Summer is here — and so are our new drinks. Whether you're after something cold and refreshing, a leisurely weekend brunch, or evening cocktails as the sun goes down over Basel, here's what's happening at BRÜ this season.
Our Coffee Menu
Classics
- Espresso — CHF 2.90
- Doppio — CHF 3.90
- Americano — CHF 4.90
- Cortado — CHF 4.90
- Cappuccino — CHF 5.90
- Flat White — CHF 5.90
- Latte — CHF 5.90
- Batch BRÜ — CHF 3.90
- Pour-Over — CHF 7.90
Iced & Cold
- Iced Espresso — CHF 4.90
- Iced Americano — CHF 5.90
- Iced Latte — CHF 6.90
- Cold BRÜ — CHF 4.90
Signature Drinks
- Montblanc — CHF 7.90
- Espresso Tonic — CHF 7.90
- Sunset at BRÜ
What's Special This Summer
Cold BRÜ
Our Cold BRÜ is slow-steeped for a full 18 hours in cold water — never heated at any point in the process. This long, gentle extraction pulls out the coffee's natural sweetness and complex flavor compounds while leaving behind much of the acidity and bitterness that hot brewing produces. The result is a remarkably smooth, clean cup with a sweetness you won't find in a regular iced coffee.
We use a rotating single-origin for our cold brew, and each origin transforms the character completely. Right now we're pouring Ethiopia by DABOV — expect floral, tea-like notes with a hint of bergamot that comes alive over ice. When the origin rotates, the entire Cold BRÜ experience shifts with it. That's the beauty of single-origin cold brew: no two months taste the same. Serve it straight over ice or with a splash of oat milk to round out the body.
Espresso Tonic
This is the drink that converts people every summer. We start with premium tonic water poured over a glass packed with ice, then slowly pour a double shot of espresso over the back of a spoon so it floats on top in distinct layers — the dark espresso settling gently into the sparkling tonic below. The visual effect is striking, but the flavor is what brings people back. The quinine bitterness in the tonic meets the coffee's natural sweetness and creates something entirely new — bright, refreshing, complex. It's one of our bestsellers the moment temperatures climb above 25 degrees.
Montblanc
Our house signature, named after the peak visible from Basel on clear days. The Montblanc is our take on a layered espresso creation — a double shot pulled long, combined with house-made vanilla syrup, topped with velvety steamed milk and finished with a dusting of dark cocoa. In summer, we serve it over ice as a shaken version that's become a quiet favorite among regulars. The seasonal ingredients rotate: right now expect a hint of tonka bean that gives it a warm, almond-like depth.
Iced Pour-Over
Japanese-style: we brew a concentrated V60 directly onto ice, locking in bright, fruity flavors that get lost in traditional cold brew. Try it with Ethiopia by DABOV for a floral, tea-like iced coffee. If you want to learn the technique yourself, our home brewing course covers the full method, ratios, and the science behind why brewing onto ice preserves aromatics that evaporate in a standard cool-down.
Want to brew iced pour-over at home? Check out our Sibarist V60 filters and Origami Air Dripper — the same gear we use behind the bar.
Weekend Brunch at BRU
Saturday and Sunday mornings at BRU1 have their own rhythm. The kitchen opens at 10:00 and the brunch menu runs until 14:00. We keep it simple but do every dish properly, with locally sourced ingredients from Basel-region suppliers wherever possible.
Start with our avocado toast on house sourdough — thick-cut bread from a local bakery, topped with smashed avocado, chili flakes, pickled radish, and a squeeze of lemon. The eggs benedict comes on brioche with house-made hollandaise, and you can choose between smoked salmon or pulled ham. For something with more heat, the shakshuka is served straight from the pan — spiced tomato sauce, two baked eggs, crumbled feta, and warm flatbread on the side.
We also offer fresh pastries baked each morning, granola bowls with seasonal fruit and Greek yogurt, and a rotating weekend special that changes with what's fresh at the market. Every brunch includes a coffee of your choice — a good reason to try something from our specialty-grade lineup.
The weekend atmosphere at BRU is unhurried. Grab a table by the window, order a flat white and shakshuka, and let the morning unfold. If the weather's right, the outdoor seats at our Gundeldingerstrasse location catch the morning sun perfectly.
Evening Drinks & Small Plates
When the afternoon light shifts, so does the menu. BRU evenings are about winding down with a good drink and something to eat — not a full restaurant experience, but enough to turn an after-work stop into a proper evening.
Cocktails
- Espresso Martini — Made with our house espresso, vodka, coffee liqueur, and shaken hard until a thick, fresh crema forms on top. We pull the espresso shot to order, so the coffee flavor is alive and present, not an afterthought.
- Cold Brew Old Fashioned — For when you can't decide between coffee and cocktails. Our 18-hour cold brew meets bourbon, demerara syrup, and Angostura bitters.
- Sangria — Made with wines sourced through Jorge's family connections in Spain. Red fruits, citrus, a touch of brandy. Served in a carafe to share.
- Aperol Spritz — The Basel summer standard. Prosecco, Aperol, soda, and a fat orange slice.
Small Plates
Our evening small plates are designed to pair with drinks: think marinated olives, bruschetta with seasonal toppings, a cheese board with local selections, and hummus with warm flatbread. Nothing heavy — just the right things to keep the conversation going.
Craft Beer & Wine
We rotate a small selection of craft beers from Swiss and European breweries alongside a curated wine list. Ask our team what's on tap — it changes regularly.
Why Summer in Basel
If you haven't experienced a Basel summer, you're missing something. The city transforms when the weather turns warm. People swim in the Rhine with their belongings in waterproof Wickelfisch bags, drifting downstream past the Munster before climbing out at the next set of stairs. The Buvetten — pop-up bars along the riverbank — fill up by late afternoon with locals drinking wine and eating grilled sausages as the sun drops behind the city.
The evenings stretch long here. At BRU1 on Gundeldingerstrasse, our outdoor seating catches the late light, and people linger with an Espresso Tonic or a glass of Sangria well past nine. At BRU2 in Gundeli, the vibe is a little different — more neighborhood local, more regulars stopping in after a walk or a run along the Rhine.
There's something about a specialty coffee shop in summer that just works. The doors are open, the iced drinks are flowing, the pace slows down. If you're visiting Basel or just rediscovering your own city, come sit with us. To learn more about how we got here and what drives this place, read our story.
Written by Felipe Fernandez, co-founder of BRÜ Specialty Coffee in Basel.