Too early in the day to drink wine for some, too late to sip coffee for others? At Mamá Café Bar, you don’t have to choose one or the other because here, you get the best of both worlds. Since September 2023, Ana has established the ideal ‘all-day hangout spot’ with a café-wine bar. Located between Rudolfkiez and Victoriastadt, you can enjoy breakfast, brunch and aperitivo with Mediterranean influences. Symple provides the specialty coffee beans. Nico, co-founder of the Berlin coffee roastery, is not only Ana’s business partner but also her life partner. Together, they have been involved in the Berlin coffee scene for over ten years — including Milch Halle in Auguststraße and the new Symple Café in Prenzlauer Berg. But let’s get back to Mamá. In addition to the almost-in-house coffee beans, there is a large selection of homemade baked goods that you can order at the counter. Also available are breakfast classics à la carte, such as the fresh sourdough bread from Neumanns with butter, soft-boiled eggs, and cheese from Markthalle Neun. For aperitivo, Ana offers a colorful selection of natural wines that pair perfectly with the small Mediterranean dishes on offer.
Olives marinated in-house, thinly sliced Iberico on warm sourdough, burrata with anchovies, and the cheese platter, are a must. The plates are perfect for sharing, allowing your group to taste their way through the whole menu. A long wooden table at the back of the room provides plenty of space, from which you can get a small glimpse of the kitchen if you’re lucky. As the days grow longer and the temperatures rise, the tall French windows at Mamá will open, allowing you to enjoy your aperitivo both outside and inside accompanied by a fresh spring breeze. And this Friday (08.03.2024), Ana and Nico invite you to International Women’s Day, for which they’ve put together a fine selection of wines from talented winemakers. Fresh flowers will be in abundance, but we won’t reveal any more… The best thing to do is to drop by yourself and raise a glass with friends.
Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen
Mamá Café Bar, Lenbachstr.7, 10245 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
@mama.cafebar
What originally began as a search for a workshop and production kitchen became Open House in November 2023, nestled in the Winsviertel district. John Darcy, founder of Sincerely Coffee and astrophysicist, sits down with us on a sunny Friday morning to tell us the story of how the affectionately titled ‘community hub’ came to be. Anyone entering Open House for the first time might feel like they’re in Copenhagen: sourdough bread with whipped butter, cheese from Alte Milch, and, depending on your preference, a poached or boiled egg — a classic Danish breakfast. And then there are the slightly heartier options, such as Aussie-style pies from Nice Pies. I particularly like the vegan version with mushrooms in truffle ragout. For those with a morning sweet tooth, the Head of Kitchen, aka Jon Cox, offers homemade granola with almonds, walnuts, and honey, served with yogurt from the Brodowin eco-village and seasonal fruit. Not to mention various baked goods from Albatross (where they also source their bread): double-baked almond croissants, pain au chocolate, and one of my favorites, the Breton butter cake called Kouign-amann.
The floor and round tables are oxblood red, contrasting with warm wood-tone chairs that complement the ceiling. An open kitchen counter made of stainless steel forms the centerpiece and metal shelves stocked with products from Berlin completes the room. (The founding team consists of a total of four parties. Including familiar faces, such as Lucien from Café Luc.) The café also has a production kitchen in the basement, which is used by nut butter producer Twisted Nut, among others. These are available to buy on-site, as are other local brands such as Matchasome and Companion Tea. Of course, a café would be nothing without good coffee and this is where John Darcy comes into play with Sincerely Coffee: the chocolatey, nutty Brazil roast is used for the espresso, while the filter coffee beans vary daily. For those who can’t resist coffee’s deliciousness but are staying away from caffeine, there’s the caramel-lemon Columbia Decaf. When asked what else we can expect in the future, John smiles. A bottle shop is in the works, which will mean extended opening hours so punters can sit together in the evening with a bottle of wine and round off the day. We have our fingers crossed there’ll be outdoor seating too, because Spring is just around the corner and there’s nothing Berliners enjoy more than soaking up the sunshine.
Text: Sophie Doering / Photos: Savannah van der Niet
Open House, Christburger Str.13, 10405 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Mon–Sat 8–18h. Working on your laptop is possible.
@openhouse.berlin
Luuv, a newcomer to the café scene in 2024, has quickly garnered Berlin’s attention thanks to the passionate efforts of its founders: Mia, her husband Hoai and his brother Minh. Their dedication to creating a unique Japandi-style café experience is clear from the moment you step inside. With its bright, minimalist decor and inviting atmosphere, Luuv strikes the perfect balance between Japanese and Scandinavian influences. What sets Luuv apart isn’t just its aesthetic appeal, but its commitment to being a family-run business. The name “Luuv” itself is a clever play on words, combining the trio’s surname “Luu” with “Love”, signifying their deep affection for what they do. Hoai’s palpable passion for the café is infectious, and it’s clear that every aspect of Luuv has been thoughtfully curated.
While originally designed to be a drinks-focused café, Luuv has become synonymous with its soufflé pancakes (which are deliciously fluffy, thanks to Mia’s baking expertise). These pancakes, available in five different varieties, have become a sensation, drawing crowds from far and wide. But the delights don’t end there. Luuv offers an array of innovative coffee creations, including Vietnamese classics like Coconut Coffee and Salted Cream Coffee, as well as unique concoctions like Earl Grey Coffee and Matcha Coffee. One standout is the Earl Grey Boba Pancake, which combines fluffy pancakes with Earl Grey whipped cream and tapioca pearls, creating a delightful symphony of flavors and textures. In addition to its delectable offerings, Luuv takes pride in collaborating with local companies, sourcing its coffee beans from Roststätte Berlin and its croissants from Cookies & Co. Their commitment to supporting the local community adds another layer of charm to the Luuv experience. For those seeking a café visit that engages all five senses, Luuv is the perfect destination. From its mouthwatering treats to its cozy ambiance, Luuv promises an unforgettable experience for coffee lovers and foodies alike. As the saying goes, once you visit Luuv, you’ll be smitten with “luuv.”
Text & Photos: Luna Schaffron
Luuv, Dunckerstr.72, 10437 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Tues–Fri 8–18h, Sat & Sun 9–18h
@luuv.cafe
This coffee brand hardly needs an introduction, but for those of you who are new to Berlin, introducing: The Barn. Founded in 2010 by Ralf Rueller, the coffee company has been one of the most successful on the Berlin scene from the very beginning and has played a key role in ensuring specialty coffee has been on everyone’s lips for many years (in the truest sense of the word). The Barn has certainly helped shape my taste for coffee. Their focus is on the typical light roast from Probat’s custom-made drum roaster and enjoying coffee in single-origin form. With what is now their eleventh café in Berlin, the team has revived a meeting point in a vibrant neighborhood, next to the gourmet restaurant Nobelhart & Schmutzig. Located at the southern end of Friedrichstrasse, The Barn adds energy to the corner. Recently, there have been many new developments in the triangle between Checkpoint Charlie, Mehringplatz, and the Jewish Museum — from Michelin-starred restaurants to brunch spots — so it’s all the better that The Barn is now also doing its bit to make this area more attractive.
At Checkpoint Charlie, the well-known coffee specialties are prepared on 160 square meters — as always at The Barn to the point. This means that coffee is put into the cup exactly according to the recipe. The result tastes exactly like The Barn! There are also sweet classics such as chocolate almond cake and savory snacks such as toasted panini for those after a quick lunch. But of course, that’s just the practical and tasty part for us. The best thing about The Barn is that with every espresso, flat white or hand-brewed coffee, you make the coffee supply chain a little more sustainable and fair. After all, prices paid on the world market for raw materials and good growing conditions are unfortunately still not standard. The Barn has set itself the goal of remunerating farmers highly for high quality, and that means not only covering their costs but also enabling investment in the farm and the community. They also help to increase knowledge of cultivation methods and ensure the promotion of specific measures — such as wastewater filtration at Ivan dos Santos in the Brazil growing region. Here’s to a cappuccino.
And if you want to celebrate the new location together, then come along on 15.02.2024 from 17–21h. There’ll be cocktails from the Freimeister Kollektiv, DJs, and of course, coffee waiting for you!
Text: Maria Mayer / Fotos: The Barn
The Barn, Friedrichstr.215, 10969 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Mon–Fri 8–18h, Sat & Sun 10–18h. Opening 15.02.2024 from 17–21h
@thebarnberlin
In the mood to talk about New Year’s resolutions? I guess not, huh? Let’s talk cake instead! How about making the motto for 2024: celebrating occasions as they come. This year, Epiphany falls on a Saturday – perfect for inviting friends over for the first time in the new year. Appropriately, more and more Berlin bakeries and patisseries are embracing the tradition of the Kings’ Cake. The French version of the round puff pastry cake, called Galettes de Rois, can be found at three of our favorite places for baked goods and pastries: Gorilla, Le Brot, and, of course, Marc Patisserie. Personally, I don’t have a connection to the tradition itself and see it as a small culinary and playful highlight, detached from religious matters. Finding the figurine baked into the dough is always fun. But even if you don’t end up with the little figure on your plate, you can still feel like royalty because what’s better than having friends to share a cake with?
Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Savannah van der Niet for Gorilla Bäckerei, Le Brot, Marc Patisserie
Gorilla Bäckerei, Hermannstr.211, 12049 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Daily 8–18h.
The Rois de Galette with frangipane filling will be available from 05.01.-06.01. from 11h in both branches or pre-order it on the website.
Le Brot, Fuldastr.54, 12043 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Mon–Fri 7h30–18h, Sat 8–16h & Sun 8–14h.
There are three sizes – see Instagram for details and pre-order the cake by email.
Marc Patisserie, Reuterstr.53, 12047 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Wed–Sat 12–18h, Sun 11–18h.
Orders for Rois de Galettes until 05.01.2024; see Instagram for details on flavors and sizes and order via email.
@gorilla_baeckerei
@lebrotberlin
@marc.patisserie