Welcome, one and all! To your friendly Hamburg coffee guide!!
Well pals, it’s no secret that I’m a real fan of a good coffee shop, due partly to my love of a good cup of coffee but also to the general experience of the whole shebang. A good coffee shop is in my opinion 50% about the coffee and 50% about the atmosphere (friendliness of baristas included in the atmosphere bracket, FYI). Hunting out new coffee shops to hang out and have a cuppa in is a serious hobby of mine.
Hamburg is all about individuality, and so it’s my advice to you to stay away from the Starbucks and head straight for a quirkier, more genuine coffee-loving establishment. If you find yourself wandering this beautiful city and wondering ‘where oh where is the best coffee place in Hamburg!?’ then, Hamburg coffee lovers, eat your heart out.
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Playground Coffee
Playground Coffee in Sankt Pauli is technically my local, almost exactly opposite the flat I live in whilst in the city. The day it opened was a joyous moment for me- partly because prior to that I had my suspicions that the previously empty building was some sort of drug den. And the day I realised they remembered my order was even more joyous still! What a good and friendly bunch of lads.
They take coffee rather seriously in here, and the proof is in the pudding. The pudding being that they really only sell coffee- not a tea nor a hot chocolate will you find,and definitely no flavoured syrups.
These guys will laugh in the face of your flavoured syrups.
I’m a real fan of the decor at Playground Coffee. Pastel colours mixed with macrame, tropical plants, and still with a mildly industrial vibe down to it’s bicycles and big wire-frame chairs. Which are actually pretty comfy if you’re lucky enough to get a spot in one.
Playground Coffee, Detlev-Bremer Straße 21, Sankt Pauli
Kiezbohne
In all honesty one of the main selling points of Kiezbohne (another Sankt Pauli classic), was the fact that its old owner Jörg had so many fascinating stories to tell about his life as a young circus runaway and consequent travels across the world. Also there was a small dog named Pablo who used to be behind the counter from time to time.
I guess we’ll never know what percentage of those stories were factual, as Jörg has since moved on to sail all the way to New Zealand. But he did demonstrate his juggling skills once and let me tell you that’s all the circus evidence I need.
The shop itself is approximately the size of three wardrobes standing in a row, but doesn’t tend to get busy so is quite nice to chill out in if you’re up for a solo coffee and a casual read of a book, or a small meeting of pals! Everything in here is decorated with skulls- even the spoons- as the skull is the emblem of Sankt Pauli itself and it’s all about local pride around these parts.
The coffee is pretty darn tootin’ good and they also do a good old fashioned fresh mint tea if you’re up for something more refreshing. Good one Kiezbohne.
Kiezbohne, Paul-Roosen Straße 12, Sankt Pauli
Hej Papa
In all honesty although I came here for the coffee, I left remembering only the fresh homemade food. Apologies for mentioning it in a post about coffee- but the home-made food of Hej Papa really is something to write home about. Located in a little street parallel to Wallring Park, this place has a very pretty vibe about it- fresh flowers, candles and wooden tables, you know the type.
Hej Papa, Pool Straße 32
Fritzis
Fritzis was a new and semi-accidental discovery. We knew it was there but had never ventured quite far enough to find it you know? The surprise closure (just that day, not permanently), of Kiezbohne, led us to branch out in search of this other mysterious location.
It really is hard to spot, as it’s sort of camouflaged into the flats and other buildings that surround it, with no big sign to announce its existence, but inside we found a very busy and rustic looking little cafe with a shabbier version of the candles and wooden tables vibe going on. Coffee sizes are small (but great tasting) and served in old teacups with vintage patterned saucers to go with them. Again, the baked goods were the real selling point for me; I had a chocolate caramel shortbread and it was one of the best that I’ve had in years.
Fritzis, Kleine Freiheit 1
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Milch
One of my absolute favourites of the Hamburg coffee shop scene. Milch gets my vote for two reasons: firstly the warm glow of its lighting and very cool retro design; which when combined make it appear like the most inviting place in the world, especially on a rainy day.
And secondly because it’s the only place outside of the Canary Islands I’ve ever found which sells my Grandad’s favourite coffee-based beverage- a leche leche. Which is coffee with milk and a layer of condensed milk on the bottom.
Located close to the piers of Landungsbrücken in Hamburg’s Portuguese district, it’s a very cute place which is also tucked away enough to not be heaving with people all the time. The baristas are extremely friendly and give you all the advice you could ever wish for about all your coffee desires. Like Playground, these guys have a tiny menu due to their dedication to a good proper coffee and it truly pays off!
(Also check out their instagram- linked below. Milch doesn’t just show off their brilliant retro aesthetic and great coffee, they also feature their favourite canine regulars. I am ALL ABOUT the dog/coffee/retro account)
Milch, Ditmar-Koel Straße 22
Café Brooks
This one is slightly out of the centre of Hamburg, but the peaceful street in Hasselbrook is a great place to sit and watch the world go by. Not only is the coffee at Café Brooks delicious, but the food’s great too. This is a great Hamburg coffee and brunch situation, if ever there was one.
Café Brooks, Hasselbrook Straße 37
Speicherstadt Kaffeerösterei, i.e. the official Hamburg coffee roastery
Technically guys, this is actually a very small coffee museum, would you believe it!? You absolutely cannot visit Hamburg without visiting the Hamburg coffee roasters, housed in the ground floor of an old red-brick warehouse.
I knew this place existed but didn’t visit until I began rehearsing upstairs. Next thing you know I was in here daily, drinking every variety of coffee possible.
At the Kaffeerösterei you can go extremely in-depth and pick your exact bean and coffee strength. And not only that, but you can see the coffee being ground in ginormous vats right next to you. Food is available as well, including an extensive selection of cakes, and you can buy as many bags of freshly ground coffee as you need from the attached shop.
Speicherstadt Kaffeeösterei, Kehrwieder 5 (next to Miniatur Wunderland)
And a final word of warning for newbies to the Hamburg coffee scene: bring cash! Most of these establishments (and in fact, most Hamburg coffee establishment, full stop), operate on a cash-only policy.
Danke.
Don’t miss out on more quirky locations with a healthy dose of coffee-to-go…
Visiting Hamburg in February on a cruise and hoping to visit at least one of these; although port day is A Sunday so not sure how much I’ll find open?
Ahh yes Sunday isn’t the best day to be visiting Hamburg as a lot of places are closed…however a few of these should be open (particularly the places which offer brunch/breakfast.) I’ve definitely visited Cafe May on a Sunday for example!