Cult coffee: 5 of the best cafes in Berlin

Funky, hip cafes are in no short supply in Berlin. With its youthful, easygoing vibe and plentiful space, the city’s become a mecca for people looking to set up shop and serve up great coffee and tasty treats to busy Berliners, and a cult spot to discover the latest in coffee trends. You’re truly spoiled for choice in the German capital, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world.

When you visit Berlin you’ll likely spend loads of time walking or biking around (the city is huge!) and exploring the different sides of the city – from East to West – from Prenzlauer Berg’s hipster heaven to the commercial center in Mitte. For energy and sustenance, we’d highly recommend a pit stop at one (or several!) of these lovely cafes. Many are also open in the evening, so if you found a favorite, stay for dinner, grab a drink and then return again the next day for your morning pick-me-up.

To get you started on your coffee tour, here’s our list of the 5 best cafes in Berlin:

1. Cafe Fleury

Bringing a touch of French chic to a relaxed, residential street in the Mitte district of the city, Cafe Fleury has to be one of the cutest and coziest spots in town. The service is friendly, the prices reasonable, the coffee good, and you can eat a great lunch there (we recommend the quiche) as well as some adorable and delicious little sweet treats (for as little as 0,70 cents each!) It’s open from early morning to late evening and is just as nice for an drink or first date, as it is for your morning coffee. Sit outside if you can and watch Mitte life go by…

2.  Distrikt Coffee

Also in Mitte, Distrikt is beautifully minimalist and serves up some of the best coffee in town, as well as an excellent breakfast (granola, pancakes, avocado toast, eggs – you name it, they have it). It’s all beautifully presented, delicious and reasonably priced. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, ask them for a single-shot drink – they normally make them super strong.

3. Bonanza

Widely regarded as offering the best cup of joe in Berlin, Bonanza is a cozy, rustic place run by people who take the business of coffee very, very seriously. If you love your coffee, this is a place you simply can’t miss. Bonanza’s in Mitte, near Mauerpark, so if you’re there on a summer Sunday, head over to the park after your coffee to listen to people sing karaoke in front of a huge Berlin crowd. If you feel confident enough in your own musical abilities, make sure you sing a tune as well.

4. Kaschk

Very hip and Nordic through and through, Kaschk is a relatively new kid on the Mitte block; it’s a great daytime refuge and an even better evening hangout with draft beers for all the over-18s out there. If you’re looking to get some work or studying done, this is also a great place to hang out as the coffee’s cheap and the wifi’s free.

5. Concierge Coffee

Travel south of the river Spree to this heavenly hidden gem. So small you’ll barely fit in on a busy day (it’s squeezed into 15 square meters!), Concierge serves great coffee and nice treats in a unique setting. It’s a new spot, so if you need to impress a local with your local knowledge, take them here – they probably haven’t heard of it or seen it before either! Our recommendation: a flat white coffee with a slice of their famous apple pie.

Images by: top: Matt Biddulph (Flickr/Creative Commons), middle (from top left to bottom right): Smart-travelling.net, Tomislav Medak (Flickr/Creative Commons), Alper Cugun (Flickr/Creative Commons), Igor Swarzmann (Flickr/Creative Commons)