The German capital of Berlin is home to just over three million people not to mention the nine million visitors that this city receives each year. With so many mouths to feed and water it should come as no surprise that this city excels at providing a wealth of cafes for coffee and food on the go.
A gourmet pick-me-up
If you’re one of the millions of visitors taking Berlin city breaks you won’t have far to travel for that much needed coffee once you arrive. This is a multi-cultural capital and you can easily find a good Turkish, Italian or Arabic coffee on Berlin’s streets. If you have a real passion for those beans then head to The Barn in Mitte, which offers gourmet varieties from top class micro-roasters. The food served is also of the highest quality including sandwiches filled with the freshest local meats and cheeses.
Quality coffee, low prices
No guide focussing on Berlin for coffee lovers would be complete without mentioning the Double Eye. This tiny shop in Schoneberg offers high quality drinks made by world class baristas who are encyclopaedic when it comes to their coffee knowledge. The prices are amazingly low considering the quality of the drinks, which are said to be the best in the city. You may have to queue once you are inside but nothing good comes without a little effort.
Vibrant atmosphere in the Hackescher Markt
If you’re visiting the city you’ll no doubt end up in the tourist and restaurant heavy Hackescher Markt area in central Mitte. Dante is cafe by day and club come night, located on a huge square close to the S-Bahn station. It is one of the best places to pick up a coffee and indulge in some people watching. Excellent coffee, delicious hot chocolate and mouth-watering fresh pies are all on offer at Dante. This is a slightly upmarket area so you will pay a little extra but it’s worth the price alone to simply sit on the terrace and watch the Berliners go about their daily activities.
No matter where you go in Berlin you can easily take a 30 minute breather while enjoying a snack and a truly worthy coffee. A last special mention must go to the Café Bilderbuch in Schoneberg for those sumptuous velvet sofas, the wealth of books and the friendliest of staff serving speciality coffees – a real sanctuary in the city.
Images by Alper Cugun and Igor Schwarzmann, used under the Creative Commons license.