Breweries, roasting houses and the like in Basel – a brief gourmet guide to the city on the Rhine

For more than 40 years, the "La Columbiana" coffee roasting house in the Gundeldingen district of Basel has been impressing coffee fans from around the world. The staff at this traditional Basel roastery are experts in their craft, gently refining the aromatic coffee beans in a drum roaster with great passion and expertise. At the Italian coffee bar in the Basel coffee roasting house, you can peep over the shoulder of the roasting experts and enjoy an espresso as well. The speciality coffee is roasted in Basel on Tuesdays to Fridays from around 10 a.m. until lunch time.

The city's finest Läckerli have been produced at the "Jakob Basler Leckerly Manufaktur" for over 260 years. With great craftsmanship and expertise, the company makes these delicious sweet treats each day from honey, flour, sugar, almonds, candied fruit and spices. If you would like to indulge your taste buds with the finest Basel patisserie, you won't be disappointed at the pretty Confiserie Gilgen at Spalenberg. From yeast pastries and savoury snacks to heavenly cakes – this charming little shop will have every gourmet in raptures. 

With his company "Bier Ideen", certified beer sommelier Beat Aellen organizes regular beer tastings at which you can enjoy the best craft beer in Basel to your heart's content.  From top-fermented and light to dark and full-bodied, every beer aficionado will find something to suit them here. The tastings last around two to two and a half hours, and can be held wherever you wish. Inspire your senses and discover lots of background information and historical facts about this popular beverage.

Basel's oldest brewery, the Fischerstube in the heart of the city, is also worth a visit. "Ueli" beer is one of the varieties that have been brewed here since 1974. If you would like to take a look over the shoulder of these master brewers, you can do so on a 40-minute tour of the brewery and then end the day in the adjoining restaurant.

The "Unser Bier" brewery is one of the few larger breweries in Basel that brews and also bottles its beer in the city. This tasty ale is very popular with locals, and we always enjoy serving it in our Bohemia Restaurant. The brewery also runs tours during which you can learn all about hops and malt, and can taste the freshly brewed beer for yourself.