Zürich
Old Town Zurich works especially well when you want more than a late-night drink. Along Limmatquai, Niederdorf and the lanes around Torgasse, you can move from brunch and specialty coffee to cocktails, wine tasting or seasonal outdoor drinks. Choose by the kind of visit you want, then check opening times and reserve ahead when planning a popular evening.
We researched which places in Zürich visitors recommend most and checked there is enough information to plan a visit.
Certain businesses pay to be featured more prominently.
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#1Tina Bar is a legendary Niederdorf address with a compact, intimate atmosphere, strong cocktails and a small humidor. It suits a crisp lager, a well-made mixed drink or a cigar-focused pause in the heart of Zürich, and the smoking-lounge format is an essential part of the experience.
The French-inspired character of the wider venue adds a distinctive touch to this central bar.
#2Small glasses make it easy to explore several wines
Monday karaoke adds a playful twist
At Stüssihofstatt 14 in Zurich’s Old Town, Edi’s Weinstube brings together a relaxed wine-bar atmosphere, a broad selection and an unmistakably unconventional artistic character. Small glasses make it easy to explore several wines in one visit, while the friendly bar service keeps the mood informal rather than formal.
Monday karaoke adds a playful twist , and the venue also features events, exhibitions and takeaway options.
#3Rimini Bar is an open-air summer venue beside the Schanzengraben at Badweg 10, making it a natural choice for warm-weather drinks and relaxed happy hours. The setting shifts seasonally, with a winter stübli serving fondue alongside the outdoor concept.
Choose it for a riverside-style break, seasonal food and an informal atmosphere rather than a formal dining experience.
#4Wines from Romandie and cocktails
Weisse Rose brings a touch of French-speaking Switzerland to Niederdorf, with seasonal cooking, wines from Romandie and cocktails at Torgasse 9. Its pedestrian-street setting includes inviting outdoor seating, while the intimate menu leans toward a small selection of dishes and snacks rather than an extensive restaurant list.
It suits an easygoing aperitif, a compact meal or a relaxed drink in the Old Town.
#5A warm, almost home-like atmosphere
A cosy setting with a distinct LGBTQ+ character
Petra’s Tip-Top-Bar is a compact, welcoming bar at Seilergraben 13, where the intimate size helps create a warm, almost home-like atmosphere . The focus is straightforward: good beer, friendly bartenders and a cosy setting with a distinct LGBTQ+ character .
It works especially well for a low-key drink with a small group, although busy late-evening periods can mean a slower pace at the bar.
#6Steak Frites with Béarnaise
A cosy restaurant with a cocktail bar
Just off Langstrasse, Schnupf combines a cosy restaurant with a cocktail bar and a laid-back, music-led atmosphere. The menu is compact but distinctive, featuring Steak Frites with Béarnaise and whole artichokes alongside small plates such as anchovies and artichokes.
A summer garden adds outdoor appeal, while helpful service makes it a natural choice for an unpretentious dinner that can continue with cocktails.
#7A daytime coffee stop and an evening bar
Plenty of room to sit, chat or work
KWEER at Spitalgasse 14 works equally well as a daytime coffee stop and an evening bar , with a queer identity at the heart of its character. The cosy interior offers plenty of room to sit, chat or work , while coffee, cakes and drinks cover the full day.
Events and reservations are part of the concept, making it a flexible Old Town meeting place rather than a single-purpose bar.
#8A small, cosy Niederdorf bar near Central
Occasional concerts and DJ programming
Safari Bar is a small, cosy Niederdorf bar near Central , suited to an uncomplicated drink after dinner or a casual start to the night. Cocktails and other drinks sit alongside a relaxed atmosphere, occasional concerts and DJ programming .
Its playful interior includes an old telephone booth, adding a memorable detail without making the space feel theatrical. Reservations are available for groups planning a shared evening.
#9Creative cocktails with aperitif platters
A lively neighbourhood feel
Tucked into Nägelihof in Zurich’s Old Town, Le Philosophe pairs creative cocktails with aperitif platters and a lively neighbourhood feel . The bar’s welcoming service is particularly useful for guests who enjoy guidance, whether choosing a French Made, a French Pearl Imperial or another inventive creation.
Its intimate, sociable character makes it a strong fit for lingering drinks rather than a quick stop between larger venues.
#10Dinner with live piano music
Pianobar & Restaurant Haifisch combines dinner with live piano music and a polished yet comfortable evening atmosphere at Mühlegasse 3. Pasta is one of the stronger food choices, while the night can develop from live music into a DJ-led party.
It is best suited to guests looking for more than a quiet drink: the restaurant setting, attentive service and changing musical energy make it a full evening destination.
#11Altstadt Bar sits in the heart of Zurich and offers more than a conventional night-time stop: coffee, classic cocktails, beer, wine and antipasti-style snacks all share the menu. Its beautiful, calm interior makes it especially useful for a quiet cappuccino, an aperitif or a drink while waiting for dinner nearby.
Because it can fill up, advance reservation is a sensible part of the plan for popular times.
#12A relaxed place to slow down with good music
Friendly bar service
Wüste Bar on Oberdorfstrasse is a relaxed place to slow down with good music , a beer and an unforced atmosphere. The compact setting feels suited to a casual drink after exploring the Old Town, with friendly bar service and enough character to make an unplanned stop worthwhile.
It opens in the afternoon and stays late on Fridays and Saturdays, making it a dependable evening option.
#13Pizza and cocktails outdoors
In Zurich’s Niederdörfli, Colibri Bar pairs a central old-town setting with outdoor seating, table service and a casual evening atmosphere. The menu covers beer, wine, spirits and cocktails, alongside food with pizza as a notable choice.
It works well for an aperitif, a relaxed dinner with friends or drinks outside around Hirschenplatz. The convenient location can become busy, so booking ahead is sensible when you are planning a group visit.
#14Nostalgic neighbourhood bar
Gräbli Bar has the feel of a traditional neighbourhood Kneipe in Zurich: familiar, informal and slightly nostalgic, with a playlist-led atmosphere and bartenders who help shape the welcoming character. The setting suits solo drinks as well as an uncomplicated evening with friends.
Beer, wine, spirits and simple bar food make up the offer, with snacks that fit the relaxed pub style. Outdoor seating is available, but the experience is best approached as a local bar rather than a formal, full-service restaurant.
#15Riverside café and cocktails
Dadabar brings together a café, aperitivo spot and cocktail bar on Zurich’s Limmatquai, right in the Old Town. During the day, it is suited to coffee, tea and an easy pause; later, the focus shifts towards cocktails, wine, beer and spirits in a lively but intimate setting.
The terrace overlooking the Limmat is the defining feature, especially for warm-weather drinks or meeting friends after exploring the city. A clean, stylish interior, friendly bar service and music-led atmosphere round out the experience.
Summary
| # | Business | Rating | Reviews | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tina Bar | 4.7 | 292 | Cigars and cocktails in Niederdorf |
| #2 | Edi's Weinstube | 4.6 | 507 | Casual wine tasting |
| #3 | Rimini Bar | 4.5 | 1,948 | Seasonal drinks and informal summer evenings |
| #4 | Weisse Rose | 4.7 | 234 | seasonal plates and relaxed outdoor drinks |
| #5 | Petra's Tip-Top-Bar | 4.7 | 171 | Intimate drinks and relaxed LGBTQ+ nightlife |
| #6 | Schnupf Restaurant & Cocktail Bar | 4.5 | 298 | Casual dinners |
| #7 | KWEER | 4.4 | 442 | Queer-friendly coffee |
| #8 | Safari Bar | 4.4 | 310 | After-dinner drinks |
| #9 | Le Philosophe | 4.6 | 105 | Cocktail exploration |
| #10 | Pianobar & Restaurant Haifisch | 4.8 | 60 | live music and late-night celebrations |
| #11 | Altstadt Bar | 4.5 | 95 | Quiet coffee breaks |
| #12 | Wüste Bar | 4.2 | 599 | Casual beers |
| #13 | Colibri Bar | 4.2 | 246 | Old-town aperitifs |
| #14 | Gräbli Bar | 4.1 | 479 | Informal local drinks |
| #15 | Dadabar | 4.2 | 183 | Riverside aperitifs |
For businesses
Map and areas
Use the map to see how close each option is to Limmatquai, Niederdorf, Torgasse and the Schanzengraben. The locations make it easy to plan one destination or combine several stops on foot. Check the exact address before setting out, especially when choosing between a central indoor bar and a seasonal riverside venue.
Soul | Creative Kitchen Bar is a natural brunch choice, with options such as eggs Benedict, shakshuka, pastries and distinctive coffee. Café Bar ODEON also works well when you want to combine breakfast or brunch with a broader all-day menu and a classic city-centre setting.
Tina Bar is an intimate Niederdorf option for cocktails, beer and cigar-focused visits. Weisse Rose is another choice nearby for cocktails and an aperitif, particularly if you prefer seasonal plates and outdoor seating on a pedestrian street.
Edi’s Weinstube is geared toward relaxed wine exploration, with a broad selection and small glasses that make it easier to try more than one style. Its informal atmosphere and Monday karaoke make it different from a conventional, quiet wine bar.
Rimini Bar beside the Schanzengraben is designed around an open-air summer visit, informal drinks and seasonal food. Its offer changes during the year, so check whether the outdoor concept is operating before making it the main destination.
Grande Café & Bar focuses on carefully prepared coffee, including Colombian single-origin beans, alongside pastries and all-day café visits. Café Bar ODEON is also useful for an earlier coffee stop when you want breakfast, brunch or a later transition to drinks.
