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 Henrici
A modern coffee house at the southern end of the Niederdorf since 2009, inspired by San Francisco coffee culture, with all-day food, brunch and a sunny terrace.
At a glance
- Type
- Coffee house and all-day café
- Area
- Niederdorf, Zurich, Switzerland
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily
- Official site
- cafe-henrici.ch
Good to know
- Breakfast and brunch
- All-day kitchen
- Terrace
- Vegan options
- Apéro
Why we recommend it
Café Henrici has been part of the Niederdorf since 2009. It was inspired by the coffee culture of San Francisco, and its name honours Christian Friedrich Henrici, the librettist of Bach's Coffee Cantata, a fitting choice for a place devoted to coffee. Zürich Tourism describes it as a cosy, urban coffee house with a young clientele, and it sits at the southern end of Niederdorfstrasse, close to the Grossmünster.
Coffee is at the heart of the menu, from espresso and cappuccino to creative coffee drinks, and the cakes are a very good reason to linger: brownie, a gluten-free Linzer tart, apple strudel with vanilla sauce and cheesecake are among the regulars. The café says it uses high-quality products and works with local suppliers wherever possible.
It is also a proper place to eat. Breakfast and brunch include sweet and savoury options, and at weekends brunch is served to your table rather than from a buffet. The kitchen serves hot food all day and is known for its Flammkuchen, made to a traditional Alsatian recipe, alongside salads and, in winter, hearty soups. Vegetarian and vegan options are available. In the early evening, Henrici turns into an apéro spot, with drinks, antipasti, hummus and Flammkuchen to share, best enjoyed on the sunny terrace.
The café opens at 8:00 every day and stays open until 22:00 on Sundays and Mondays, 23:00 from Tuesday to Thursday and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations by phone on 044 251 54 54 are possible for the same or the next day, and there is a separate email address for bookings. Note that at weekends between 11:00 and 18:00 the café does not take reservations, so arrive early for brunch or be prepared to wait.
Café Henrici suits solo travellers looking for a good coffee, friends meeting for brunch and anyone who wants a relaxed base in the Old Town. It is at the start of Niederdorfstrasse, so the Grossmünster, the Swiss Chuchi and the bars and lanes of the Niederdorf are all within a few minutes' walk, and the Limmatquai and the river are just below.
Café Henrici FAQs
When is Café Henrici open?
Daily from 8:00, until 22:00 on Sunday and Monday, 23:00 Tuesday to Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Can I book a table?
Yes, by phone for the same or next day, or by email. No reservations are taken at weekends between 11:00 and 18:00.
Is brunch a buffet?
No. Weekend brunch is served to your table.
What is Café Henrici known for?
Coffee, cakes and Flammkuchen made to a traditional Alsatian recipe.
Are there vegan options?
Yes, vegan and vegetarian dishes are available.
Is there outdoor seating?
Yes, the café has a sunny terrace.
Where does the name come from?
From Christian Friedrich Henrici, the librettist of Bach's Coffee Cantata.
Where is it?
At Niederdorfstrasse 1, at the southern end of the Niederdorf near the Grossmünster.