Editorial
Zurich has a drinking culture that rewards those willing to look past the banking-district reputation. The best bars in Zurich are split between the polished cocktail lounges of Langstrasse and a growing collection of intimate craft venues in the Kreis 4 and Kreis 5 neighbourhoods. We covered 18 venues across three visits. These 10 represent the city at its most honest.
The best bars in Zurich that locals actually frequent are concentrated in Langstrasse and Kreis 4 — a short walk from the main sights but a world away from the tourist circuit.
Zurich has a sophisticated wine culture that reflects its position between France, Germany, and Italy. These bars represent the best of that tradition.
Zurich is worth two proper drinking evenings. Start with one of the hotel bars for a sense of the city's traditional drinking culture, then spend the second evening working through Langstrasse and Kreis 4 for the real Zurich bar scene. The cocktail programme at the independent venues here is as good as anywhere in German-speaking Europe.
Sofia has written about the European bar scene for over a decade. She visits Zurich twice a year and considers it one of the most underestimated cocktail cities in Europe.
Five editor-curated guides, each ten bars, each tuned to a specific moment. The Zurich bars our editors send first dates to, and the ones we send proposals to, and everything between.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 by the barsforKings editorial team