Café Zähringer in Zürich

When we walked into the restaurant we were initially greeted in a friendly manner. However, after we had to wait 30 minutes for our cheese spaetzle, we were informed that these and other possible alternatives were no longer available (2:30 p.m.). When we then ordered fries with salad as an alternative, it came after another half hour upon request. Furthermore, guests who sat down inside were not served or left the restaurant because of the lack of food on offer. When we paid, the bill said 3 times of cheese spaetzle. You have to know. Drinks were good.

Pleasant atmosphere, friendly service, good location!

Friendly, relaxed, welcoming place for coffee, snacks, or mostly light dishes. It’s a cooperative. We ordered the specials of the day (or week?), the 29 CHF BAUERBRATWURST mit BRATKARTOFFELN (apparently bacon-less bratkartoffeln) und SAUERKRAUT and also the 20 CHF BORSCHT mit SOJAHACK KRÄUTERJOGHURT und KNOBLAUCHBROT (see photos). The borscht was very nice, we’ve rarely paid 20 CHF for a bowl of soup, but worth it as it was very good and not something we can easily get back home. Bratwurst was not special, dried out and small, just okay. Typical shockingly high Zürich prices (USA lens), so no problem there. Our very pleasant waiter was more focused on visiting with friends, seated at a nearby table talking at length despite many customers to serve. After ordering and quietly waiting without question about 30 minutes and wondering whether they were flying the borscht in from Russia or something, the nice guy woke up and darted to our table and apologized profusely for not putting our order in, we said no worries we’ll wait. To his credit, without prompting he offered us free olives and bread while we waited which was thoughtful and appreciated. Twice more the nice guy sat down and resumed chatting with his friends but did see to it that our food was finally delivered after 45 minutes. Had we been in a rush that day we might have said how about focusing on your customers but we were trying to be cool and thus one waits 45 minutes for a bowl of soup. We did like our server and this place, but it’s apparently not a good choice if you need to be somewhere at a specific time. 😎 ☮️

Oh zähringer how I love thee. Busy cafe with a nice selection of food and drinks with reasonable prices. During peak times it can be hard to get a seat as the place is nicely located next to the library. It’s a very cozy lefty vibe inside, they also have outdoor seating. You can pay with card / twint but they prefer cash!

This café in the middle of the city has a cozy vibe and a welcoming atmosphere. They're all about being inclusive for everyone, as you can see in the pictures. The coffee is decent, and the cakes are really tasty. The staff is friendly too. The hygiene is okay, and when I visited, the place was quite busy, so it might not be the best spot for a relaxed work or study session. They prefer payment in cash or card. I liked it a lot and plan to go back soon.

Friendly and solidarity-based café with a delicious range of cakes and food. Absolutely recommended!

The food is pretty good here. Friendly and non-judgemental ambience. Staff also seem relaxed. Sometimes the orders can take a while to arrive.

Cool, uncomplicated restaurant. Delicious homemade iced tea.

Super great restaurant with an even greater concept ❤️

Classic alternative pub in Zurich.

Were here for the first time. Very pleasant space for a relaxed exchange. Very friendly staff. Delicious coffee and delicious croissants - gladly again.

Casual place to work or meet friends

Super poor and late service, zero customer attention (they prioritize their own personnel’s discussions and let the customer wait in front of them to finish)…

Pleasant atmosphere. Enjoy your meal. Nice service. Popular, so it's better to reserve with larger groups.

Very nice to have a drink with friends at night, good as a local pub

It's beautiful here, sitting outside wasn't an option. Very friendly service. Would come again.

When I entered the restaurant that I knew from before, I was not greeted or even noticed by any of the service employees, even after I sat in the restaurant for almost an hour and read a book (this happened at the end of July 2023) - or should I give it 5 stars because you can just sit in here and spend time without being spoken to ;-)?

A café where everyone should feel at home. They have some dishes for dinner. Nice to sit outside when the terrace is open.

It’s really lovey place, both outside and inside. Good menu and drinks. The food was quite good, my dish was salty but my friends dishes were good.

Still the same as many years. With a terrace, easy going place. As all in ZH, getting expensive

Highly recommended, great veggie and vegan options and amazing service.

Sit relaxed, drink and eat well. Super-friendly service, we were able to order a minute before the kitchen closed.

Service was slightly less friendly than similar places in Zurich, but we were thrilled to see Zahringer is a coop!

Had a really bad experience with one of the waiters (thin, tall, wearing glasses). He was very rude. We were three girls and we were just looking at the menu when he brought three glasses of beer out of nowhere, we didn’t order it and did not even touch the glasses.. the food we wanted to have was not available with them so we decided to leave and then the waiter came and asked to pay for the beers. We denied (because we didn’t order anything, we literally sat there for 2 mins. to see the menu) and then he abused us. I would suggest to not go to this place because they absolutely don’t know how to treat their customers. Really rude, arrogant and ill- mannered!

We stopped at Zähringer for a coffee, but maybe we got there on a bad day... The service was erratic and the cappuccino my wife asked for was almost cold. Not a good experience, but I hope to come again for a better experience, because the location is fantastic.

Lovely!! Everything's so good: the atmosphere, the food, the nice staff 😊

we came across this place by chance, we liked it, we went in and didn't regret it. Pleasant staff with reasonable prices, maybe not for those who like fancy places lolwould definitely sit here again, greetings to the waiters 😃

Very friendly service and good coffee

Lovely staff! Great vibes! Danke

A Zurich classic and a role model for the world. There is room for everyone here! A place of tolerance and fairness. The food is very good. I have celiac disease and there is a gluten-free option for me too! The culture and atmosphere of this place are wonderful. The gluten-free cake from Mohn's is fantastic!

Expensive, but huge portion sizes, service was lovely. Good people and even better vibes

The chocolate cake was really delicious, the Café Mocha was also very good. Can also be enjoyed wonderfully on a warm day. Clear recommendation!

A café where you immediately feel at home. Attentive, friendly service. Very “local” cafe. Fine, diverse card.

Lovely café ! Nice staff, variety of food, snack and dessert from both West and Middle-East, simple and relaxing decoration including plants that are everywhere inside the café. It's a real melting pot and the atmosphere is very inclusive and friendly. Highly recommended!

Good food and service. Recommend

Ate paneer korma – taste didn't match price. Too little food for what I paid. Slightly disappointed. Better luck next time?

Great staff, lovely food. Great music too! :)

Very friendly café, friendly service with a natural way of communicating, very tasty carrot cake, good rosé, and what seems like a capital offense elsewhere - cocoa powder on the cappuccino - tastes surprisingly good here. Casual atmosphere, no hipster shop (thank goodness).

This is a lovely comfortably nice atmosphere please. Very interesting people come into this place the beer is good I had a sandwich for lunch and just interesting and comfortable service is great would recommend.

We greatly enjoyed our brunch at Zähringer. We appreciated the inclusive messaging and enjoyed the atmosphere. We'd gladly come here again.

The mother of all alternative cafés in Zurich. 0 chic imicki. Everything is the same except the glue in the toilet.

I was in town for just one day and went out to find a nice cafe, stumbled upon the best I could. I was served by a super friendly waiter, the atmosphere was very pleasant with plants. Coffee and cake very good

Pleasant place located in the old town of Zurich. It presents itself as a structure suitable for welcoming and making people feel at home, without any pressure or rush. It offers a good assortment of dishes, both sweet and savory, prepared simply but tasty. The clientele is varied in age, although the youth presence is the majority. An environment where you can eat or simply enjoy a coffee, perhaps playing chess. Prices are average.

More pubs should be organized collectively. It feels right and then it's delicious, plus the people are nice. My red cabbage with chestnuts and knöpfli was superb.

Good vibe, quality food, kind staff

Truly organic with responsibility

Very harmonious restaurant in the middle of the old town. But does good stuff have to be so expensive? CHF 5.60 for a carton of Amber beer is too expensive for me in the future.

very friendly staff and service great. The atmosphere is convincing and the drinks are very tasty!

Alright ! The service is friendly and kind and the food is good. To do again

Typical food of the area. Reasonable prices and very good service.

Very nice place, but above all don't eat there... Very few dishes, very very very very fatty, indigestible, and much too expensive considering a quality that does not even come close to canteen meals .

Loved it, local place, when I went it was filled with students, library is next door. Has a very homey vibe and reasonable prices. Will be back.

besti mohnchueche! ligretto is always fun :)

Great space with amazing food and kind people.

Very special place, you either love it or go one house further. Not cheap, which is logical in Zurich and the food is okay, not particularly intoxicating. The amount was adjusted a lot, but it was okay for me, but not anymore.

Exciting concept. I have never found the directive against all types of racism in any coffee/restaurant. It should actually go without saying. Service was friendly and the restaurant was full. However, we wouldn't come back because of the food. Reason: presentation, strange recipe (we didn't expect any cheese in Kartoffekstock and it tasted bad. Thank you for the evening.

A lot of emphasis is placed on feeling good here. Nobody should feel excluded. But there's not much to feel good about the food you're served. Anyone standing in the kitchen has little idea about cooking. Loveless and bland. Passionless, and then not even cheap. Inedible meatballs for 29.-. OK? 😬 At least the tapas were very good. 🙏 The service is friendly, but not particularly attentive. We took it with humor. It was definitely an experience. But we definitely won't go there anymore. 😵😵😵

Really nice place and really nice people!

Music and space were great! Food (veggie main + dessert) were AMAZING. Beer & service were okay. Bill was astronomical. 54CHF 1.1l beer.

I had a rubber band in my food after a long wait! 🤢🤮The waitress took note of it and didn't elaborate further. This was my last time in Zähringer! Very disappointing!

Delicious food and nice service...cappuccino could be better!!!

Very nice place, very tasty sustainable food. Café Zähringer is very well maintained with very friendly staff.

Zaehringer has a nice mixture of alternative vegan and classical cuisine, a nice outdoor dining area and a friendly staff. The sweets are great and if you are interested in slightly improving the world you may want to buy the Iraqi "Dattelstraeusselkuchen" and hereby support the disadvantaged people in Iraq. Other cakes are simply delicious as well.

Reggae beats and good coffee/cake

Good food, also for vegans, reasonable prices.

Incredible You can get a spot for brunch here on Sunday mornings. Food is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Great service and very tasty homemade cakes. Gladly again.

Love this place. Very alternative, nice people and good food.

Fair prices, good beer, friendly service what the hell?

Delicious breakfast, you can order individual items, such as the 3 minute egg, which is actually a soft egg! Vegetarian & vegan friendly! Friendly staff!

The place is very charming and the meal simple and delicious! Very friendly service. If I go back to Zurich, I will definitely come back! I really liked this coffee!

Was my restaurant many years ago...the Zähringer is still there 🥰

Favorite place ever. Great organic food and super friendly and committed staff. I had the best hash brown and halloumi sandwich of my life there.

Good atmosphere and good food...a concept you can support.

Lovely little cafe 😊 Food was good and moderatly prized.

Nice place with hot food. Community 🏳️‍🌈

Nice atmosphere and friendly staff. For the prices you can get better quality food elsewhere. More for coffee/tea than food.

Such good atmosphere. Nice place. I like it. Nostalgically furnished. Unfortunately the soup wasn't hot. Therefore 4 points.

Friendly service, food was good and prepared with love.

Good food,. Friendly service 😉😉😉

The coffee is watery and expensive. But the pub is very cozy

Chilled and down to earth, friendly service, lots of plants - attracts a nice crowd of people

Luckily, one of the few “pubs” that still exist in Zurich.

uncomplicated and simple. nice crowd mainly students

Warm, welcoming, amazing music and stellar vibes. Do recommend!

Good service, very well located bar.

It's a beautiful cafe beautifully run with delicious food.

Nice ambience, pleasant atmosphere, friendly service. But even if Zurich is expensive and the location is central, the prices are quite hefty for a rather alternative restaurant. Especially since the food can be classified as good home cooking (albeit organic quality) and not as fine dining.

An oasis, pleasant, casual and relaxed, in the heart of the city

The waiter was unfriendly and didn't know much about the menu. During dinner he came spontaneously and wanted us to pay for everything straight away. Maybe wanted us gone. Never again!

Waiter didn't know about the wines or the menu

Authentic cuisine and location. Everything homemade and very good cakes and pastries. A little expensive, but quite decent for Zurich! Photo: Pakora and vegan grilled vegetables - 25.-

Friendly service, but the mineral water prices are rather unfriendly. For a “bottle” of Cola to the guest SFR. To charge 5.80, almost Fr.6.- is an outrage. Does the restaurant offer a special ambience for this? No, rather cool and without any special features.

Very nice service and very fine food

Very tasty seasonal menu, friendly service and cozy atmosphere! I can only recommend

A nice place to be and stay. Great service and honest cuisine. Only recommended!

Good food, family atmosphere, it's not your typical little place.

Great people & great food! Keep it up

Mini absolute favorite bar with the best music and friendliest waiters in Zurich! And the food (especially the chnobli bread with salad) is always so good!

Simply great place, my favorite café/bar/restaurant for decades.