The best bars and cafés Geneva

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.

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.

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.

To define Arthur's Rive gauche in three words would be luxury, champagne and voluptuousness. When strolling through the chic Rue du Rhône, Arthur's Rive Gauche attracts passers-by who often have the reflex to look through the large bay windows. A universe that is unpretentious, "beautiful and chic". An eye-catching and glamorous decor, a posh clientele and a boyish service. A place with an elegant baroque atmosphere, and above all one of the most prized lounges in Geneva.

You won't want to miss it: it's right across from the station, and at weekends, its clientele take to the sidewalks, making for a lively atmosphere! This brewery produces its own craft beers and flammekueche! The atmosphere is warm and friendly in this huge bar, where revelers from all over the world, young students, travelers and barflies gather to enjoy a good beer. The vats are visible, and the blond, white or amber nectar flows freely, louse Brewery menu, the famous flammekueche sauerkrautfish and chips, burgers, steaks, etc

Summer is here! Geneva is undergoing a metamorphosis, and it's almost as if we were on a permanent vacation, with our feet in the water by the lake, and the appearance of ephemeral bars on the quaysides has a lot to do with it! We've set up a number of straw huts, where you can enjoy a refreshing drink or a tasty salad in the shade. Unique view of the jet d'eau and Mont Blanc. The site is well worth a stop for everyone. We've even thought of sandboxes for the kids. Not to be missed at sunset for an aperitif. Ask about possible concerts.

A place full of color, you'll quickly spot the bar by its emblem, the bicycle, which baptized the bar, the little queen. The lively Grottes district is home to a veritable kingdom of bars and fun places. The drinks on offer, mostly from independent producers, are proof of this. You can sip Club-Mate, a non-alcoholic carbonated tea, and local craft beers on the pretty, sunny terrace in summer. As for atmosphere, the bar regularly hosts exhibitions and a variety of concerts.

A superb setting, in the heart of the park, with an atmosphere that quite simply makes Geneva unique in summer. What more could you ask for, sitting on a deckchair facing the lake after a swim? A bohemian cachet for this caravan. Visitors to the Science Museum can enjoy drinks and local delicacies during an aperitif break. In summer, there's nothing like dancing under the stars to Latin rhythms, or sipping a good beer with your bare feet tickled in the rich grass, on a deckchair with friends or with a good book!

Set sail for Bora Bora or another Pacific atoll, and forget about the Geneva weather, for the colorful tropical atmosphere of the tropics! Don't tikis make for good energy? Just a few steps down from the American Dream Diner restaurant and you're ready to escape for an evening. Your destination will be "Hawaii", in a decorfifties conducive to the tasting of Hawaiian cocktails. There's nothing like dreaming of the splendors of the Pacific while sipping a blue lagoon, a tiki punch or a blue hawaian and savoring a hawaian quesadilla.

Better than the all-in-one shampoo, the 23rd Place allows you to have a coffee break with a blow-dry and a make-up aperitif before continuing your evening in the trendy bars of the Eaux-Vives district. Le 23e Lieu offers an atypical and vintage atmosphere. On the one hand, you can go to the salon for a touch-up and then relax in the boutique with its vintage furniture. A design and decoration boutique café where Paco (born on the 23rd!) sets the tone, scissors in hand to satisfy his customers. Full of ideas, he offers a "hair botox bar" package with a refreshing drink.

A unique place with a thousand pleasures. In the historic heart of the city, not far from the hustle and bustle of the Place du Bourg-de-Four, the Slatkine café offers a relaxing and cultural stopover! The bookshop founded in 1918 by Mendel Slatkine has been located here for many years. The books of the Geneva Slatkine publishing house are never far away and sit enthroned in the bar waiting to be leafed through or bought. It is pleasant to settle into this literary atmosphere and have breakfast while reading the local periodicals.