The coffee scene of Berlin is on a fast track to becoming one of the most prominent ones in the world, and with good reason! Although it had quite a slow start, the city’s third-wave coffee culture is here to stay, with all its components elevated and perfected (we’re in Germany, after all!).
Our last trip to Berlin in March 2024 revolved all around coffee shops. We don’t know whether to blame jetlag or our general appreciation of all things caffeinated, but the result is a win-win situation for us all: We got the energy we wanted, and you now get the most up-to-date information on all the best coffee shops in Berlin. Enjoy!
Article contents
- Does Berlin have good coffee?
- How much does coffee cost in Berlin?
- Our list of 12 best coffee shops
- Laptop & work-friendly cafes
- More of our favorite spots for breakfast and lunch in Berlin
- Final thoughts
Is Berlin famous for coffee? Not so long ago the answer would be no, but in the last decade numerous first-class specialty coffee shops opened, and now the coffee culture is thriving in the city. It doesn’t mean though that you can buy a great cuppa anywhere. So we would like to present our Berlin specialty coffee guide to help you out.
Our favorite Berlin cafes for specialty coffee — does Berlin have good coffee?
Before we move on to the list of Berlin’s very best coffee shops, let us share a few tips and things to know before heading out for a cup.
Does Berlin have good coffee? It does if you know where to look. To buy a high-quality drink, look for popular outlets with a big name. If you go to regular Berlin coffee joints (even those with an expensive coffee machine and an Instagrammable interior), there is no guarantee that you will get a 100% delicious beverage.
Pro tip: A lot of coffee shops on our list are located in the Kreuzberg neighborhood, so if you’re ever in the area, your chances of having a great cup of Joe are significantly higher. There’re lots of exciting things to do in the neighborhood as well, so feel free to check out our guide to Kreuzberg to learn more.
Also, keep in mind that most of the coffee shops in the city have two drawbacks:
1) no bathroom (for example, in all of the Barns);
2) cash-only or card-only payments.
Lately, we found out that there’s something better than a coffee shop for working on laptops. A hotel lobby! It’s a game changer that allows you to type the day away (if you need to) without any pressure.
Here is our list of favorite hotels with a nice and spacious lobby in Berlin:
— 4* The Social Hub (€115 per night)
— 4* Urban Loft Berlin (€100 per night)
— 4* Hotel NH Berlin Alexanderplatz (€130 per night)
— Stayery Berlin Friedrichshain (€150 per night)
How much does coffee cost in Berlin?
If you take the specialty coffee Berlin has to offer, you might expect the following prices:
- €3.9 to €4 for a small latte (10 oz / 200 ml);
- €2.5 to €3 for an espresso;
- €3 to €5 for filter coffee.
If you look at ordinary cafes or just order a cup for your breakfast, the estimates are:
- €2.2 for an espresso (no alternative brewing methods here, of course);
- €3 to €3.7 for a latte/cappuccino.
Is there Starbucks in Berlin? Yes. Their prices are:
- €3.7 for brewed coffee;
- €4.9 for a latte.
And as for the “lowest-grade” coffee player, McDonald’s (though many would argue that their coffee is quite decent):
- €2.5 for an espresso;
- €3.9 for a cappuccino.
Without further ado, let’s proceed to the compilation of our favorite Berlin cafes that we handpicked for all the coffee aficionados out there.
Father Carpenter
☕️Filter coffee — €3.8, latte — €4.5
🥐Food: All things breakfast
💶Cash/card: Both
💻Work-friendly: No
Father Carpenter is one of the best cafes in Berlin city center. A short walk from Alexanderplatz gets you to this hip coffee shop with a fantastic courtyard. Plenty of seats inside and outside don’t necessarily mean you can easily find a free table — there are long lines, especially on weekends. The cafe is walk-in only, but you can use their takeaway service if you don’t want to wait for a seat to open up.
When it comes to drinking specialty coffee, Father Carpenter is the #1 spot for us. And while their beans used to come from two excellent local roasteries — Field and Fjord — ever since the cafe’s opening, in 2023 they decided to do all operations in-house. Now, you can purchase Father Carpenter coffee beans (filter or espresso) to brew at home! But back to their brick-and-mortar: There is a large selection of drinks and a few non-dairy options (oat/soy for €0.4).
But the real reason for such popularity is the food section of the menu: Lots of people come for what might be the best breakfast in Berlin. A mouthwatering dish will cost you anywhere from €9 (for a simple sourdough toast with poached eggs) to €17.5 (for its fancy brothers with avocado or smoked salmon). As for dessert, the must-try is their vegan banana bread. You can look up the whole menu on their website.
The Barn
☕️Hand brew — from €6, latte — €4.8
🥐Food: Cakes and croissants
💶Cash/card: Card
💻Work-friendly: Yes (but not in peak hours)
The Barn is a chain of specialty coffee roasteries in Berlin. These guys pushed the coffee’s third wave in the city hard. Having started with just one venue in 2010, they now operate 11 stores in Berlin (the latest addition scoring a prime location near Checkpoint Charlie) and worldwide (Mallorca, Dubai, and Seoul). Each of them has a unique minimalistic design that allows you to relax and enjoy a great cup of coffee. And so that you know how great it is — The Barn is your answer to “What is the best coffee in Berlin?”.
The shelves are fully stocked with a wide range of freshly roasted beans you can choose from for your hand brew. Other than that, their menu focuses on espresso-based drinks. As for milk alternatives, they only do Oatly for €0.3 (as well as their take on decaf coffee — Low Caf that will cost you an additional €0.5) Don’t forget to take a look at their signature seasonal specials — like a phenomenal ‘Winter Flat White’ (espresso infused with rooibos tea) they usually do around Christmas.
From all of their specialty coffee spots in Berlin, my favorites for a sit down with a book or a laptop are Hackescher Markt (we were kind of regulars here as it’s located in 15 minutes from our tried and tested The Social Hub hotel) and Café Kranzler. The latter is particularly spacious and gets less traffic than other shops. Its rooftop terrace also offers some fun things to do in Berlin like enjoying breathtaking views, taking pictures, and people-watching.
Ben Rahim
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☕️Batch brew — €3.8, latte — €5
🥐Food: Baklava and croissants
💶Cash/card: Card
💻Work-friendly: 50/50
Ben Rahim is yet another hip coffee shop you can visit in Berlin — the store is tucked away in a beautiful courtyard of the Mitte district. They claim to be the first third-wave coffee place with an Arabian twist. Before enjoying their middle-eastern hospitality, you should know about their philosophy. In short, they don’t have sugar and they don’t add milk to pour overs.
In addition to freshly brewed coffee, you can order classic espresso variations (their flat white gets a lot of praise!). They also have an interesting approach to making cold coffee drinks — double shots are served as ice cubes in milk. In terms of pastry, the menu mostly consists of Arabian sweets and croissant sandwiches (€5.5–€9.9).
Despite having high-quality coffee, the place seemed a little overpriced for us. For example, getting an oat-milk drink will cost you an extra €0.8 (twice as much as anywhere else). In addition, we don’t recommend it for freelancers (even though it is laptop-friendly) because of slow wi-fi and inconvenient seats.
Bonanza Coffee
☕️Filter coffee — €4, latte — €4.9
🥐Food: Light sweet and savory snacks
💶Cash/card: Both (cash-only if under €10)
💻Work-friendly: No
Bonanza is a favorite Berlin coffee shop for many locals and tourists. They have four locations. The most impressive one is their roastery — it has an outstanding interior design with lots of room and plenty of plants. It’s always a safe choice to get your caffeine fix here — these guys started spreading coffee culture in Berlin back in 2006.
They are very good at brewing light roasts — definitely try one of them. Their flat white is also very popular. You won’t find plant-based milk or lots of food options though — they only have some pastries like croissants. Working on your laptop is allowed, but limited to a small area, and there’s no wi-fi.
The Visit Coffee & Eatery
☕️Batch brew — €3.5, latte — €4.5
🥐Food: Breakfast dishes, bowls, and bagels
💶Cash/card: Both
💻Work-friendly: Yes
The Visit holds a solid place among the best coffee shops in Berlin. Our favorite out of their three locations is the roastery on Adalbertstraße — the laid-back store with a terrace and large seating areas inside and a nice place to have lunch in the busy Kurfürstendamm. They allow laptops at all times (though restricted to one specific area in the cafe), which is a rare case in the city. Plenty of power outlets and good wi-fi also add to it being one of the best cafes in Berlin to work in.
Their coffee is very decent, and they have oat milk (€0.5). What’s even better is they give you numerous food options. Prices for a breakfast meal range from €10.6 for a bagel to €15.2 for shakshuka. Apart from that, they always have a bunch of fresh items from their bakery like cakes, sandwiches, banana bread, and chocolate bars.
Five Elephant
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☕️Filter coffee — €4, latte — €4.8
🥐Food: Their famous cheesecake and pastries
💶Cash/card: Both
💻Work-friendly: No
We think of Five Elephant as a perfect spot to start exploring Kreuzberg. It’s a very local place that attracts interesting folks. Take a seat outside and enjoy a nice cup of coffee while people-watching. When it comes to working rather than chilling, Five Elephant is not the best option — they have some laptop restrictions even on weekdays.
Five Elephant is one of the popular answers to “Where to go for coffee in Berlin?” for a reason. In addition to four locations, high-quality drinks, and a wide range of beans, the shop is a must-visit for arguably the best cheesecake in the city. People have been singing praises to this treat at Five Elephants for quite a while now. We checked it out ourselves — the cheesecake is very good; you should try it (a slice goes for €5.3).
19grams
☕️Batch brew — €3, latte — €4.5
🥐Food: Sandwiches and cakes
💶Cash/card: Card
💻Work-friendly: Yes (weekdays only)
Another chain with some of the best specialty coffee Berlin has to offer is 19grams. They have their own roastery that supplies four locations. The most spacious shops we recommend for a visit are Chaussee and Alex Roastery & Lab. The latter will particularly come in handy if you can’t get your breakfast at Father Carpenter because of the lines — 19grams is just 3 minutes away and has delicious breakfast options!
Their menu offers multiple breakfast options (up to €18), including toast, pudding, salad, sandwiches, and pancakes. As for quick sweet treats, you will always find various freshly baked items from their bakery on display (cakes, cookies, bars, and bread). Their coffee is pretty good, and you can have Oatly for €0.5 if you want a lactose-free drink.
19grams are laptop-friendly with the exception of the weekends when their stores get busy. The most comfortable one is their Roastery&Lab location as there is a big table for laptops. As for the other locations, I would still say that 19grams is more of a place to chill with your friends than to get some work done. The music is loud, and it’s a little dark inside.
Distrikt Coffee
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☕️Filter coffee — €3.8, latte — €3.9
🥐Food: All things breakfast
💶Cash/card: Both
💻Work-friendly: Yes (non-peak times)
One more frontrunner for the best breakfast in Berlin is Distrikt Coffee. The store is well-known for exceptional coffee drinks and amazing brunch dishes from homemade granola (€9.5) to french toast (€13.9) Not only Distrikt is a great addition to Berlin specialty coffee list, their menu also includes delicious organic smoothies (€7). As for non-dairy milk, you can add Oatly for €0.3.
The place is also one of the best cafes in Berlin to study in. First, their simple but stylish interior creates a wonderful atmosphere. What’s more, they are located in the heart of Mitte, and they have plenty of space. We always found vacant seats, even around noon on weekends. You have to know though that they don’t allow laptops when rush times happen.
Die Espressonisten
☕️Batch brew — €3.3 (€3.5 to go), latte — €3.9 (€4.1 to go)
🥐Food: Sweets and treats
💶Cash/card: Both
💻Work-friendly: Yes
Next on the list of Berlin’s best cafes is Die Espressonisten — a unique space that combines a coffee shop with an all-things-coffee storefront. You can come here on a quick latte run or to hide from the noise of Checkpoint Charlie neighborhood and emerge with a hefty purchase of a new, state-of-the-art coffee machine and a few bags of beans roasted to perfection.
Spending time inside Die Espressonisten is an entire experience in and of itself: Just imagine tons of light from the large windows, walls lined with shelves sporting every type of coffee merchandise under the sun, and a sweet aroma of baked goods (our favorites are their Apfeltartelette (€3.5) and Pastel de nata (€2.2)) floating through the air. The atmosphere, paired with good wi-fi, is conducive to a productive work session: It helps that you’re allowed to work on your laptop here virtually without any restrictions.
Café Komine
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☕️Americano — €3.8, matcha latte — €6.3
🥐Food: Cakes and matcha desserts
💶Cash/card: Both
💻Work-friendly: No
Café Komine is more of a dessert paradise than a coffee gem. Not only do their cakes look incredible, but they taste incredible too — a mix of French and Japanese influences will do that for you. Some of the must-tries are Mont Blanc (€8.2) and Matcha Tiramisu (€14.6). For your drink, we recommend a matcha latte (if that’s not too match-a for one visit). You can also choose from different teas (try Vert Provence for €6) and some coffee options.
Of course, it can’t be all that perfect — this heaven for a sweet tooth comes with a few drawbacks. The store is closed during the week. And when they are open (from noon to 6 p.m. on weekends), they are obviously very busy. To make things worse, the place is pretty small, so be ready to wait for a while or get a take out.
OM Coffee & Brunch (former K. Lieblings)
☕️Americano — €2.8, latte — €3.7
🥐Food: All things brunch
💶Cash/card: Both
💻Work-friendly: Yes
The next stop on our Berlin coffee itinerary is OM Coffee & Brunch (formerly known as K. Lieblings), a hip coffee and brunch spot with high ceilings and minimalistic design in the Friedrichshain district. The relaxed atmosphere and the large selection of yummy breakfast and brunch dishes (their avocado toast and eggs benedict (€12.5 each) will keep you full till lunchtime) make it an excellent choice. You can also enjoy a magnificent view of Karl Marx Allee from the window while having your cuppa.
Since it’s pretty far from major tourist attractions, OM Coffee is not as overcrowded as some of the central coffee shops. They also allow laptops, which means it’s a nice place to work or study. Make sure to check their website before your visit — they update their working hours from time to time.
St. Oberholz Coffee
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☕️Filter coffee — €4, latte — €4.5 to €5.2
🥐Food: Croissants and sandwiches
💶Cash/card: Card
💻Work-friendly: Yes
Our last (but not least!) pick for the best coffee shops in Berlin is St. Oberholz, a coworking network with a caffeine boost. It’s perfect for a coffee break and a laptop pitstop — excellent wi-fi, comfortable seats, and good vibes. It might be a little loud though because of the zoom calls all around. If you need some privacy, check out St. Oberholz offices.
The quality of the drinks here is okay. Try their special The Oberholz, which is an iced oat-milk cappuccino (€5.5). Another good thing about the place is that the menu has various food options, including breakfast bowls (€5.5) and sandwiches (€8 to €9). As for sweet treats, I would recommend a slice of vegan banana almond bread (€3.7) and a lemon bar (€3.9).
Laptop & work-friendly cafes in Berlin
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Berlin is such a headache for coffee-obsessed travelers who want to do some work — most of the coffee shops have a very strict policy against laptops. Some of them put a no-laptop sign on the door, while others allow computers only during the week. At times, you will find a hidden message while entering a wi-fi password (something like nolaptopsatourplace).
A reliable choice in search of a laptop & work-friendly cafe in Berlin (as pretty much anywhere) is Starbucks. You won’t get dirty looks, and the wi-fi is good. But even if you don’t take coffee quality into account, Starbucks is pretty loud and not very convenient.
While traveling, it is very important for us to have 2–3 hours a day with a laptop in a comfortable environment, so we have discovered many laptop-friendly coffee shops in Berlin. For easy reference, we’ve condensed some of the coffee shops mentioned above into a list form:
- Distrikt Coffee — all around conducive to a great work session, except for rush hours. Plus, not overcrowded and has great breakfasts;
- The Barn — the best location is Café Kranzler. No restrictions, a nice rooftop terrace, an amazing well-lit interior, plenty of power outlets, and comfortable seats. The poor rating is due to not having a bathroom, no cash payments, and no wi-fi (but there’s a good connection from a nearby store);
- 19grams Roastery&Lab — weekdays only. Spacious and with a big table;
- St. Oberholz — always welcoming. Comfortable seats, and excellent wi-fi, but might be crowded and loud;
- Die Espressonisten — chill atmosphere (reminiscent of a library, with hipster-esque accents and coffee machines) and free wi-fi. Rarely crowded, which makes it a perfect spot to work on your laptop for a couple of hours.
More of our favorite spots for breakfast and lunch in Berlin
While coffee is our prime motivator to fight jetlag and go out to explore a new city, food is an apparent runner-up: Thankfully, Berlin has plenty of cafes and restaurants where you can grab a bite (or a whole cow, depending on your hunger levels). We feel inclined to highlight a few of the spots that will help you not die of starvation while in Berlin:
✔️ Father Carpenter — we will never tire of singing praises to this establishment: Their coffee is as outstanding as their food. You can never go wrong with coming to Father Carpenter for breakfast. We recommend you get either a slice of vegan banana bread (€6.5) or “Eggs Royale” — poached eggs with smoked salmon served on sourdough (€16.9), depending on what you’re usually in the mood for in the morning.
✔️ Karo — in the mornings, you’re guaranteed to get full on their vegan and vegetarian porridge options and sandwiches. Lunch at Karo, however, is a completely different beast: With a new set menu every day, you will get to explore the vegetable-forward and exclusively plant-based world of exciting dishes (anything from chickpea and tahini soup to crispy tofu crumble). Lunch prices are set and range from €12 to €16, depending on the chosen menu.
✔️ Annelies — a perfect place for a boozy brunch in Berlin. We’re pretty sure that no matter what dishes you choose — egg sandwich (€14.5) or Basque cheesecake (€7.5) — they will go perfectly with something pleasantly inebriating. This “something” ranges from a classic Bloody Mary (€8.5) to an iconic brunch companion of a Mimosa (€7). Not a fan of drinking before lunch? Coffee at Annelies is delightful!
✔️ FREA Bakery & Café — a bakery first and foremost, FREA makes surprisingly great coffee. A safe heaven for Berlin-based vegans (there are plenty of vegan food options on the menu, as well as a couple of mylk alternatives for extra €0.7) and sourdough appreciators, this bakery gets crowded the moment it opens its doors in the morning. Come here for early breakfast or late brunch and have one of their iconic toasts that are made with FREA house bread (the prices range from €11 to €13). If you crave something sweet to go with your coffee order, look no further than their Cardamom croissant (€3), — people actually claim to travel all the way to Berlin just to eat it again.
✔️ Burgermeister — when in a pickle, you can never go wrong with a fast-food joint. This chain claims to have the best burgers in Berlin, and we’re not disputing that: Their Master Burger (€8.9) and Cheese fries (€4.9) are a combo made in heaven.
✔️ Dump Ling — tasty homemade dumplings and noodles. There are a lot of options to choose from here, but we’ve settled on these ones and were not disappointed: Xiao Long Bao (pork dumplings filled with soup, €8.9) and Ban Mian (hot chili noodles, €11.8) were out-of-this-world delicious!
Final thoughts
A real coffee mecca that it is today, Berlin is coming on the radar of the world’s coffee afficionados more and more with each passing day. And while it’s almost impossible to keep up with the scene of newly opened coffee shops in Berlin, we feel we’ve managed to give you the basics.
If you have any further questions regarding the best coffee places in Berlin, or if you want to bring a new trendy cafe to our attention, please, leave your comment in the section down below.
Don’t forget to check out our other Berlin articles:
- This detailed guide to the Reichstag Dome rooftop in Berlin will help you plan your outing to a T;
- This 3-day Berlin itinerary guarantees not a second of your stay is wasted here.
- Where there is coffee, there are museums (10 best of them in Berlin!)
