Switzerland
Switzerland's coffee culture is a fascinating blend of influences from its neighboring countries (Germany, France, and Italy), combined with its own unique traditions and a very strong focus on quality and innovation in the coffee industry (Switzerland is a major exporter of roasted coffee and coffee machines). Coffee is a daily ritual and a social drink.
Here are the different ways to order coffee in Switzerland and what's in them:
Unique and Traditional Swiss Coffee Terms:
Switzerland's linguistic diversity (German, French, Italian) also means you'll encounter different terms, though many cafes understand the internationally recognized names.
Kafi Crème (German-speaking Switzerland) / Café Crème (French-speaking Switzerland): This is arguably the most popular and "national" coffee drink in Switzerland.
Ingredients: It's essentially a long espresso (similar to a lungo or even a very short Americano), made by running more water through a standard espresso dose (typically 8g of coffee to 110-130ml of water). The key is that it's brewed directly through the machine, not by adding hot water to an espresso after brewing.
Taste: It's a larger, smoother coffee than a pure espresso, with a distinct, rich crema (the reddish-brown foam on top). It's less intense than an espresso but stronger than a typical filter coffee. Often served with a small piece of chocolate.
Schale (German-speaking Switzerland): Roughly translates to "bowl" or "cup," and refers to a large milky coffee.
Ingredients: Typically a shot of espresso with a larger quantity of steamed milk and a moderate amount of foam.
Taste: Similar to a large latte or café au lait, less frothy than a cappuccino. Often served in a wider cup or bowl.
Kafi Luz (German-speaking Switzerland, especially Lucerne) / Luzerner Kafi / Kaffee Fertig: A traditional Swiss alcoholic coffee.
Ingredients: Coffee (often a weaker brew, sometimes instant coffee), sugar cubes, and Träsch (a clear pear brandy, or other fruit brandies/schnapps like Kirsch, Pflümli).
Preparation: Sugar cubes are placed in a stemmed glass, coffee is poured in until the sugar is no longer visible, then schnapps is added until the sugar cubes become visible again (this creates a specific ratio). The drink should be pale and transparent.
Taste: A warming, potent coffee cocktail, often consumed in colder weather or as an afternoon warmer. It's often drunk very casually.
Standard Espresso-Based Drinks (Widely Available):
Due to Italian influence and the global coffee trend, these are expertly prepared and very common.
Espresso: A small, concentrated shot of coffee. Often the default if you just ask for "Kaffee" in a modern cafe.
Kurzer Espresso (German) / Espresso Court (French) / Espresso Corto (Italian): A standard single espresso.
Doppio (Italian) / Doppelter Espresso (German) / Double Espresso (French): A double shot of espresso.
Americano: Espresso diluted with hot water.
Cappuccino: Espresso with equal parts steamed milk and a generous layer of foamed milk. Often dusted with cocoa powder.
Latte / Caffè Latte: Espresso with a larger amount of steamed milk and a thin layer of foam. Often served in a tall glass.
Flat White: Very popular in specialty coffee shops. It's a double shot of espresso with velvety microfoam (finely textured steamed milk with minimal visible foam). It has a stronger coffee taste than a latte.
Macchiato: An espresso "stained" or "marked" with a tiny dollop of foamed milk.
Mokka / Caffè Mocha: Espresso, chocolate (syrup or powder), steamed milk, and usually topped with whipped cream or foam.
Ristretto: A very short, highly concentrated espresso shot, using less water than a standard espresso. This results in a very intense flavor.
Filter and Brewed Coffees (Growing in Specialty Cafes):
While less dominant than espresso or Kafi Crème, the specialty coffee movement means filter coffee is becoming more common, especially in urban centers.
Filterkaffee (German) / Café Filtre (French): Standard drip coffee, brewed in a machine.
Pour-Over (e.g., V60, Chemex, AeroPress): Found in specialty coffee shops. These manual brewing methods highlight the nuanced flavors of single-origin beans, offering a cleaner, often lighter-bodied cup. You might be asked to choose from a selection of beans.
French Press (French Press): Coffee steeped in hot water and then pressed down with a plunger. Results in a rich, full-bodied coffee with some sediment. More common for home brewing.
Cold Coffee Options:
Eiskaffee (German) / Café Glacé (French): "Iced coffee." This can vary, but often refers to a cold coffee beverage that may include ice cream and whipped cream, making it more of a dessert.
Ingredients (Eiskaffee/Café Glacé as a dessert): Cold coffee, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, sometimes chocolate sauce or sprinkles.
Iced Latte: Espresso and cold milk served over ice.
Cold Brew: Coffee steeped in cold water for an extended period, resulting in a smooth, less acidic concentrate. Served chilled, often over ice.
Blended Iced Coffee: Blended iced coffee drinks with milk, ice, and syrup, often topped with whipped cream.
Customizations and Other:
Mit Milch / Ohne Milch (German) / Avec lait / Sans lait (French): "With milk / Without milk."
Mit Zucker / Ohne Zucker (German) / Avec sucre / Sans sucre (French): "With sugar / Without sugar."
Lactose-free milk (Laktosefreie Milch / Lait sans lactose): Widely available.
Plant-based milk (Pflanzenmilch / Lait végétal): Oat (Hafermilch / Lait d'avoine), almond (Mandelmilch / Lait d'amande), and soy (Sojamilch / Lait de soja) milk are very common.
Decaf (Koffeinfrei / Décaféiné): Decaffeinated coffee is widely available.
Syrups (Sirup / Sirop): Vanilla, caramel, hazelnut, etc., are available for flavoring.
How to Order (Language Considerations):
Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. In cafes, you'll generally use the dominant language of the region you are in, or English, which is widely understood in tourist areas and cities.
In German-speaking areas:
"Einen Kafi Crème, bitte." (EYE-nen KAH-fee KREM, BIT-teh.) - "A Kafi Crème, please." (Highly recommended!)
"Einen Espresso, bitte." (EYE-nen Espresso, BIT-teh.) - "An Espresso, please."
"Einen Cappuccino, bitte." (EYE-nen Cappuccino, BIT-teh.) - "A Cappuccino, please."
"Danke schön!" (DANK-eh shurn!) - "Thank you!"
In French-speaking areas:
"Un Café Crème, s'il vous plaît." (Un Kah-FEH KREM, seel voo PLEH.) - "A Café Crème, please."
"Un Espresso, s'il vous plaît." (Un Espresso, seel voo PLEH.) - "An Espresso, please."
"Un Cappuccino, s'il vous plaît." (Un Kah-poo-chee-noh, seel voo PLEH.) - "A Cappuccino, please."
"Merci beaucoup!" (Mer-SEE boh-KOO!) - "Thank you very much!"
In Italian-speaking areas:
"Un caffè, per favore." (Un KAF-feh, per fah-VOH-reh.) - "A coffee (espresso), please."
"Un cappuccino, per favore." (Un kah-poo-CHEE-noh, per fah-VOH-reh.) - "A cappuccino, please."
"Grazie!" (GRAH-tsee-eh!) - "Thank you!"
*The content in this document was generated using artificial intelligence, drawing from various online sources, and subsequently refined for accuracy and conciseness in 2025. Users are advised to consult multiple sources to corroborate information and should not rely solely on this document for comprehensive research.