More than just a beery idea. Ten years ago, a couple of thirty-year-olds were experimenting in their garage on their first self-brewed beer brand. It was so popular that they decided to pick up a hammer and chisel without further ado and to transform an old chemist in the heart of “Breitsch”, one of Bern’s most popular districts, into a cool pub. On the opening night of Barbière – microbrewery, scene restaurant and neighborhood bar all in one – a whopping total of 1,000 liters of beer were served. And the beer is still flowing there today. In the brewery at the back, called the “Garage” as a tribute to its origins, the two master brewers Matthias and Christoph work on their own brews, which are really outside of the box. Inspired by Belgian, English and American brewing cultures, they have now created over 50 beers. The effervescent house beers surprise again and again with new ingredients and characteristics. If you want to know which beer creations are currently flowing from the tap, you’d best drop by Barbière yourself.

Breitenrainplatz 40, 3000 Bern

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Enjoy 360° views from the Hoher Kasten in Eastern Switzerland. Europa Rundweg, revolving restaurant and alpine garden invite you to linger. Children up to 15 years travel with the cableway for free. Please check the website for the opening times during the 2019/2020 season.

Dorf 22, 9058 Brülisau AI

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Great cafe and bar in Lorraine. They have shows and an open mic in their basement. The beer selection is small but immortal. Since opening in 1998, this culture hotspot with cult status has always included in its lineup offerings from small Swiss breweries that were hardly given the time of day way back before the craft boom of recent years. These include, for example, creations from the Brasserie BFM from Jura’s Saignelégier. BFM has been producing at Kairo-Start for just one year and was one of the first small specialty breweries in the country. By the way, when visiting this restaurant in the Lorraine district, you may notice an extra tap at the bar. Now and then there’s an “extra beer” on tap, recommended by the Kairo crew personally because they like it so much themselves.

Dammweg 43, 3013 Bern

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Bern, bears and beer – they go together like hops and malt. From the famous BearPark, where Bern’s resident brown bears, Finn, Björk and their daughter Ursina, live in a 6,000-m2 natural enclosure, it’s just a few steps to the Altes Tramdepot, a restaurant and brewery all in one. While papa bear Finn takes his daily bath outside in the Aare river, inside 3,100 hectoliters of beer are brewed every year. Two giant, gleaming copper kettles stand in the middle of the restaurant, and even a trip to the john is a memorable experience thanks to the brewing room in the basement. By the way, If you have to look up the difference between top-fermented and bottom-fermented in a dictionary (sorry, on Google), then master brewer Christian Stoiber and his colleagues can assist you. Every Saturday, beer buffs will take you on a 45-minute journey through the world of beer during the brewery tour.

Grosser Muristalden 6, 3006 Bern

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