The Art of the German Kaffeeklatsch: Café Crawl through Freiburg

You’ve heard of spilling the tea but have you ever had a proper Kaffeeklatsch? While it lacks a direct English translation, I’m sure you’ll understand the importance of a designated coffee meeting to relax and talk a lil gossip with your closest friends. In our last week in Freiburg a few of my IES Abroad friends and I embarked on a cafe crawl to revisit our favorite spots and retrace our steps through a semester of spending all our money on sweet treats.

If you ever make it to Freiburg we hope you’ll give some of our most treasured spots a visit and have a little Kaffeeklatsch on our behalf.

1. First stop, Elli’s Café. This was my first regular coffee haunt in Freiburg as it was right across the street from my language intensive classroom. I’d often sprint across the street during our break for a quick espresso; the almond biscuit on the side is *chef’s kiss*. And, if you plan on visiting often, get the punch card for rewards.

   

2. Next stop, Fili Café! I am in fact sitting in Fili as I write this. I, in fact, wrote many an essay in Fili sipping on hot chocolate (with oat milk of course) and chomping on mini pistachio cannolis. Fili’s is a fan favorite among my Freiburg friends (the location by Holzmarkt is our most frequented). In addition to the cutest mugs, they also have delicious sandwiches and wonderful tunes.

   

3. After leaving Fili, we ventured to Au Contraire. It’s a coffee shop, it’s a bar, it does it all! For me, Au Contraire holds many dear memories. I celebrated by birthday with friends there after my evening German class. I also would go there for a slice of cake and cup of coffee when I wanted something sweet for lunch. According to a poll from a few of my friends, Au Contraire boasts the best hot chocolate (I agree). It also has the classiest of cocktails and delicious olives.

   

4. Next up was Moltke! Admittedly, I’d never been here before this commemorative coffee crawl, but it won the hearts of a few dear friends. The outside was unassuming, but inside it was so very cozy and of course had wonderful coffee. I opted for a cortado and was not disappointed. Would definitely recommend! But bring cash because they don’t take card.

   

5. Our penultimate stop was Café Pow. If you know anything about me (not that you do but now you will), you will know I loveeee matcha. And Café Pow wins my vote for the best matcha in town. However, they aren’t just a coffee shop, they’re part of a community-oriented co-working space fitted with all sorts of seating arrangements—both indoor and outdoor. It’s a perfect place to focus on an essay (there are plenty of outlets) or chill with friends. This photo doesn’t do it justice so you have to check it out for yourself.

   

6. Lastly, we ventured across the city to Förster Max! Our first month here, IES Abroad staff (shout out to Karin) took us here for ice cream after a wellness walk, and we’ve been coming back ever since. While most places have stopped serving Eis for the winter, Förster Max still offers all their best homemade flavors like Cinnamon Plum, Milk and Honey, Sicilian Pistachio, and Orange Chai. I firmly believe ice cream is a year round food, but if you have a different hot take, don’t worry they also have delicious cakes, coffees, and tees. There’s a reason we saved Förster Max, always, best for last!

   

Anyways, that’s all for our Kaffeeklatsch/ Café Crawl! Honorable mentions we have plenty of space for in our hearts but not our stomachs: Elephant Beans, Kolben Kaffeeklatsch, and the Library Café (inside the Uni Library)