Berlin Coffee Shop Recommendations

Any of my friends back home can tell you: my life revolves around coffee. Specifically, finding the best coffee shops I can. So, of course, I’ve started to collect coffee shops like most tourists collect postcards. So, I’ve created a list of my favorite coffee shops that you might want to pay a visit to if you're ever looking for a place to stop by my Haunts Berlin Mitte or Kreuzberg. 

• Best place to study: Milch & Zucker

Milch & Zucker (Milk and Sugar) is my favorite place to study in Berlin. In general, coffee shops in Berlin are considered to be largely social spaces and there are even some cafes with signs explicitly requesting guests leave their computers at home while others don’t have wifi. Still, others simply don’t have spaces conducive to studying. Enter: Milch & Zucker. It’s the perfect place to set up for a couple of hours and study with unobtrusive music, and plenty of options for snacking or even a full meal. It’s also perfect for studying in groups of 3-5 people with tons of large tables for you and your friends to set up in without worrying about invading others’ spaces. This place has been my sanctuary when I have big projects for my internship and midterms. Thank goodness for coffee-infused study groups. 

• Location: Kreuzberg on Oranienstraße

• Best place to hang out: The Greens

The Greens feels like a woodland sanctuary tucked right in the center of Berlin. Set up in the Alte Münze (an old warehouse that has been converted into an arts events space that hosted an fantastic queer Christmas market), the space is designed to create a space for Urban gardening, selling plants for two euros alongside their coffee and snacks. The greenery and bare golden lighting give the space a magical air. There’s a loft above the Baristas bar that allows you to look down over the entire main floor. The Greens is one of those cafes which bans computers within the main space (there are tables outside in the hallway where you can set up if you’d like to study there but it is very drafty in the winter). It is a smaller space but it’s perfect for catching up with old friends over a cup of coffee. 

• Location: Berlin Innerstadt in Alte Münze

• Best Berlin Vibes: Heissa Holzmarkt

Heissa Holzmarkt is absolutely a distillation of the odd, artsy air that quietly permeates Berlin. The café is situated in Holzmarkt which is part bar, part river doc, part food court, and venue. At night I’ve seen people snuggled up on dates while during the day kids crawl over a built-in playground while young adults take graffiti lessons. The coffee shop feels partial like it’s grown out of the roots of an ancient tree and partially as if it’s an old collectors garage. The whole place feels like it's alive with secrets, the beginning of an adventure. It doesn't have its wifi so it’s not necessarily a place I’d recommend for studying but it’s the perfect place to grab a little shot of espresso before heading to Raw flea market or before heading out for a night on the town.

• Location: Kreuzberg on Holzmarktstraße 

• Best way to start the day: Shakespeare & Sons

Shakespeare & Sons is an international bookstore that has the best selection of English language books I’ve seen in Berlin and the best bagels. They have a wide selection of bagels and schmears and sandwiches that you can munch on while reading a newly purchased book. The coffee shop doesn't allow computers during the weekend so while it may not be your best study location this is absolutely the best place to start a Saturday morning’s shopping in Friedrichshain.

• Location: Friedrichshain on Warschauer Straße 

• Best baked goods: Zeit für Brot

Zeit für Brot was recommended to me by a professor at IES Abroad and was worth the visit. They have an assortment of baked goods (including some of the best bread, according to my sources) but their cinnamon rolls are the absolute must-try. They have a varied assortment that includes exciting flavor combinations like acorn walnut and white chocolate raspberry. The location Alte Schönhauser Straße has an open kitchen that allows its customers to watch the bakers at work, kneading the dough just feet away behind tall plexiglass windows. It’s an open, friendly vibe and watching the bakers work and laugh together makes you feel like you’re a part of the excitement. 

• Location: Berlin Mitte on Alte Schönhauser Straße

• My favorite: Cafe Neun Drei (93)

Cafe Neun Drei is by far my favorite coffee shop that I’ve frequently so far. Located within walking distance from Humboldt University and right on Hackeschermarkt and looking out over James-Simone park, it has an ideal location. It also has an impeccable vibe that allows for intense studying or quietly talking with a group of friends. Neundrei also has an incredible assortment of cakes that they are apparently well known for an incredible lunch and breakfast options. The upstairs space is lively and overlooks the street toward the Spree river, but the downstairs is a golden-lit haven. It’s very cozy with lots of pillows and sweet little tables. It’s worth a visit. 

• Location: Berlin Mitte on Monbijouplatz