A few years ago, specialty coffee was non-existent in Lausanne. But nowadays, young people and specialty coffee enthusiasts have founded coffee trucks and coffee shops which serve a great cup of coffee, worth queuing for. There are, also, a few restaurants which serve a good cup of coffee.
Here is where to find them:
Ça Passe Crème
Ça Passe Créme is a specialty coffee shop with high aesthetics and quality, local products. It was founded by two Lausannois friends Davide Merola and Steeve Gerotto who both studied at École hôtelière de Lausanne and were inspired by the London coffee scene to open their own coffee shop.
Their coffee menu includes espresso, ristretto, macchiato, cappuccino, flat white, lungo, and all their recipes are based on double espresso shots. In summer you can also find iced latte and cold brew while during winter you might opt for a mocha. If you want to try something a bit different get their affogato, dirty chai or ask if there is anything new on the menu when you visit.
This little gem is located in one of the city’s most charming neighbourhoods under the train station, locally known as “sous gare”, very close to Park Milan. They also offer barista workshops and events around specialty coffee.
You can read more about Ça Passe Créme here.
Coffee roaster: Caffenation coffee roaster (Belgium)
Boulevard de Grancy 49
1006, Lausanne
The Coffee Project
The Coffee Project is a specialty coffee shop in Lausanne founded by Greek Vangelis Katselis, also a graduate from École hôtelière de Lausanne.
Specialty, single-origin coffee deriving from single, handpicked farms around the world: Guatemala, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Colombia, Kenya and Peru. The coffee derives from The Goodlife Coffee Company, a Swiss company based in the greater area of Lausanne and accredited by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
On the menu, there is espresso, cappuccino, double cappuccino and flat white, among others. Here you can also taste traditional Greek coffee (this is the only coffee blend with robusta on offer) and the Greek-style freddo espresso and freddo cappuccino, a great option for the hot, summer days.
Do you have special dietary requirements? Apart from full-fat milk they also have nonfat, vegetarian, vegan, almond and soya milk while they only use cane sugar or stevia to sweeten the coffee.
Here, they also serve some Greek delicacies such as spinach pie and cookies made of grape must. I love the fact that they are open every day.
Where: in the centre of the city, near the lovely Parc de Mon Repos. (Rue Marterey 1-3)
You can read more about The Coffee Project here.
The Coffee Project
Coffee roaster: The Goodlife Coffee Company (Switzerland) – https://thegoodlifecoffee.com/fr
Location: Rue Marterey 1-3, 1005, Lausanne
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Green Gorilla Café
This is the newest addition to Lausanne’s coffee scene and I haven’t had the chance to dig out all the details yet.
I’ve been there a couple of times and really enjoyed sipping my flat white while sitting by the big window that looks out on the main road. It’s a cosy corner where I would gladly sit to read a book or my favourite magazines.
Their coffee beans are roasted by the Lausanne-based Goodlife Coffee Co.
Here you can also find healthy meals like poke bowls, acai bowls and cold pressed juices.
Coffee roaster: The Goodlife Coffee Co (Lausanne, Switzerland)
Rue du Grand-Pont 12
Rush Coffee & Co
Rush Coffee is the first specialty coffee shop in Lutry, a gorgeous lakeside town very close to Lausanne and ideal for a quick excursion. They serve delicious coffee, cold-pressed juices, homemade cookies and more treats in a tiny, but chic little place.
The couple behind this project, interior decorator Tiffanie Rosset and illustrator/artist Mark Mestre, wanted to expand the up-and-coming coffee culture outside Lausanne.
They use a Bio 100% Arabica coffee from Brasil roasted by Stoll Kaffe in Zurich, a family owned roastery to make espresso-based drinks such as cappuccino, flat white, americano and babyccino for the little ones.
On the drinks’ menu, there is also a homemade chaï concentrate, fresh unsweetened iced-tea, Matcha Lattes, numerous kinds of loose-leaf and HEY LIFE cold-pressed juices with no added sugar or preservatives.
Sweet treats include their homemade signature cookies, chocolate-pecan and matcha-white chocolate. If you are following a gluten and lactose-free diet, Rush Coffee Shop also offers the “Smart Cakes” and “Smart Truffes”, made by Luciana in Pully.
Coffee roaster: Stoll Kaffe (Zurich, Switzerland)
Rush Coffee & Co
Grand-Rue 3
1095, Lutry
*Rush Coffee has changed ownership.
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Le Pointu
This is one of my current favourite all-day spots offering coffee, breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch and drinks. It’s like my second office space. Founded by a team of six young and ambitious persons, Le Pointu offers a delicious menu within an informal and fun environment.
What I love the most is enjoying my big cup of flat white along with a huge, buttery croissant while tapping away my next articles on my laptop. When I am in a hurry, I opt for the cortado, which is like a cappuccino with less milk.
Gilian Golay who is the head barista, gave me all the details about the coffee available here.
Since they opened, they have been using a 100% arabica coffee blend from Brazil, Costa-Rica and Colombia roasted from a local artisan coffee roaster, Raygil Café.
The coffee menu includes espresso, cappuccino, latte macchiato, espresso macchiato, iced coffee, mocaccino and dirty chai latte, which is a chai latte with an extra shot of espresso. They also have cold brew coffee during summertime for which they use different local coffee roasters to propose more variety. Their current signature coffee is the iced lavandulatte, a cappuccino with a homemade lavender and cinnamon syrup.
Lactose-free milk and almond milk are also an option for your coffee.
For those who have an interest in coffee machines, at Le Pointu they use the White Eagle – Victoria Arduino coffee machine.
During weekends, they serve brunch so it’s unlikely to find a spot only for coffee but you can always try.
You can read more about Le Pointu here.
Coffee roaster: Raygil Café (Vaud, Switzerland)
Rue Neuve 2
1003, Lausanne
Culture Café
*Update, May 2024: unfortunately this favorite spot of ours is not open in Lausanne at the moment (but there has been a hint that they might re-open in another space!). However, you can find their specialty coffee and delicious offerings in Morges, only a few minutes away from Lausanne.
This lunch and coffee spot, located inside FNAC, was most possibly the first place which offered “specialty coffee” in Lausanne.
Τhe founder, Cyril Musy, has been involved in the world of gastronomy and restaurants for many years. Along with his team, they have managed to create a feel-good place where you can stop by for a coffee and try out their delicious, homemade sweet treats as well.
You can read more about the Culture Café here.
Coffee roaster: Miro Coffee (Zurich)
Culture Café Morges
Promenade de Castellane 13, 1110
Morges
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Downtown Lausanne
Downtown Lausanne is a concept where a feel-good atmosphere goes hand in hand with freshly made food, local craft beer and in-house roasted coffee. It’s a place where you can visit and feel cosy any time of the day.
The Downtown Lausanne offers breakfast and brunch, a big lunch menu with salads, burgers, and sandwiches. Its long opening hours are very convenient and the terrace is great for those warm, sunny days.
Where: it’s located in the centre of the city, in the popular area of Flon.
Downtown Lausanne
Route de Bel-Air 1
1003, Lausanne
There are a few other places that I would recommend checking out if you want a good cup of coffee. You can find them below – the second part of this article is coming soon with more details!
Arctic Juice and Cafe – Website
Madeleine Café & Bookshop – Website
Belair coffee – Instagram
Sleepy Bear – Instagram
VagaBonCafe – Instagram
Coffee Page – Instagram
Ordinary Man – Instagram
L’Académie Café | Brotherfields & Sister – Instragram
Kooka Coffee – Instagram
Café Oli Lavaux – Instagram
Casse croute de vidy – Instagram
Loxton – Instagram
Now tell me. Have you been to any of these places? What’s your favourite place in Lausanne to drink coffee? Are there any other ones I should definitely try? Leave a comment down below, I would love to know!
Note: The opening times change frequently. You can (and should!) always double-check on each coffee shop’s website or social media pages to be sure. Or just pick up the phone and call them, the good old-fashioned way.
