El Lokal

The El Lokal is enclosed by the River Sihl and the Schanzengraben canal, and so is indeed a tiny island in the heart of Zurich. It comes with a pretty waterside promenade, an imaginary fishing pier, and the sailors’ yarns of the regular guests and the friendly bar staff.

In summer, the above-mentioned waterside promenade is a real oasis: shielded from the traffic and the hustle and bustle of the nearby Bahnhofstrasse, locals, expats, tourists, and friends meet here for a cool beer, a coffee, or a snack.

Inside visitors will find melodies by global ship orchestras – meaning the frequent concerts held here featuring international, known and lesser-known bands – and a galley that conjures up fresh food every day for all sizes of appetite, as well as plenty to see for both the eye and instagram, for the walls of the two-story restaurant are plastered with decorations such as posters, greeting cards, and all sorts of amusing objects. Such as the skeleton hanging from the ceiling ‒ which in bygone days was probably stranded on this “very last island on the Sihl”.