How do Swiss drink their coffee?
The Swiss drink a lot of espresso based milk drinks. Filter coffee is shunned as a weak drink. They also drink a lot of 'kaffee-crème', a long coffee pulled from the espresso machine. They drink between 2-5 cups a day and spend around $25-50 a week on coffee in cafés.
Kafi-crème
This is probably the most popular form of coffee in Switzerland. Get your perfectly brewed espresso and add some cream. Voilà, you have yourself a kafi-crème.
Coffee & Tea
Drinking coffee after dinner is common. Expect to get an espresso in a teeny tiny cup if you just order a “café.” If you want a latte, it is “renversé” in Switzerland, not “café au lait.” If you want a larger American coffee, order an “Americano.” If you want decaf, order “decafé.”
Coffee cups: Coffee is served in one size, but in three different kinds of cups. In relation to the US or Canada, an espresso is small, a coffee is, well, small, and a cappuccino is the same size but with frothy milk.
The macchiato is an espresso coffee drink, topped with a small amount of foamed or steamed milk to allow the taste of the espresso to still shine through.
Drinking alcohol is common in Switzerland, especially in social contexts and as a way to unwind at the weekend. While wine and beer are especially popular, each canton also has its favorite liquors. Evenings are when you will typically find people pouring their libations at cafes, bars, and restaurants.
My favorite non alcoholic Swiss drinks is called Sussmost, which is a carbonated swiss soft drink made with apple juice. Most or Moscht is the juice from apples, like a cloudy cider, but mix it with sparkling water and you have Sussmost.
Central Switzerland: Average coffee price is 4.20 Swiss Francs (6.8 minutes of work) Northwest Switzerland: Average coffee price is 4.29 Swiss Francs (6.7 minutes of work) Zurich: Average coffee price is 4.35 Swiss Francs (6.6 minutes of work)
First place: café crème
“Es Kafi Crème, bitte” – a café crème, please. That's what the Swiss have been ordering for decades, long before the flat white and others arrived in our cafés. And, as you can see, the ordering preference for the majority of respondents is still a café crème – literally a coffee with cream.
it is customary in many restaurants (though not the expensive ones!) for you to seat yourself (without waiting for someone to take you to a table). you are only supposed to deposit large pieces of cardboard (boxes etc.)
What is the difference between cappuccino and coffee?
The distinction is that in cappuccino, the milk is "frothed" (using the steam wand that is part of any espresso machine) into a "microfoam" that is about twice the volume of the original milk.
This is because the waitstaff don't want to intrude on your meal. Because of this, your waiter won't automatically bring you the check at the end of the meal, they will let you stay as long as you like. To ask for the bill, flag your waiter down and say “l'addition s'il vous plait” which means “the check please.”
It is a get-together, usually featuring drinks such as wine and beer, fruit juices and water. These are accompanied by some light nibbles – commonly bread, cheese and ham. What is interesting about an apéro is that the construct is flexible.
Taste and Texture Differences
A latte is characterized by its smooth, creamy taste, mainly due to the higher quantity of steamed milk mixed with espresso. On the other hand, a macchiato maintains a stronger, more intense coffee flavor, as it consists of espresso with just a dollop of foam or steamed milk.
In Italian, the term "macchiato" translates as "marked" or "stained", meaning a stained or marked coffee. The macchiato is an espresso coffee drink, topped with a small amount of foamed or steamed milk to allow the taste of the espresso to still shine through.
In fact, you never have to worry about tipping in Switzerland. Nor need you feel bad for the nice waiter who served you all evening as he does not live off of tips (unlike the US). The system is different over here – for 35 years now, tips are generally included in the price and tipping is totally optional.
Beer is a popular alcoholic drink in Switzerland, both lager and dark beers are enjoyed. White wine is popular because it is traditionally served with fondue.
If you eat out every meal during your Switzerland trip, I would budget about CHF 25-35 for lunch and CHF 40-50 for dinner per person including drinks. If you picnic, I would budget about CHF 10-15 per person per meal.
Tips for eating out on a budget in Switzerland
Put simply, eating out in Switzerland is expensive. To avoid haemorrhaging cash, make lunch your main meal, and always plump for the “menu”, or dish of the day. This comprises two or three courses of substantial, quality nosh, whether in a café or a proper restaurant.
Zurich-style ragout of veal and mushroom (Zurcher geschnetzeltes) Zurich-style diced veal is an iconic national dish that makes a hearty, wintertime lunch.
Why is coffee expensive in Switzerland?
That's because the price of coffee is rising quite a bit, especially in restaurants. The reason, according to Coop, which raised the price of a cup of coffee in its restaurants by 20 cents — is the increase in the cost of raw materials, as well as higher transport and energy costs.
“En Guete” is a phrase used in Switzerland when you are about to have a meal. This is the Swiss German equivalent of the French “Bon appétit,” a typical way to say “Enjoy your meal.” It is customary to say “En Guete” to people when you are on your lunch break at work, or out for dinner in a restaurant.
“At the bottom of the sack, you will find the bill.” “The poor lack much, but the greedy lack more.” “When in doubt, who will win, be neutral.” “Avoid those who don't like bread and children.”
Public restrooms can be found at parks, bus stations, railway terminals, and cable-car platforms. If these aren't handy, use the toilets in cafes and shops. Most public toilets are not free, costing around 1CHF to 2CHF.
Also, you should sample everything that is handed to you during the dinner and finish whatever you have on your plate. Doing otherwise is considered impolite in Swiss culture.
