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Despite being close to Germany, Switzerland doesn’t have much of a reputation for beer. However, Zurich still has a few great craft beer places, including beer bars & breweries. Here are my favorite spots to find the best craft beer in Zurich.
The Best Craft Beer Bars in Zurich
Hafenkneipe
Upon entering Hafenkneipe, my first reaction was that it was cool.
With wood walls, some of which are unpainted, some of which are a sea-colored blue, covered in photos of ships, ship models, and knots, the nautical theme is everpresent. This makes sense, as the name translates to “Harbor Pub.”
It’s a chill bar with mellow & dark indie music playing. There’s also live music on some evenings. Several round communal tables are good for groups or for making new friends.
I’d heard that Hafenkneipe had an excellent beer selection to go with their full bar, so I was initially taken aback to see just a few taps – mostly Turbinenbrau, plus one other craft tap.
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However, a quick look at the can & bottle list & I was in heaven. Hafenkneipe has a high-quality selection of around 60+ beers from top American & British craft breweries such as Other Half, Cloudwater, and Verdant. I was pleasantly surprised to get to have a rare Verdant release outside of England.
Address: Militärstrasse 12, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
The Alehouse – Palmof
The Alehouse is a bright pub located just down the road from focusTerra and the Zurich Polybahn. It’s a relaxing spot with wood tables, floors, and walls, a chill R&B and soul playlist, and board and card games.
The bar, which opened in 2017, has 20 taps & 1 cask, containing not only local craft breweries such as Dr. Brauwolf & Brewdaz but also imports, especially from Italy. There are also a few fridges with bottles and cans.
Address: Universitätstrasse 23, 8006 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
Eldorado
Eldorado bills itself as having 101 beers from around the world. That sounds about right, as the bar, which opened in 2012, has 10 taps, plus a hundred or so bottles and cans, including Swiss, German, Belgian, British, American, and other selections.
The dark bar (at least during the night, as despite the limited lighting, there are large windows facing the street) has a living room feel, with some nice plush chairs, sofas, and a small stage.
If you drink all 101 beers, you are crowned “El Dorado” & get your name on the wall & their website.
Address: Limmatstrasse 109, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
The International Beer Bar
The International Beer Bar is the kind of spot that other bartenders are quick to recommend. It’s a small, well-loved place with a patio out front and lots of cozy seating areas perfect for a date or conversation with a friend. If the conversation stops, you can have a little battle with the figurines handed out for your bar tab.
The beer selection at The International Beer Bar isn’t huge, but it’s a nice mix of beers across 8 taps plus a couple of dozen or so cans and bottles.
When I visited, there were lots of beers from the Swiss brewery Welcome Stranger, along with Gekko from France and Outer Range from Colorado. The bar also serves wine and cocktails.
Address: Luisenstrasse 7, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
NORDEN Bar
NORDEN Bar is a unique beer bar. All of their beer is from Nordic countries and Scandinavia, including the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Finland, and Norway. There’s a particularly strong selection from Finland. Most of the beers are in cans and bottles. Wood decor completes the northern feel.
The beer isn’t cheap, but then again, nothing is in Zurich, so it’s worth paying for something you won’t find elsewhere. Plus, 1% of all revenue is donated to animal shelters.
Address: Ankerstrasse 123, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
Poli Bar
Poli Bar is an intimate corner bar with 8 craft beer taps plus a small fridge, as well as cocktails.
There’s pinball and foosball, plus rock music on the stereo.
Address: Gertrudstrasse 50, 8003 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer
The New York City-themed Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer is a slice of the East Coast in Zurich, with graffiti & a hip-hop playlist. They also have a few other locations around Switzerland.
While the place is food-focused, with burgers, salads, snacks, and some crazy-looking milkshakes, there’s also a craft beer selection.
There are a fair amount of American beers from breweries such as Cigar City and Oskar Blues, but there is Swiss craft representation as well across the 8 taps, plus a dozen or so bottles & cans.
Address: Werdmühlestrasse 4, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
The Best Breweries in Zurich
Zurich has a few small craft breweries. In addition to being served at their taprooms below, most of these breweries also supply beer to the bars listed above.
BIERlab
BIERlab brews small batches of beer in a tiny space. Their goal is to release a new brew every week. There are board games & a Nintendo inside, plus a few outside tables.
The brewery does a lot of collabs. When I visited, they had brewed beers with Welcome Stranger & Tingle Tangel. They offer 8 taps, plus a handful of cans and bottles, including some guests.
The folks at BIERlab are knowledgeable & well-connected in the Zurich craft beer scene. They told me about a beer festival that was going on the weekend I was there. In addition to guided tastings, they also offer brewing classes.
Address: Grüngasse 7, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
Bierwerk Züri
Bierwerk Züri is an impressive tank bar located in Europaallee, near Zurich HB. The spacious taproom & brewery hosts five tanks as well as six guest beers, along with wine and long drinks for non-beer drinkers. The female-owned brewery founded by three friends who met in London also opened a new production space in the former SBB workshops on Hohlstrasse in 2023.
I went in for the beer, but when I saw their homemade sourdough focaccia being brought past, I had to get some. The speck and rahmkase (cream cheese) focaccia was terrific. They also sell sandwiches, plus spreads to go with plain focaccia.
In addition to making great beer & great focaccia, Bierwerk Züri is also dedicated to social equality, selling shirts supporting Zurich Pride while brewing beers for charitable causes. When I visited, they had a beer called Wonder Women dedicated to supporting Syrian women.
Address: Gustav-Gull-Platz 10, 8004 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
Dr. Brauwolf
Dr. Brauwolf looks like it’s far away from the Zurich city center, but it’s really not. The S10 train line passes right by the brewery, with a station a pleasant 5-minute walk away.
Unlike some breweries in the outer reaches of cities, Dr. Brauwolf is located in a residential neighborhood on the ground floor of an office tower. Notably, the brewery is only open on Thursday & Friday evenings as a post-work hangout.
Inside, it’s not a vast space, but there’s a large outside beer garden with lots of standing room. There are 6 taps plus some bottles and cans, plus pinball & foosball.
I enjoyed the fact that they brewed two beer styles I especially like: a rye IPA and a black IPA.
Address: Räffelstrasse 26, 8045 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
Brauerei Steinfels
Brauerei Steinfels is the oldest craft brewery in Zurich. It opened in 2007.
Although there is a restaurant in addition to the taproom, most reviews of it seem to be negative.
Address: Heinrichstrasse 267, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland (map)
Website
Here are some other great Zurich tours & activities.
Need a place to stay? Check out these Zurich hotel options. For a luxurious stay, I recommend the Park Hyatt Zurich. Zurich is an expensive city, but it’s easy to get around, so if you’re looking to save some money, you can stay at an airport hotel like the Hyatt Regency Zurich Airport The Circle, as I have also done.
Do you love craft beer? Check out more of my recommendations for the best craft beer around the world!
