Take a Break in Some of Bern’s Most Inviting Cafés

Bern’s cafés are the ideal spot to kick back and enjoy. With cafés nestled under the arcades, hidden in narrow lanes, dotting the city squares and high up on the Minster terrace, you can take your pick when you’re ready for a break from all that stressful shopping. Here is a selection of our favorite “typically Bernese” cafés.

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This place wants you to come back! It’s very name means “return”, and you’ll be happy to do it since this Bernese café right across from Rathaus (Town Hall) offers not only delicious tapas but also great coffee and fine wine. And everything is served in a stylish establishment with a relaxed, intimate atmosphere. Those who prefer to sit outside on Rathausplatz (Town Hall Square) during breezy summer days will feel like they’re on the Costa Brava. It’s a feeling that we can’t get enough of. Rathausplatz 8

Café Marta

If you’re looking for a particularly cozy spot, Café Marta is the place for you. Marta’s is the perfect haven after a stressful day, whether it involved working or shopping. The menu includes delicious coffee and a large selection of teas, not to mention handmade cakes and warm scones with butter, clotted cream and homemade jams. An added bonus is that the drinks and baked goods are also available in vegan and lactose-free versions. Marta’s is worth a visit in the evening as well, when local or British beer, cider and exquisite finger foods make it onto the menu. Kramgasse 8

Kornhauscafé

The historic Kornhaus invites you to drop in and stay a while – whether in the spacious, bright areas of the Kornhauscafé or between the palm trees out on Kornhausplatz (Granary Square). If you choose to sit in the Mediterranean-themed area, you certainly won’t be bored. It’s the perfect spot for people-watching as the crowds pass between the upper and lower parts of the Old Town. This grand café also hits the spot with fresh coffee and croissants from Monday to Saturday. Kornhausplatz 18

Kaffee Montag

Thankfully, Kaffee Montag is open on Mondays for those of us who find it hard to get motivated after the weekend. Of course, you can also stop by during the rest of the week for the tasty baked goods and fine specialty coffees. This somewhat hard-to-find Bernese café has another trump card up its sleeve: When you visit the loo, you will receive an interesting and rather unconventional look deep into Bern’s sewer system. Our rating: A must-see! Gerechtigkeitsgasse 27

Einstein café & bel étage

One of the café locations with the richest history behind it is undoubtedly the Einstein House. Here, where Albert Einstein formulated his theory of relativity over 100 years ago, you can feast on coffee and cake today. It is especially cozy in winter, when a crackling blaze in the open fireplace creates a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. And if you want “a coffee with a view”, we recommend the “Einstein au Jardin” pavilion on the Minster terrace. The tasty cappuccino comes with a prime vista! Kramgasse 49/Münstergasse 44 und Münster-Plattform

Colonial Bar

Once a store selling colonial goods, today it’s a stylish Bernese café! The Colonial Bar belongs to the Adrianos family, so you can be sure the coffee is always excellent. Of course, it also serves cold beverages, including a large selection of vermouth, a wine flavored with botanicals such as herbs. The drinks menu is just as impressive as the elegant atmosphere. Kornhausplatz 11

Diagonal Café & Bar

What was once a former meeting place for journalists and politicians is still a great place to while away the hours. This former press café is located just a few steps away from the Parliament Building, making it the ideal stopping point on your way to hunt for shopping treasures in the lower part of the Old Town. Coffee, hot chocolate, tea or perhaps something cold? You’ll always find the right drink for a quick tank-up at “Digi”. Amthausgasse 18

Café Alpin

According to an old proverb, “Venice floats on water, but Bern floats on wine”. Today, the former storage and wine cellars in Bern’s Old Town have been transformed into cafés, bars, boutiques and cultural venues. In the case of Café Alpin, however, the wine cellar is not merely a faded memory but rather part of a live and well culture. You can enjoy a coffee here underneath the arcades or raise your glass of wine and toast to a successful day of shopping. Those who prefer to take home some fine wines will find a select assortment of wines in the adjoining “Cave Alpin”, just a few steps away. Gerechtigkeitsgasse 19

Lorenzini Bar

A large dose of “Italianità” awaits you at Hotelgasse 10. The Lorenzini with its Florentine-style caffè-bar is THE place in Bern for an absolutely authentic coffee experience. Business people, politicians and coffee lovers all throng here. With an aromatic coffee on the table and the newspaper in your hand, you can refresh yourself in style before heading out for another round of shopping in the Old Town. Hotelgasse 10

Adrianos

It seems like all of Bern likes to drop in at Adrianos, located right beside the Zytglogge (Clock Tower). The café is a local institution and an absolute must for java lovers. Just like our Italian neighbors to the south, you can savor a creamy cappuccino in the morning standing at the bar or sip on a “caffè” in the afternoon while flipping through the newspaper. The coffee beans used here are imported directly from the producers and gently roasted onsite twice a week. You’re free to watch if you want to! Hobby baristas can also cover all their bases at the Adrianos coffee store located just a few feet away, which sells beans, coffee makers and all sorts of accessories. Theaterplatz 2