The Third Wave Guide to (some of) Geneva’s Best Coffee Spots

By Samuel Smith, Third Wave Coffee Geneva

Geneva, a city renowned for its international organisations and stunning lakeside views, boasts another gem: its vibrant café scene. These cosy nooks serve not only as the ideal rendezvous point for friends but also as peaceful havens for some quality alone time, be it immersed in course readings or delving into your latest literary finds. In spring and summer, the cafés of Geneva offer charming terraces to soak in the sun with an iced latte, and in autumn and winter, you’ll find an escape from the cold with a hot beverage in a cosy armchair. No matter the season, the sounds of people chatting and coffee machines humming, the smell of freshly roasted coffee beans and warm pastries, and the prospect of a delicious coffee and some time to chat with a friend or read never ceases to fill me with happiness and excitement.

To state the obvious, cafés have become one of my favourite parts of my time in Geneva. I’ve spent countless hours in my preferred spots and enjoy discovering new shops each week. As we start the new semester, it seems like the perfect time to pass on some of the (more or less) hidden gems of the Genevan café scene, along with some tips on how to get the most out of your coffee experience in Geneva.

Coffee and Food

Although it is hard to defend the 6.80 Francs price tag for a latte at Utopia except by pointing out the 7 Francs coffee at a certain international café chain sporting a green siren logo, sometimes the high-quality, sustainable, and locally roasted coffee in a beautiful café might just be worth it. Cafés such as the aforementioned Utopia, Horace Café, or Corde Café roast their own coffee in the shop. At Corde Café, you’ll even be able to choose your preferred roast, complete with an explanation of the blend’s distinct flavors. Others, such as Oh Martine! and Le Fix, source from local and sustainable coffee brands. If you’re in an experimental mood, at La Bastide, you can not only get your standard lattes and flat whites but also lavender, rose, or cinnamon lattes. A personal favourite is the coffee at My Little Cup. Their baristas have won championships in the past, and they have the best iced lattes in Geneva.

Although we’re mostly here for the caffeinated beverages, the cakes, pastries, scones, and avocado toasts are just as much a part of the café experience. If you’re looking for a simple croissant, Les Petites Artisanes undeniably has the best there is to offer, including a twist on the classic croissant, which they call cruffins (what you’d get if you crossed a croissant with a muffin). If you’re looking for scones, Pages & Sips is the place to go, and for amazing pies, go to Colette. Most cafés have some form of brunch on the weekends, but my recommendations are Barista Lab for pancakes and açai bowls, Birdie for the avocado toasts, Oh Martine! for their “tartines,” and Hunch for the classic brunch experience, including bottomless mimosas. Remember, don’t forget to reserve for weekend brunches, as they can fill up in no time.

Ambiance

At even the slightest hint of sun in the sky, the terrace of a café is where I want to be, and cafés in Geneva are not lacking in great courtyards, gardens, and street-side terraces. One of the magical spots is La Bastide, which has the most beautiful courtyard in the old town. For some extra vitamin D, the terrace of Pain Quotidien at Plainpalais has sun almost all day long. Some other great terraces, in no particular order: Le Fix, Ou Bien Encore, Cottage Café, Bongo Joe, and Les Petites Artisanes If you’re looking to escape inside, relax on the cosy couches and armchairs at Boréal, browse through records at Bongo Joe, or sip your coffee while surrounded by books at Pages and Sips.

Price

To get the biggest issue out of the way, coffee in Geneva is expensive. There are a few spots to get a latte for less than 5 Francs—for example, at Ferdinand, Les Recyclables, Bongo Joe, or Horace Café—but usually a medium latte will cost you between 5.50 and 6.50 Francs. One way of reducing the hit on your wallet is by starting your collection of “fidelity cards. These to-be-stamped cards will usually get you your eleventh coffee for free at the humble cost of inflating your wallet size as they accumulate. Another way is by asking for student discounts. My Little Cup will give you 20% off your order, and Boréal has a fidelity card for students that requires half as many coffees to receive one on the house.

Service

Swiss people are not known to be particularly friendly or warm-hearted, and I would know; I’ve lived here all my life. But there is something about working at a café that makes baristas defy that general rule of thumb. Across the board, baristas at any of the cafés are welcoming, kind, and friendly. And just as hard as it is to find unfriendly baristas, it is hard to make a list of cafés with the best service in town. However, some honourable mentions go to Pages & Sips with a mostly English-speaking staff, Corde Café for their enthusiastic explanations of their current blends, and Boréal for the occasional double stamp on your carte de fidélité.

Studying

Instead of bunkering down in the library for weeks, a nice café might just be the change of scenery needed to finish that last book or paper. While some cafés unfortunately have a “no laptop” policy, such as Ferdinand or Birdie, most cafés are fine with you setting up shop as long as you’re not there during peak hours on the weekends. Some great spots for studying with a lot of space are Bongo Joe, Pages and Sips (except on Saturdays), and Pain Quotidien Plainpalais. Due to their proximity to the Graduate Institute, Le Fix and My Little Cup are great alternatives to the library at Maison de la Paix. The co-working café Voisins is not surprisingly the best adapted to spend a day studying, but personally, Boréal at Stand takes the cake, especially when you have to meet that last deadline on a Sunday evening.

Obviously, this article is not meant to provide a comprehensive list of all the cafés you must try while in Geneva. But, as I sit at Colette, sipping on my coffee with a half-eaten slice of apple pie in front of me, I hope that it nudges you in the right direction and provides you with some ideas on how to start your own café discovery journey.

You can follow my journey on Instagram @thrd.wve. And please send me your newest café discoveries!

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Where to find the cafés mentioned in this article

Utopia – Rue des Eaux-Vives 8

Horace Café – Chem. du 23-Août 3

Corde Café – Rue du 31 Décembre 32

Le Fix – Av. de France 17

Oh Martine! – Rte de Chêne 6

My Little Cup – Av. Blanc 51

Les Petites Artisanes – Rue Micheli-du-Crest 18

Pages and Sips – Grand-Rue 37

Colette – Rue Patru 6

Barista Lab – Bd de Saint-Georges 8

Birdie – Rue des Bains 40

Hunch – Quai Gustave-Ador 28

La Bastide – Grand-Rue 8

Pain Quotidien – Bd Georges-Favon 45

Ou Bien Encore – Rue des Bains 61

Ferdinand – Pl. du Bourg-de-Four 19

Les Recyclables – Rue de Carouge 53

Voisins – Bd James-Fazy 8

Boréal – Rue du Stand 60