Kaffeehaus Mitte

The building on the corner of Gerbergasse/Grünpfahlgasse was built in 1912 by Schweizerische Volksbank as a prestigious bank branch. At the end of the 1990s, a group within the Basel cultural space movement took over the building and made it available to society as a “public center”. The bank’s former counter hall was converted into a coffee house. It soon established itself as a cultural, working and living space – as Basel’s largest living room. Today, the coffee house processes around five tons of green coffee per year and is open 363 days a year from 8 a.m. to midnight.

Unternehmen Mitte remains true to its self-image as a good bank in that it sees money as a means of facilitating something new. The idea of an unconditional basic income was developed in the “Mitte” over many years, culminating in a referendum in 2016. Creating meaning is more important to Unternehmen Mitte than profit maximization. Profits generated flow back into the company.

Unternehmen Mitte uses a specially developed, certified organic signature blend of Arabica beans with a Robusta component that are known for a full body and long aftertaste. The coffee has a slight taste of nuts and dark chocolate. A close relationship is maintained with the coffee plantation in Brazil, which supplies five tons of coffee beans every year. The UM coffee is available both in the store and online.

Every day, the cake cabinet offers freshly baked cakes, tarts and delicious pastries – many of which are vegan. They are made in the in-house bakery. The selection ranges from classic baked goods such as the fluffy Black Forest gateau to the refreshing tarte au citron and the Portuguese specialty pastel de nata. Italy is also represented with Amaretti di Saronno and Cantuccini.