The Best Coffee and Beer in Berlin
Now I will begin this post by saying this is by no means an exhaustive list. Berlin is an incredible mixing pot of amazing coffee and great beer from all around the world, plus a foodie’s paradise. Hopefully this article will help you experience some of the best coffee and beer in Berlin!
Café Engels
(Herrfurthstraße 21, Neukölln, Berlin)
This is a bar/café located very close to the amazing Tempelhof Park (the old Tempelhof Airport) and they do amazing food, including vegan options. They also do excellent coffee and delicious fruit smoothies. They have an excellent beer menu too and the prices are very good – you can get a delicious lunch plus coffee or beer (in some cases both!) for less than 10€.
Hofbräu Berlin
(Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 30, Mitte, Berlin)
We were actually fooled by Hofbräu Berlin, thinking it would be a local brewery. No, we were silly. It’s a pub of Hofbräu München IN Berlin. We might not have had our local brew as hoped, but I’m a big fan of Munich’s breweries and Hofbräu is no exception. A little more pricy, but well worth it!
They have a ridiculous amount of seating both inside and outside AND live Bavarian music AND their own store selling Lederhosen and Dirndls etc… A perfect place if you’re a large group! I personally recommend their dunkles Bier, but they also do a great Weizen and Helles.
Café Bada
(Reichenberger Straße 104, Kreuzberg, Berlin)
We went to this café accidentally, as we were actually going to a vegan vintage tea shop, but it turned out it had recently (that week) changed hands and was now a Korean café serving coffee, pancakes and a variety of other Korean dishes (with many vegan options).
It was definitely different from what we had expected, but still very pleasant. It was also incredibly cheap! I enjoyed a mung bean pancake, something I have never tried. The owners are absolutely lovely too!
Haus der 100 Biere
(Mommsenstraße 45, nr Potsdamer Platz, Berlin)
Shockingly, I’m recommending this place for its beer. I KNOW, you totally expected me to say it had great coffee. All joking aside, this restaurant/bar’s beer selection is EPIC. They specialise in bottled beers and have an incredible selection – whatever your taste in beer is, you will find it here! Here my mum had a delicious Kirsch Porter (cherry dark beer), which we were then overjoyed to find at a store a few days later and stocked up on lots!
12 Apostel
(Georgenstraße 2, Mitte, Berlin)
This is a really interesting restaurant built within the tunnels under the railway. Although not actually named for the 12 apostles (disciples) but instead for a reference to a meeting of merchants in Verona, the interior of the restaurant is decorated with wall and ceiling paintings galore of different biblical scenes. It’s a pretty epic interior!
We only visited for the (well recommended) beer, but they seem to do excellent pizza! I can’t vouch for it since we didn’t get to try it, but it definitely looked and smelled delicious!
They have their own brewed beer, which is excellent and I recommend a visit!
Companion Coffee
(Oranienstraße 24, Kreuzberg, Berlin)
This little café within a fashion store in a little courtyard off the main road is another hidden gem. They aim to provide the best espresso and the owner has personally visited their suppliers around the world (Nepal, China, Japan, Ethiopia etc) to ensure that all their drinks are ethically sourced and organic. I definitely agree that their coffee is amazing!
Berliner Marcus Bräu
(Münzstraße 1-3, Mitte, Berlin)
This microbrewery tap was probably my favourite of the entire trip. The brewpub is fairly unassuming and does not obviously present itself as an incredible place for a drink. But don’t walk past!
This is a do-not-miss brewpub – they brew their Pils, Rotbier and Dunkles on site and all three are incredible. You can also get a “metre” of the Pils for 15,90€ (12 of the 0.2l glasses) or the Rotbier or Dunkles for a little more – perfect for sharing!
I’m predominantly a fan of dark beers, but I must admit that the Rotbier was incredible! They also serve traditional dishes such as Schweinhaxen (roast pork, served with sauerkraut and a dumpling). Extremely German and extremely good!
Westberlin
(Friedrichsstraße 215, Kreuzberg, Berlin)
Some of you may know that I am lactose intolerant. This makes finding a latte and cake often tricky, so I look for vegan cafés as I know they will have both. Luckily, Berlin is perfect for this.
Westberlin was my favourite café we visited – if I lived nearby I would go all the time! They serve excellent coffee and lots of vegan cake, plus a vegan olive bread (Olivenstange) that was ridiculously delicious and it’s making my mouth water just thinking about it.
As cafés go it can be classed under “hipster” and you’re likely to see a lot of student-age people sat ar0und using Macbooks (which is pretty much me in a café at home…). It’s very close to Checkpoint Charlie so is a perfect brunch or afternoon tea/c0ffee spot when on the tourist route!
Velicious
(Lenbach Straße 13B, Friedrichshain, Berlin)
Okay so when I said above that Westberlin was my favourite? I lied. It was my JOINT favourite with this incredible little gem tucked down a side street in Friedrichshain. It is a tiny café whose name I first thought sounded like it had something to do with cycling (velo), but I’m pretty sure it’s in regards to the delicious vegan food they serve. Because their food is definitely vegan and DEFINITELY delicious. They also have some gluten-free options as well – if you have ever craved cheesecake but are gluten and/or lactose intolerant, this is your place!
They also serve lots of different teas and coffees, including an iced apple chai that was perfect for a warm (almost summer’s) day. I chowed down on a scrumptous vanilla and cookie cheesecake – totally vegan and totally delicious. A must-visit for anyone who loves cheesecake or is vegan, lactose intolerant or gluten intolerant! (Tip: closed Monday!)
Microsoft Café (AKA The Digital Eatery)
(Unter den Linden 17, Mitte, Berlin)
This café located near to the Brandenburg Gate and the Rotes Rathaus, as well as many other of the main landmarks in Berlin, is an interesting concept from Microsoft where one can enjoy a tea or coffee, maybe some cake or a sandwich, and also play with the latest Microsoft tech or receive help with any Microsoft device.
They also do the most delicious yummy ice lollies – in the end I had two of their raspberry and vanilla ices, they were so moreish.
Hops & Barley
(Wühlischstraße 22/23, Friedrichshain, Berlin)
Another microbrewery and only a short walk from Velicious, Hops & Barley is a great place for an evening drink. The old brewing system is on display in the bar, and the current working machinery is also on premises. Inexpensive and a good choice of beers, plus they also do Schlangenbiss (snakebite), which you’ll likely know if you are a fellow student (half cider, half beer, plus blackcurrant cordial)!
Hopfenreich
(Sorauer Straße 31, Kreuzberg, Berlin)
I almost left this great craft beer pub out because I had forgotten to note down the name in my list of places we visited – thank heavens for Facebook check-ins! (Slight sarcasm, but you WOULD have missed out on this awesome place and that would have been sad.)
Their beer list is extensive and they sell a huge variety of craft beers from microbreweries around Germany and beyond. Their 22 beers on tap are constantly changing and the variety means that you will definitely find one to suit your tastes. I had an excellent coffee porter and the pub also offers Craft Beer Tours of Berlin on request!
Szimpla
(Gärtnerstraße 15, Kreuzberg, Berlin)
This craft beer bar is well worth a visit, not only for its selection of Czech, Polish and Hungarian craft beers but also for their really good cake! Not particularly German but definitely a good place for good quality beer. Very close to Hops & Barley (pub crawl, anyone?).
BONUS:
Boxi Kiosk Spätverkauf
(Gärtnerstraße 15, Kreuzberg, Berlin)
If you hadn’t had enough beer after Hops & Barley and Szimpla, or just fancy something for a nightcap, then pop over the road from Szimpla to this awesome little shop that sells a ridiculous amount of beers. From local beers to Icelandic beers to Somerset cider, you can find an amazing variety in this this little off-license, including the amazing Kirsch Porter I mentioned earlier. The prices are also ridiculously low, often cheaper than you’ll find in the supermarkets (and they sell a lot of beers you won’t find in the supermarkets too).
I hope you enjoyed my recommendations for the best coffee and beer in Berlin. Have you been to any I mentioned? If you think I missed any, tell us in the comments! If you liked reading it, don’t forget to pin it!
