck's terrace-lounge (an establishment of Baron Tavernier) offers one of the most beautiful panoramas in the region. Under large white canvases, the comfortable sofas give this long teak terrace an elegant and trendy touch. The unique panorama offered by Lake Geneva and its mountains is of rare beauty. Let yourself be surprised by the chef's creations and his refined cuisine combining flavours from around the world and French cuisine. We also recommend going there to enjoy a drink in this idyllic setting.

With its sober and industrial decor, Officine is far from being a pharmacy, even if the drinks can sometimes soothe the aches! This contemporary bar welcomes an urban, young and trendy clientele. People come here to taste the local draught beers and especially those made by the house (Officine spéciale or Officine blanche). The Flon district is very lively and the bar's terrace is packed in summer. The mixed boards, the mini-burgers and the wraps accompany your aperitif break with good quality gourmet products.

It is the Bateau Genève, which belongs to the private association of the same name, recognised as being of public utility, whose aim is to welcome adults who are in personal or social difficulty. A place steeped in history (the first double-decker lounge boat on Lake Geneva and the scene of Empress Sissi's assassination), the Bateau Genève has a refreshment bar on board, where you can eat at noon and enjoy tapas, raclette or simply a drink from 5pm. It is very nice to come and share the Sunday brunch.

La Ferblanterie is a café not to be missed in the rue de l'Ecole-de-Médecine, well known for its festive atmosphere and numerous bars, located a stone's throw from the universities. Housed in the workshop of a former tinsmith's shop, it keeps some traces of it, such as the counter that now serves as a bar. A semi-industrial setting, the place has managed to retain a cachet halfway between an alternative bar and a neighbourhood café. The place was given a facelift in 2018. The owner, Daisy, and her daughter, Lea, make this place friendly. Here, people don't come to shine, but to exchange.

An emblematic place for this bar with a musical atmosphere. The stone walls breathe the imprint of time: in the walls of Geneva's former fortifications, in the 19th century the high ceilings housed a school chapel, and Slatkine Editions stored many books there. What an ideal setting to set up a music bar and promote new artistic talent! Sitting on the comfortable seating of the designer furniture, you can share copious tapas slates while happily sipping ingenious cocktails or local beer.

At Quartier is a tea room. But much more. The space, a small room at the many tables, where a crowd of diverse objects - statue of porcelain dog, Roman columns, and many small trinkets and old biscuits in the heights, welcomes in a very good mood a colourful clientele. Here, many people can find themselves in the morning, the weekend, especially in a joyful atmosphere. Servers and waitresses will easily exchange one or two jokes with you. If you are greedy or tenaillé by hunger at the wake, nothing such as tasting some of the delicious little sandwiches from home to original tastes - rolls to radish and St. Moret, or to tomato and cheese, mini to Cenovis, a specialty of country, croissants to tuna foam… not to mention more classical but nevertheless good parts - tartlets various fruits and very good chocolate breads, among others. The place is known both for its relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and its good bakeries and pastry. A very pleasant establishment, which we recommend without hesitation. A must.

What a view! When you visit the Jules Verne Panoramabar, choose a day when the sky couldn't be bluer and happily climb into one of the comfortable armchairs. This bar, named after the famous French adventure novelist, is located at the top of the Urania Observatory. As you sip a cocktail, you'll enjoy a breathtaking view of the city of Zurich and, above all, the lake and the Alps in the background. At nightfall in winter, the city is illuminated in all its glory. A must-see!

A craft brewery located right at the square of the famous Carouge's fountains, at the corner of Vibert Street and Boulevard des Promenades. Popular and contemporary, completely renovated in 2013, BDT offers its fresh products menu 7 days a week. From the entrance, on the left, 2 large steel tanks majestically have pride of place. One of the tanks is used for cooking and the second as a filter, and 9 fermenters of 1,000 litres do the rest of the work in the basement. For those who love local and brewed-on-site beers, this is where you need to sit, in a contemporary and refined atmosphere. You will be introduced to La Carougeoise, the only craft beer of Carouge, coming in dark, amber, lager. To keep its entire authenticity and its freshness, it is not filtered and non pasteurised. And the craftl beers come in several aromas and flavours under the names of La Douze27, La K-Rouge, Tutti Frutti, Amarillo, La Noirette. Accompanied by a dish on the black board for lunch, or a Heidi burger, it is a place of discovery within local craft!

Located, as its name suggests, on the second floor of the Fairmont, the site offers a breathtaking view of the jet d'eau and the Alps... The lounge is especially worth a visit for the view, and in winter it's a cosy place to enjoy a cup of tea or a taste of the great classics, at any time of day in a calm, hushed atmosphere, not bad for a break between two explorations. Avoid hot chocolates in winter, however, as they are frozen. At the end of the day, the bar next door raises the decibels and electrifies the atmosphere.

An emblematic bar! Le Chat Noir is a whole concept, a convivial place to enjoy a meal inspired by the flavors of the world, such as Mexican-style grilled shrimp or salt-crusted beef tataki. Here, a sense of rhythm blends perfectly with the concert hall, tasting with the restaurant and its cuisine of gustatory blends, and the bar club with a team of "mixologists" and Flair (spectacular bottle juggling) enthusiasts. The delicious Havana passionwon an award at the Havana Club competitions in Geneva.

Dancing La Javanaiseagainst a backdrop of musical notes and the footsteps of Serge Gainsbourg. A warm, quirky atmosphere and an excellent welcome. This café-bar-restaurant is decorated like a 1950s duplex; eclectic and ultra-original, like its menu. It's easy to spend hours sitting in the library with a good book, enjoying dishes that evoke the songs of Serge Gainsbourg, who is omnipresent at Java. In a relaxed atmosphere, you can sip cocktails on the sofas. An atmosphere that electrifies in the evening, recommended!

This café brings together all the students and thirty-somethings of Freiburg, with children on Sundays. You can spend hours in its retro and warm interior, made of bricks and mortar, playing table football, reading comics or surfing the Web thanks to the free wi-fi. On sunny days, the terrace (considered one of the most beautiful in Switzerland) with its guinguette atmosphere is the place to be. Cold food, a wide variety of beers and homemade syrups. In the evening, you can enjoy the concerts at the Mouton Noir.

A little air of New York for those nostalgic for the lively and electrified atmosphere of the Big Apple where people live "72 hours a day". Here, we wanted to recreate this New York atmosphere, unique in the world, and so far from Geneva. Start your evening with a good cocktail, as one tends to do after a day of work in the Anglo-Saxon world. You'll enjoy a trendy and relaxed New York atmosphere. So burger, T-bone, hot dog or crazy duck? Portion American version, to "recharge your batteries". Festive atmosphere in the evening.

A wine bistro-bar where you can experience and share authentic happiness over a glass of wine with friends. Le Vert Bouteilleis a pleasant meeting place with olive tones and a wall of empty bottles. It has a Scandinavian, industrial loft feel, with mismatched wood and Formica furniture, a magnificent zinc bar and designer stools. The emphasis is on naturalness, with a vast selection of natural wines. We can't get enough of the tapas, in plank or slate versions, featuring local produce.

At the end of a paved alleyway, the Parrot is a very pretty bar with a Latin atmosphere. We feel good there, with a pleasant background music with Spanish sounds, very good cocktails (special mention to pisco sour, faithful to the original and to be tested for those who did not have the chance to discover it in Peru). To accompany all this, various tapas are possible: empanadas, patatas bravas and many other cheese or delicatessen boards. The waiters are on their own, everything is in place to make you have a wonderful evening.