The cluster of cafes and bars with outdoor seating on and immediately around the Marktplatz is where Wismar life is most visible. In the warmer months the square fills with parasols and tables, and the combination of the Wasserkunst fountain, the gabled facades, and the general unhurried quality of the place makes for a very comfortable afternoon. The cafes serve coffee, cake, and a selection of beers; the standard is reliable without being exceptional.
The best time to settle in is mid-morning or late afternoon — the square is quieter at those hours and the light is better for looking at the architecture. In summer evenings the atmosphere becomes livelier as the restaurants open and the daylight lingers until nearly ten o'clock. There is nothing cutting-edge about any of these places, but that is precisely the point: Wismar's Marktplatz cafe culture is comfortable, local, and entirely in keeping with the unhurried character of the town.