5 Legendary Coffee Houses Still Open

Hardly any café in Zurich connects so closely to the city’s history as Café Bar Odeon. It opened in 1911 and soon became a meeting place for intellectuals, artists and political thinkers. Documents clearly show that figures such as Albert Einstein, writers of classical modernism and the entire avant-garde frequented its tables. Naturally so — after all, the Odeon gave birth to the Cüpli, champagne served by the glass. Yet the Odeon never trades on its fame. It still charms guests with its cosmopolitan atmosphere and splendid Art Nouveau interior. In the mornings, regulars sit at the bar with their newspapers; in the afternoons, students, flâneurs and businesspeople mingle in the crowd. Whoever secures a seat by the windows understands Zurich a little better.

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Just a few steps from the Grossmünster stands Zurich’s oldest confectionery: today’s Café & Conditorei 1842. With its neo-baroque shop and terrace out front, this renowned coffee house preserves a piece of the past — and points back to the listed building’s history, which reaches as far as the 13th century. What began nearly 200 years ago as ​“Eberle’s sweet shop” continued in 1874, when pastry chef Theodor Schober took over. Over generations, it has grown into a beloved Niederdorf institution. Even today, seats in the neoclassically designed café remain highly sought after. No wonder: traditional cakes from the in-house confiserie — some recipes unchanged for generations — offer a truly special pleasure.

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For now, this bistro jewel in Lausanne’s historic old town still welcomes guests. Yet the Café du Grütli, located right next to Place de la Palud and open since 1849, will close its doors in March 2027. All the more reason to enjoy a fondue here while the chance remains, and to linger in its unique atmosphere with loved ones. The interior feels surprisingly simple, almost austere. Precisely for that reason, Café du Grütli has become one of the city’s most popular meeting places: no design concept, no trend — just an authentic spot that delights locals and tourists alike.

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Pastries in one of Switzerland’s earliest tea rooms? St. Moritz’s Cafehaus Hanselmann still makes that wonderfully possible. Visitors no longer dine in the owners’ private apartment — as Fritz and Theresia Hanselmann once did for English guests in 1894 — but the confiserie and tea room continue to spoil guests with countless homemade specialties. And few places offer a better view of St. Moritz’s haute volée strolling and chatting along the streets.

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According to its own account, Confiserie Schiesser on Basel’s Marktplatz, founded in 1870, is Switzerland’s oldest coffee house. It also remains one of the rare places that has preserved almost everything in its original state — not only architecturally, but in spirit as well. This Basel institution even captivates today’s Gen Z with its blend of coffee house, salon de thé and confectionery. Perhaps the appeal lies in recipes that are more than a hundred years old — quite fitting in an era when social media nostalgically celebrates the ​“good old 2016.” Or perhaps it is the heavenly scent of cinnamon, sugar and almonds that greets you at the door. Either way, anyone craving a relaxed retro escape should not miss Confiserie Schiesser.

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