Pralines + elegant gift boxes
Confiserie Eichenberger
CHFA classic stop for gift-ready boxes and refined flavors. Ideal when the goal is to buy once and be done.
Shopping
Chocolate Shops in Bern
What to buy, where to browse, and how to bring Swiss chocolate home
Buying chocolate in Bern is less about “one perfect brand” and more about the experience: stepping into a confiserie, choosing a small box that looks like a gift, and letting the day's walking route be guided by sweet stops under the arcades.
Best approach: buy a small mixed box early, then top up later with bars for travel-proof souvenirs.
Best Gift
Praline box (easy to share and looks special).
Best for Travel
Quality bars and sturdy packaged treats.
Best Pairing
Chocolate shopping + Old Town cafe loop.
Where to Buy Chocolate in Bern
Shopping under the arcades, rain or shine
Casa Nobile
CHFTruffles + bars + seasonal selections
A reliable choice for a mix of chocolate styles — great for building a small sampler that travels well.
Laderach (Bern shop)
CHFFresh-style slabs + gift assortments
A well-known Swiss brand with bold, shareable pieces. Perfect for people who prefer big flavor, easy sharing.
Prefer a slower, cafe-based approach? Combine shopping with the Old Town cafes guide.
What to Buy (So You Don't Overthink It)
The “Perfect Gift” List
- - Mixed pralines (a small box is usually enough)
- - A signature truffle selection
- - One photogenic item (for the joy of giving)
The “Travel-Proof” List
- - Dark chocolate bars (sturdier in warm rooms)
- - Packaged pralines in protective boxes
- - Cocoa-dusted items (less fragile than glossy truffles)
How to Pack Chocolate (Without Regret)
- - Keep it central: pack chocolate in the middle of your bag, away from exterior cold/heat swings.
- - Avoid heaters: trains and hotel rooms can be warm even in February.
- - Buy closer to departure if your itinerary includes long day trips.
- - Going straight to the station? Use luggage lockers so shopping stays simple.
Bern, a city of chocolate
Switzerland is famous for milk chocolate and for the smooth texture that comes from conching — the slow refining process developed by Swiss makers in the 19th century — and Bern has a real claim within that story. The most famous bit of edible Bernese trivia is that Toblerone was created here in 1908, by Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann. Its triangular bar is said to evoke the peaks of the Alps, and its logo hides the Bern bear inside the Matterhorn — a quiet nod to the city’s emblem that most people never notice.
Beyond the big brand, Bern keeps a living tradition of family confiseries, several of them still working in the Old Town. Confiserie Tschirren (Kramgasse 73) has been making chocolate in Bern since the early 20th century (around 1919), and is a classic stop for hand-made truffles and pralines under the arcades. Confiserie Eichenberger, near the station and Bahnhofplatz, is known among locals for its Berner Haselnusslebkuchen (a hazelnut gingerbread) as well as its elegant gift boxes. You will also find long-standing names such as Beeler and Abegglen on Spitalgasse. Browsing these confiseries — rather than chasing a single brand — is the most Bernese way to buy chocolate.
Prices and opening hours at individual shops change, so treat anything specific as variable and confirm in store or on the shop’s own site. The durable point is the heritage: in Bern, good chocolate is a local craft, not just a souvenir.
How to choose a chocolate shop
- • Confiserie over supermarket: for a gift, a traditional Old-Town confiserie gives you fresh, hand-made pralines and proper boxes; the supermarket aisle is fine for cheap bars to hand round.
- • Match the buy to the trip: delicate truffles are best if you’re heading home soon; sturdy bars and packaged pralines survive long day trips and warm trains far better.
- • Buy a small box first, top up later: grab one gift-ready box early, then add travel-proof bars closer to departure rather than carrying fragile chocolate around all week.
- • Use the arcades: the covered Old-Town arcades let you browse several confiseries in a few minutes, rain or shine — ideal for comparing before you commit.
- • Confirm the perishable details: exact prices and hours shift, so check the current price in the shop or on its site rather than assuming.
How to fit chocolate shopping into your day
Chocolate shopping slots neatly into a relaxed Old-Town day: a slow walk, a confiserie or two under the arcades, a café stop, and a sweet souvenir to carry home. Keep it unhurried and let the sweet stops guide the route rather than the other way round.
- • Thread the confiseries into the Old Town walking tour.
- • Browse along the covered arcades (Lauben), rain or shine.
- • Finish with a warm seat from the Old Town cafés guide.
- • Pair chocolate with other Swiss food in Swiss cuisine.
- • Round out the gift list in the souvenirs and shopping guide.
Frequently asked questions
Did Toblerone really come from Bern?
Yes. Toblerone was created in Bern in 1908 by Theodor Tobler and Emil Baumann. The triangular bar is said to evoke the Alps, and the logo famously hides the Bern bear — the city’s emblem — inside the Matterhorn. It is one of the city’s most enduring contributions to Swiss chocolate.
What is the best chocolate to buy as a gift?
Pralines and small mixed boxes are the safest gifts: easy to share, easy to pack, and a good way to sample local styles. From a traditional confiserie a box of hand-made truffles feels special, while sturdy bars are the practical pick if you have a long journey ahead.
Is Swiss chocolate cheaper in Switzerland?
Not necessarily — Switzerland is a high-cost country, and good chocolate is priced accordingly. What you get locally is freshness, hand-made confiserie quality and varieties you may not see abroad, rather than a bargain. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF); treat any specific figure as variable and check in store.
Will chocolate melt while travelling from Bern?
In winter and early spring it is usually fine, but warm trains and heated rooms can soften delicate truffles. Pack chocolate in the centre of your bag, keep it away from heaters, and buy closer to departure if your itinerary includes long day trips. Sturdy bars and packaged pralines travel best.
Where is the best area to buy chocolate in Bern?
The Old Town is the easiest place to shop: you can browse historic confiseries under the covered arcades — names like Tschirren on Kramgasse and Eichenberger near the station — then continue your day with a café stop or a scenic walk. It keeps the whole thing low-effort and pleasant.
Turn Chocolate Shopping into a Bern Day
Next reads
Keep exploring Bern with guides that pair well with this one.
