Consum: the wine bar on Rheingasse
More than a hundred wines, boards of jamón, salami and cheese, a Basel beer: since 2008 Consum on Rheingasse has been the place for a long aperitif in Kleinbasel.
Photo: Isabelle Neyerlin, via Google Maps
Our verdict
Consum is the wine bar where an evening in Kleinbasel starts best. It opened in 2008 in the house where the city's first consumer cooperative once met, hence the name.
The idea comes from the lanes of Spain: a glass of red, something to nibble, and a long sit.
In the glass and on the board
The list runs to more than a hundred wines, plus home-made spritzes and beer from the Basel brewery Volta Bräu. To eat there are boards of salami, jamón, bresaola, Iberian chorizo, nduja, olives and cheese.
Location
Rheingasse is Kleinbasel's going-out street, and the Mittlere Brücke is three minutes away. There are tables outside, and the Rhine itself is one row of houses further on.
Our advice
Come for an aperitif before Rheingasse fills up: at weekends the outdoor seats go quickly. The building also houses a small boutique hotel.
Read next: Basel bars and nightlife: the Rhine, Kleinbasel and the best addresses and Eating in Basel: specialities, prices and where locals eat.
Sources: the establishment's website, Basel Tourismus, Google Maps (address, reviews, October 2026), timetables from transport.opendata.ch, walking times calculated on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What can you eat at Consum in Basel?
When does Consum wine bar open?
Samuel Tschudin
Samuel spent eight years guiding groups through the Old Town, from Münsterplatz to the Rhine promenade. He builds his routes on foot, watch in hand, and cuts whatever does not fit into a real day. He would rather write that a visit is not worth the ticket than pad out a list.
