1. The Barn Roastery
As one of the main suppliers of roasted beans to other third wave coffee bars in Berlin, The Barn (Auguststraße 58 10119 Berlin) has an impeccable coffee reputation. This very popular coffee shop located in the gallery district of Berlin is best visited with friends. Their home roasted coffees are brewed with perfection into espresso beverages with great value given to the milk and its preparation. Drip coffees are also enjoyable all year round, created with love and care, they complement the delicious pastries that the kitchen prepares each morning. In the summer this is a great place to sit outside and recover from admiring all the beautiful galleries in the area.
Top Tip: Watch the roaster execute his craft with precision, take in the smell and sounds of the roasting coffee.
2.Godshot Coffee Klub
This is a classic espresso bar in the heart of Berlin (Immanuelkirchstraße 32, 10405). Brewing high quality espressos and espresso beverages all day long to the utmost perfection. Located in the trendy former borough of Prenzlauer Berg this is a coffee bar that many young people come to work and meet friends. Opening early this is a great place to get a coffee to wake up before work or sightseeing in the lively city.
Top Tip: Take a day to attend an espresso training day and learn the art to make the perfect espresso.
3. No Fire, No Glory!
This cute coffee shop is located in the heart of the trendy Prenzlauer Berg of Berlin (Rykerstrasse 45, 10405), just East of the world famous Alexanderplatz. Set in a small side street this medium sized coffee bar is buzzing with life. With its laid back attitude and hipster ambiance it is a great place to get work done or just meet some friends. The excellent selection of pastries and goodies are all homemade and greatly compliment the taste of their excellently prepared coffee by the skillful baristas. With a large selection of drip coffees like a V60 drip or Aeropress and a larger selection of espresso beverages No Fire, No Glory! Really has it all.
Top Tip: Ask for the special bean selection from the micro lot in Guatemala, there are a limited number of beans so be quick.
4. Double Eye
Having opened in 2001 this is one of the “oldest” coffee shops in Berlin. Known for their high-grade coffee this place is always busy. Opened by European World Cup Barista champion Arno Schmeil this place is known for its well-made specialty coffee basics and also its micro-foamed cappuccino. Located in the Schöneberg borough of Berlin (Akazienstraße 22, 10823) it is not near a very touristy area and is visited more frequently by locals rather than tourists.
Top Tip: Ask Arno Schmeil to make you one of his signature micro-foamed cappuccino.
5. Bonanza Coffee Heros
This small coffee shop has a rustic feel to it. Located just across the street from Mauerpark it is inside the borough of Pankow (Oderberger Str. 35, 10435). This place also roasts their own coffee beans giving it that personalized flavor. Bonanza Coffee provide beans for many other berlin cafes. Their espressos are made excellently with a Kees van der Westen Spirit and their drip coffees will blow you away made with syphons and V60. Because of its size this place can become overcrowded on the weekends, especially on Sunday with Flohmarkt crowds, there are however some benches outside to enjoy the sun shine on.
Top Tip: Ask for a syphon drip coffee, it will always make your day when it is prepared to perfection here.
6. Café Ck
Opened by Cory Andreen, the World Cup Coffee Tasters Champion in 2009. The coffee bar is designed with a minimalist interior so it’s a great place to work. The small coffee bar is located in the trendy Prenzlauer Berg (Marienburger Str. 49, 10405), just off the Prenzlauer Allee. The staff here make excellent espressos with their La Marzocco FB/80. For slow drip coffees they use V60 or Aeropress all of which are made with precise elegance. Beans are locally sourced from Five Elephant another coffee bar in Berlin.
Top Tip: Ask Cory Andreen to explain the different types of coffee they offer and their individual tastes.
7. Chapter One
Opened by Nora Šmahelová and Björn Köppke in late 2011 this is an excellent place to get an espresso. Nora won the German Championship in 2002 and will make any brewed coffee taste amazing. Björn previously worked at No Fire, No Glory and Double Eye and has gained quite a reputation from there. Both make excellent drip coffees of which you have a wide selection you can choose from. Preparation wise you also have a world of choice: syphon, V60, Chemix, Aeropress, Kalita Wave, and more. While their espresso beans consistently come from JB Kaffee in Munich the filter coffee beans always rotate from origin. This coffee shop is located in the bottom of the Kreuzberg borough (Mittenwalder Str. 30, 10961) and just off the Yorckstrasse.
Top Tip: Try a Cold drip coffee, one of the many ways slow brewed coffees are prepared her and excellent to enjoy on a sunny day.
8. Concierge Coffee
Opened recently this up and coming coffee bar deserves your attention. This may be the smallest coffee place you have ever seen, located in Kreuzberg (Paul-Lincke-Ufer 39-40, 10999) close to the Landwehrkanal. As suggested by the name the coffee bar is in the concierge room of a Hof entrance, decorated with the original concrete and red brick walls. Both owners, Namy Nosraifard and Benjamin Pates previously worked at Bonanza Coffee before opening their own place. They specialize in espressos made with a Kees van der Westen Mirage Duet. Recently they have expanded into the adjacent building to allow for seating spaces and to include some snacks for their customers.
Top Tip: Try a well-made flat white, one of their specialties.
9. Five Elephant
Located near the border of the Kreuzberg and NeuKölln boroughs (Reichenberger Str. 101, 10999) this place is a great stop when exploring the less touristy parts of Berlin. This place it the superstar among the specialty coffee shops in Berlin, known not only for its amazing coffee but also for its legendary cheese cake. Owned by Kris Shackman and Sophie Weigensamer this place is dedicated in making the best possible coffee, they also provide roasted beans to other cafes in the city. Kris is the coffee expert and is known for making the best espressos in town where as Sophie is famous for making the best cheese cake in Berlin. The beans used here are direct trade which means they come directly from the farm to the café without a middle man.
Top Tip: Have an espresso and while you’re at it taste the best cheese cake in Berlin.
