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Acapulco
Acapulco is worth visiting just as much for its retro-70s decor, chilled but convivial vibe, Saturday karaoke and great mix-it-yourself Bloody Marys, as it is for the fact that it brings you into Züri-West. Thai noodle bar Lily's Stomach Supply and arthouse cinema-bar Riff-Raff are within view, while surrounding streets are also full of restaurants and bars.
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Bar Offen
A former S-Bahn carriage from Berlin has been transformed into the crowded Bar Offen - one of Zürich's premier summer bars.
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Barfussbar
At the Frauenbad. As the name implies, gents must leave their shoes at the entrance.
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Barfüsser
Sample a little slice of alternate history with a cocktail at Barfüsser. It's Switzerland's oldest gay bar, and still going strong. You'll find your traditional leather-and-mo crowd here, fleshed out by a more contemporary cross section of the scene, including girls. It's a bit more relaxing than the rest of buttoned-up Zürich.
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Boos Lounge
This place was packed when we stopped by, and it was early on a Monday afternoon. Slick and modern, it's a top choice for an after-work cocktail amid mod red walls, multihued lighting and a disco ball.
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Café Odeon
This one-time haunt of Lenin and the Dadaists is still a prime people-watching spot for gays and straights alike. Come for the Art Nouveau interior, but ignore the quite ordinary food.
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Café Schober
A kitsch, fairy-tale grotto of a café, with huge bouquets of flowers tied with ribbons to ceiling arches, Schober serves a serious hot chocolate (made from real schoggi instead of cocoa powder) and shouldn't be missed.
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Club Q
Located in a car park, this club is for those who take their dancing - to house, hip-hop and R&B - more seriously than seeing and being seen.
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Hard One
A chic glass cube of a lounge bar with great views, which serves wine, whisky, champagne and cigars.
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Indochine
Models and rich kids mingle between the dimly lit fat Buddhas of this faux opium den. Zürich's equivalent to London's Chinawhite or Paris' Buddha Bar.
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Jules Verne Panorama Bar
Decked out like the basket of a hot-air balloon, this classic bar - welcoming all ages - boasts fantastic views.
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Kaufleuten
A club with a long history and hot reputation at the top end of the market. Dress to impress, as everyone in here looks like they walked out of a model shoot or film set. The place boasts that Prince and Madonna were once guests.
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Labor Bar
It's the epitome of 'Plexiglas and diffuse coloured light' retro chic. It's the favourite spot of Zürich's beautiful people (on Sundays mainly beautiful gay people). The drinks are wonderful and mixed by very proficient staff and the music is ultra-hip. Dress to impress.
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Labyrinth Club
Zürich's top gay club features half-naked pole-dancing narcissists flaunting their six packs and lots of eye-candy at the bar.
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Mascotte
The old variety hall 'Corso' is now a popular mainstream club with huge windows facing Sechseläutenplatz and the lake. It's renowned for Tuesday's Karaoke from Hell, where punters sing punk or metal songs accompanied by a live band.
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Oliver Twist
English-speakers gravitate towards this pub, which serves Irish, British, Australian and South African beers. It's a smoky, noisy place, often standing-room-only and somewhat of a meat market.
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Rheinfelder Bierhaus
It's all about beer and friends here. This warm, cheap and unpretentious beerhall is considered one of the best in Zürich despite the fact that noise levels can reach ear-splitting decibels. The food is tasty and good value, particularly the all-day menus which usually include a soup dish. Chug-a-lug!
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Sphéres
Didn't finish Harry Potter on the plane over? Now your friends won't let you read it because they want to party? Well, here's the joint you've been looking for. Sphéres is a bookshop/cafe during the day, then at night, the litterati become the glitterati and the bookworm becomes the tequila worm.
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Supermarket
Zürich's number one club is smaller than the name suggests, but boasts three cosy lounge bars around the dance floor, a covered back courtyard and an interesting roster of DJs playing house music.
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Wings
When Swissair went bankrupt in 2001, some ex-employees set up this lounge bar using the airline's cutlery, crockery and even a few aeroplane seats. Given a few Hawaiian additions, it's Barry Manilow meets Wallpaper* magazine.
