Café
Confiserie Sprüngli Paradeplatz
Zurich's best-known confectioner, at Paradeplatz since 1859, with a ground-floor shop for Luxemburgerli and chocolates and one of the city's best-known café-salons.
Café & Conditorei 1842
A historic Old Town confectioner near the Grossmünster, founded in 1842 and formerly known as Schober, famous for its hot chocolate and cakes.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic confectioner and tea room
- Area
- Altstadt (Old Town), Zurich, Switzerland
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- cafe1842.ch
Good to know
- Neo-baroque shop
- Four floors of seating
- Terrace
- Hot chocolate
- Custom cakes
Why we recommend it
For many Zurich residents this café will always be the Schober. Its story begins in 1842, when the baker Johann Georg Eberle opened a sweet shop in the Old Town. In 1874 his son sold the business to a family friend, who renamed it, and for well over a century it was known as the Conditorei Schober, later Conditorei Péclard im Schober. By 2011 it was trading as the Conditorei Schober Tearoom, and the restaurateur Michel Péclard later took it over and added his own name. Since 2019 it has been owned by the Arbeitskette Foundation (Stiftung Arbeitskette, the Work Chain Foundation) and trades as Café & Conditorei 1842, a name that points back to its founding year.
The building is protected, and the ground floor is the highlight: a beautiful historic confectioner's shop in neo-baroque style, where cakes, chocolates and pastries are displayed. Behind and above it, the café spreads over several floors, and Zürich Tourism describes the café as spanning four floors; counting the basement, the building has six levels in all. In fine weather a small terrace in front of the shop gives you a seat in the lane.
The café is best known for its legendary hot drinking chocolate, which is the obvious order on a cold day. Cakes and patisserie fill the counters, and there is a choice of coffee and tea specialities. Cakes can also be ordered in advance to your own wishes, which is useful for birthdays and celebrations if you are staying in the city for a while.
According to Zürich Tourism, it is open every day from 9:00 to 19:30, which makes it an easy stop at any time between sightseeing. It suits couples, families with children who like chocolate, and anyone looking for an old-fashioned tea room atmosphere.
Napfgasse is in the Old Town near the Grossmünster. From here it is a few minutes' walk to the Grossmünster, the Niederdorf lanes, Bodega Española and Le Dézaley. The Limmatquai and the river are just below, and the Fraumünster is across the water, so it fits easily into a morning or afternoon in the Old Town.
Café & Conditorei 1842 FAQs
Is Café & Conditorei 1842 the old Café Schober?
Yes. It was long known as Conditorei Schober and later Péclard im Schober, and was renamed Café & Conditorei 1842 in 2019.
What should I order?
The café is known for its legendary hot drinking chocolate, along with cakes and patisserie.
When is it open?
Zürich Tourism lists it as open daily from 9:00 to 19:30.
Who owns the café?
It belongs to the Arbeitskette Foundation.
Is there outdoor seating?
Yes, there is a small terrace in front of the ground-floor shop.
Can I order a cake?
Yes. Cakes can be ordered in advance to your own wishes.
Where is it?
At Napfgasse 4 in the Old Town, near the Grossmünster.
How old is the café?
It traces its history to 1842, when Johann Georg Eberle opened a sweet shop here.