I came here on a Sunday afternoon around 1:30 pm. It was fairly busy, as it was a beautiful summer weekend; however, there were a good number of tables available outside. There were also some chairs and a few tables set farther out, close to the water. There appeared to be 2 fairly large tables inside, but since it was so nice outside, these were not used while I was there. It was also fairly stuffy inside since it was summer.
Pulpo is self-service; you go inside to order and then take your food/drinks out to the tables. There were coffees, teas, alcohol, and hot chocolate on the menu. It appeared they made their own iced tea as well, although I didn't get to try it. There wasn't really a food menu, but you could see the food offerings in the display case inside. When I was there, they had a selection of sandwiches, salads, and yogurts. They also had a few slices of cake and some croissants. There was a good selection of gelatos, which could be served in a cup or a cone.
I got a latte macchiato for 5.50 CHF, which sounds expensive but is about the price of a latte macchiato everywhere else in Basel. It came in a tall glass and with a small amaretto biscotti. Note that there is a 2 CHF deposit that is returned to you when you bring back your dishes; they give you a little token that you return for your deposit as well. They only accept cash. There was wifi; the password was prominently displayed by the cash register.
The lady manning the café was friendly and spoke English well. The café is located right along the Rhine and has a great view. There's also a foosball table that's good for families. Not a bad place to stop for a break when you're walking along the Rhine. read more