This is Part 2 of my ‘Walking guide to specialty coffee in Neukoelln’. Or shall I better say Neukoelln plus Kreuzkoelln?
The thing is, two of the coffee places I feature in this walking guide aren’t actually in Neukoelln anymore, but in the neighborhood district, which is Kreuzberg, just across the Landwehrkanal. But, Berliners just call it Kreuzkoelln, so I’m gonna follow that in this guide, too.
This guide covers Camon Coffee, Maison Han, Populus Coffee, Concierge Coffee and Kaffeebar Berlin.
If you’re wondering, what coffee places are featured in Part 1 of my walking guide to specialty coffee in Neukoelln, read this blog article right here.
If you’re new to my style of coffee guides, know that I’m not only introducing those coffee places to you, but also great places to eat, have some delicious ice cream or things to explore such as farmer’s markets, parks, street art & culture as well as a rooftop bar as with this guide right here.
Decide, if you wanna start your day with a breakfast at one of these coffee places before reading on!
If you do, do this tour to specialty coffee in Neukoelln Part 2 the other way round and start with Kaffeebar Berlin, which is actually the last stop on my tour here. They’re the ones offering a small breakfast menu. If you’ve already had breakfast or are fine with a sweet or savory treat along with your coffee, follow my suggestions and start with Camon Coffee.
Let’s get started…
Let’s start our walking tour at subway station Hermannplatz. This subway station is right next to the huge park and recreational space Volkspark Hasenheide. From there take the short walk along Sonnenallee towards Camon Coffee.
Camon Coffee
Camon is one of the newer specialty coffee places in Berlin. Located just on famous Sonnenallee (you know the German movie, right?) in Berlin district Neukoelln it offers coffee from multiple coffee roasters from across Germany, like Man vs. Machine of Munich and Ernst of Cologne as well as their own Camon coffee blend.
As with every coffee shop I’m heading to, I usually am trying something new and a bit different. Something that might be not on the menu of other coffee places around.
At Camon I went for Coco Moon, an iced coffee cocktail with cold brewed coffee of Good Spirits Berlin and coconut water, the first time I’ve visited them. Interesting, but delicious combo. The second time just recently I tried their Iced Latte with homemade lavender syrup and honey. Sweet and refreshing at the same time.
Camon Coffee gets their cakes from Kaffeebar Berlin (also featured in this guide). Their sandwiches are made with sourdough bread from Albatross Berlin.
I really like the atmosphere at Camon Coffee, it always reminds me a little bit of the coffee places I visited in the US in summer 2016, especially with the white tiles on the wall that also function as their coffee menu.
Stepping outside of Camon Coffee, taking a left on Pannierstrasse you’ll reach Maison Han in not even 10 minutes. Not counting in, if you’re stopping by at Men Men, a Japanese Ramen & Gyoza place along the way, though. But, be patient, dear café hopper, Maison Han is offering food as well! ;-)
Maison Han
Oh my god, the owner(s) of Maison Han (and Han Coffee Roasters) are just badasses. Hong and Duc are entrepreneurs of a different kind!
Hong is the owner of Quà Phe and Banh Mi Stable, both offering Vietnamese cuisine in Berlin. Duc is the owner of Maison and Han Coffee Roasters (started in 2015) as well as Royals & Rice in Mitte (and another two in Muenster and Oldenburg in Western Germany).
I met the couple about 3 years ago, when we were attending German Barista Camp together in August 2014. To add this here, this event was THE event for my later coffee career. Many people of my broad specialty coffee network I met during Barista Camp for the first time.
Maison Han is a brunch place and a specialty café with a Vietnamese twist. You can try traditional Vietnamese style Qua Phe Sua Da, strong black coffee with sweetened condensed milk. If you’ve never tried it, have one here. If you’re visiting this place, make sure to try their Matcha Crepe cake, if it’s still available. It usually is gone pretty quick.
Leaving Maison Han, follow Pannierstrasse all the way to the riverside of Landwehrkanal. If you’re doing your tour on a Sunday, you might be lucky to stroll through Nowkoelln Flowmarkt, a fleamarket offering second hand stuff as well as art, music and handmade items during spring & summer season.
Your next coffee spot on this tour to specialty coffee in Neukoelln Part 2 is Populus Coffee on your left hand side walking along Maybachufer.
Populus Coffee
This place is also one of the newer specialty cafes in Berlin. Located at Maybachufer in Neukoelln and owned by Finnish people.
They now roast their own coffee on a roaster in the back of the cafe, Scandinavian style, light roasted. The interior design is very Scandinavian indeed, clean and focused on what matters most in a cafe, the coffee and the food. They’re serving great sweet & savory treats at Populus such as waffles, pancakes, poached eggs and fresh sourdough bread as well.
I’ve been there twice and had a green tea from Companion Coffee as well as an Iced Flat White, which really was very good. Strong and refreshing at the same time.
If you’re touring Berlin for specialty coffee more often, you’ll notice that every place has to offer something unique, be it their interior, their menu (items) or their playlist. I really like the playlist at Populus Coffee! When I went there, they had some great Indie-Rock music going on. Love me some Rock! ;-)
Oh, and if you’re doing the coffee tour on your own, Populus Coffee has some very interesting mags and books available to read, also coffee related.
Even, if you’re not really craving something sweet during that moment on the tour, you have to, and I repeat, you HAVE to stop by at Brammibal’s Donuts, it’s a vegan café, specializing on Donuts! Take one with you and enjoy later, at the very least!
Oh, and you can tell that Populus Coffee and Brammibal’s Donuts like each other very much, the Donut cafe is serving coffee roasted by Populus and in return you can try-taste vappu munkki right before May Day, a Finnish version of the sweet treat.
If you’re doing this tour to specialty coffee in Neukoelln Part 2 on a Tuesday or Friday between 11am and 6:30pm, make sure to not miss the color- and flavorful farmers market just outside Populus Coffee and Brammibal’s Donuts.
It’s not only offering the usual veggies & fruits as well as baked goods, but also all sorts of fabrics, oriental food and drinks and extraordinary items such as a sugarcane lemonade.
The market ends with Maybachufer crossing Kottbusser Damm. Cross the bridge here and take a right onto Paul-Linke-Ufer. And now, we’re actually not in Neukoelln anymore, but in Kreuzberg or using the new Kiez-term Kreuzkoelln, since it’s right at the ‘border’ between both districts.
Concierge Coffee
This coffee place is actually famous because of two things, the location and it’s cute little coffee window and the people working behind the bar, especially the male baristas. Almost all of them wear a mustache, which is pretty sexy in combination with coffee and this place, at least that’s what I’m thinking… ;-)
Concierge Coffee is roasting its own coffee on a San Franciscan Roaster from the US. If you’re curious like me, ask for the rest rooms!
Concierge is sharing their restrooms with the Italian restaurant Zola in the back of the building. Walking into the restaurant and heading towards the restrooms, you’ll stumble over the San Franciscan beauty.
If you’re looking for filter coffee on their menu, they don’t have it on their menu (you can ask for it, though and you can purchase their filter coffee bags for home brewing).
They’re mainly focusing on espresso-based drinks and that’s what I usually order, when heading there, a cappuccino. This place reminds me a little bit of the cafes in Italy: simple, easy going, but delicious.
If you’re hungry, stop by at Cocolo Ramen xberg for some authentic Japanese Ramen in between all the coffee and sweets. It’s just outside of Concierge Coffee.
Ice Cream anyone?
It’s time for some ice cream, isn’t it? And, you actually can choose between two Italian style ice cream parlors that cross your path towards the last stop on this tour, Kaffeebar Berlin:
Anna Durkes, which is close to Kaffeebar Berlin on Graefestrasse, and Gelateria Tosoni which is located on Planufer, when crossing Kottbusser Damm.
I’ve tried both of their ice cream, both are delicious with Gelateria Tosoni being more of the traditional style and Anna Durkes with offering more modern ice cream choices such as a super refreshing blood orange ice cream.
Kaffeebar Berlin
Right on Graefestrasse lies Kaffeebar Berlin. This coffee shop serves coffee from Berlin based coffee roaster Fjord Coffee with a special Kaffeebar Berlin house blend.
They also offer many vegan food options, Buddha bowls, quiches, soups and homemade cakes, some are also gluten free. As mentioned in the introduction to this walking guide for specialty coffee in Neukoelln Part 2, Kaffeebar Berlin has a small breakfast menu, too. So, if you wanna start your day with a breakfast, they have some for you.
I really love the smell of the lilies! They always have a fresh large bouquet in their huge front window. I also love the turquoise details within the café interior like the tiles on the counter as well as the (metal) chairs that are mixed in between the other wooden ones.
Some small addition to this place and this is actually a wonderful example of how closely connected the Berlin coffee community is:
I’ve attended a 3-course dinner Kaffeebar Berlin held together with Isla Coffee in spring 2017. For this dinner they used ingredients that had been either recycled or re-used or would’ve been dumped otherwise. Amazing as well as delicious approach in my eyes!
If you wanna read more about Isla Coffee, read this article Walking guide to specialty coffee in Neukoelln Part 1.
After the last tour stop on this walking guide to specialty coffee in Neukoelln Part 2, you can decide what you’re up to after 5 coffee places, taking a stroll through Volkspark Hasenheide, which is only 10-15 min on foot from Kaffeebar Berlin, stop by at Macha Macha, for some Japanese tea and sweets right at Hasenheide street, when walking all the way down Graefestrasse and then taking a left onto Hasenheide.
Or you could add another 10 min walking towards Klunkerkranich, a rooftop bar at the corner of Flughafenstrasse and Karl-Marx-Strasse. They show movies as well as host dance nights and Live music performances. Perfect for a summer evening to finish another caffeinated day in Berlin. :-)
What about Part 1, you’re asking?
Head over here to read about 5 more specialty coffee places in my ‘Walking Guide to specialty coffee in Neukoelln Part 1’!