Café Zähringer

Zäh, as this place is lovingly called by some, has survived as a cooperative fully under employee control for over thirty years in the heart of this banking city. The warm, simple interior is second home to many in the left political scene in Zurich, and socialist imagery abounds. You can have coffee and cake or a beer here, but you also eat well at great prices, whether you choose pasta, a wok dish or one of the daily menus, like olive ravioli with pine-nuts, tomatoes and ruccola. There are meat, vegetarian and vegan options, even soy-milk for the hot chocolate. The staff with their tattoos and rasta hair-dos are friendly and direct.