Hamburg’s coffee scene is filled with an impressive number of coffee shops serving specialty coffees. Read on to discover our favorite Hamburg cafes in Germany’s most caffeinated city.
Did you know that Hamburg is one of the most progressive cities in the world when it comes to third wave coffee? don’t feel bad if your answer is no. We didn’t know either until we experienced the quality of Hamburg’s coffee shops for ourselves.
Reading: Hamburg coffee shops
when we think about the city’s role in the global coffee trade, hamburg’s coffee obsession makes sense. Hamburg is the largest port city in Germany and the third largest in all of Europe. In this capacity, large quantities of coffee from countries such as Brazil, Colombia, and Kenya arrive throughout the year before leaving for EU countries, including Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, as well as the UK.
With much of this coffee processed in the city’s Speicherstadt warehouse district, Hamburg has access to excellent beans. In other words, this is a city where coffee is ubiquitous from roasters that produce some of the best beans in Europe, if not the world.
see fun things to do in hamburg when you’re not drinking coffee.
the history of hamburg coffee
Hamburg’s coffee history dates back to the 17th century, when the city opened its first coffee shop. years later, with the start of its initial coffee exchange in 1887, the German port city became a leading coffee player and one of the world’s leading green coffee trading centers.
hamburg also played a part in the history of coffee with the rise of companies such as darboven and tchibo in the mid-20th century. Today, the port of Hamburg imports approximately 700,000 tons of coffee each year and exports 400,000 to countries in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
pro tipvisit kaffeemuseum burg to learn more about the history of coffee and its connection to hamburg. Located in a harborside warehouse in the Speicherstadt district, this coffee-focused museum features exhibits that delve into the history of coffee, as well as a roastery, gift shop, and café. As a bonus, the museum entrance fee includes a guided tour and a tasting.
the current coffee culture of hamburg
Hamburg, rivaling Berlin’s modern East German coffee behemoth, has become a third wave coffee hub with specialty coffee shops all over the city. the city may have been late to the party, but it has caught up quickly.
for those unfamiliar with the third wave coffee movement, its disciples (including us) favor artisanal preparation of lighter roasted coffee using single origin beans from sustainable farms primarily in south america, africa and asia. Many believe the movement started in American cities like Seattle and Portland before moving to the next level in cities like Melbourne and Cape Town.
the best coffees in hamburg
You don’t have to look far to find a good coffee in Hamburg. The city has a plethora of third-wave coffee shops, many of which offer free Wi-Fi and delicious treats, as well as cappuccinos and flat whites. Its coffee culture compares favorably with European coffee-centric cities like Amsterdam, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, and Paris.
Some of Hamburg’s best cafes also serve brunch, allowing travelers to mash two potatoes with a fork. the city also has a thriving craft beer scene and an impressive number of great restaurants.
True modern coffee lovers will want to skip chains like Starbucks and Balzac (a local operation acquired by Espresso House in 2017) and patronize independent cafes in Hamburg instead. when you are thirsty for a good coffee in hamburg, we recommend the following places:
courtyard cafe
It’s all fun and games at the patio cafe, except when it comes to drinks. Despite its quirky name and colorful decor, the playground is serious about coffee. Without a doubt, this Hamburg cafe is a must-see destination for followers of the third wave coffee movement.
First-time visitors may be wary when they notice toys as they walk through the front door of the playground. the key is to look beyond the miniature trucks, the classic screen to record a sketch, and the hanging plants to see the café in action.
make coffee roasters
Formerly known as less political and more recently airtight, Manufact is a trendy but staid Hamburg cafe on the Schanze near Feldßtrasse. the coffee shop kept the funk and its commitment to coffee excellence when it changed ownership in 2020.
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We couldn’t help but notice that funk as we walked past the griffiti-covered brick walls to enter the cafe during our most recent visit. We also couldn’t help but do a double take once we realized the manufacturer had replaced the airtight one because we thought we were going to a coffee shop new to us.
Initially sad as hermetic was one of our favorite hamburg coffee shops, our frown quickly turned upside down once we drank our coffees. That’s when we realized that despite the new owners, this cafe was just as good as before and maybe even better.
We liked our coffees so much that we bought a bag of beans to take home. while manufact roasts its own beans and also sells beans sourced from sweden drop coffee, we purchased a bag of fruity colombian beans roasted by hermetic. yes, we are nothing more than creatures of habit who love good coffee.
public coffee roasters
public coffee roasters address the age-old question of what would jesus brew, not to mention the drink. if you lived in 21st century hamburg, the answer would obviously be coffee.
In addition to answering this question, the public café blurs the lines between café and art. patrons first experience the art as they walk into elegant cafes and then taste it in cafes adorned with latte art.
the public cafe has several locations in hamburg, including the goldbekplatz cafe that we visited. Housed in a converted metal foundry, the stylish space has an airy vibe that invites guests to relax over coffee or lunch.
We watched an eclectic group of coffee fanatics over cappuccinos made with a medium blend of Brazilian, Guatemalan and Ethiopian beans. although the coffee encourages sipping, we didn’t hear any during our visit.
the public coffee team focuses on all aspects of the process, starting with sourcing high-quality beans from sustainable coffee farms around the world. this care continues in the burger roasting facility, as well as in the cafes where baristas proudly serve the end result.
marshall street cafe
It all made sense to us when we met Tristan Garrett, one of the owners of Marshall Street Coffee. Not only did he grow up in Sydney, but Garrett also made coffee rounds in Hamburg at places like Public Coffee and Tōrnqvist (now closed) before opening Marshall Street Coffee in February 2020.
We enjoyed our flat whites made with naturally roasted Ethiopian beans so much that we bought a bag of beans for the road. on our way home we were so sad when we finished that bag that we considered ordering more beans to send to portugal. It hasn’t happened yet, but it could.
elbgold röstkaffee
Roasting and selling specialty coffee since 2004, elbgold röstkaffee can easily reclaim its seniority on the hamburg cafe scene. however, this elder statesman is not resting on his laurels when it comes to the coffee business.
the elbgold operation now has six cafes, including the original cafe in the winterhude neighborhood, a bustling cafe in sternschanze, and a specialty lab near rathausmarkt. The roastery also has a successful retail operation, selling roasted beans to customers locally and throughout Germany.
We recommend a stop at the sternschanze, as this is where much of the elbgold magic happens. Talented Hamburg coffee roasters like Sebastian Kohrs transform sustainably sourced Arabica beans here. Also worth mentioning is the on-site bakery that uses local ingredients to create cheesecake, bagels, and other treats.
north coast coffee roasters
It’s no surprise from its name that North Coast coffee roasters roast their own beans and sell them in their cafes. we bought a bag of Guatemalan beans during our 2019 visit, but passed on during our 2022 visit because our flat whites didn’t have the same wow factor.
The surprise at North Coast coffee roasters is the quality of their food. we love the cafe’s franzbrötchen cakes as well as their brunch menu. if we lived in hamburg, we would be happy to eat waffles topped with lime mascarpone and fresh fruit any day of the week.
white coffee
After opening in August 2019, the white cafe caused quite a stir in its small space located on Lange Reihe. how big? big enough to open a second schanze location just two years later.
While the cafe has the word “cafe” in its name, some people go to the white cafe for their desserts. during our visit, the cafe served seven tempting cakes, five of which were marked vegan. a multi-colored vegan rhubarb cake was what tempted us the most, go figure.
As for us, we went to café blanco for coffees made from locally sourced beans roasted by cycle roasters. We were not disappointed with the quality of our flat whites or the art behind their hearts.
See also: Best Coffee Grinder of 2022
Beyond coffee and pastries, the café sells a variety of equipment including the same modern Moccamaster coffee machines found at the Lisbon Coffee Festival. the cafe also sells beans from countries like brazil, colombia, guatemala and ethiopia.
black delight
the name black delight appealed to us so much that we took a subway to the eimsbüttel district of hamburg to see the cafe for ourselves. what we found was a nice indoor/outdoor cafe serving great coffee away from the touristy area.
In addition to trying a cappuccino, we also ordered a cup of filtered coffee. As we watched a splash of fresh milk splash over freshly brewed coffee, we knew our short drive was worth the extra effort.
The team at Black Delight has been “Respecting Coffee” since 2008. This respect is evident in the coffee shop’s locally roasted beans, as well as the resulting coffee. It would be a mistake not to show them respect when you visit Hamburg.
elbows
Recommended by a local, elbows is the kind of hamburg cafe that’s bustling with activity but goes unnoticed. At least that’s how it seemed to us the few times we stopped by the downtown cafe to enjoy drinks like macchiatos, cappuccinos, and filtered coffee.
The coffee shop serves a wide variety of espresso and brewed coffee beverages, as well as teas and tempting baked goods. Elbows originally also served frozen yogurt, but the owners have since fine-tuned their offerings to focus on the main event, which is the coffee.
Although Elbows sells its own beans, the progressive cafe also sells beans from a variety of burger joints in a “show of community support.” Whichever bean you order, plan to stand while you sip your coffee or take it with you to enjoy on the go—seating is sparse at the elbows.
stockholm espresso club
stockholm espresso club offers a swedish coffee drinking experience from imported coffee beans from stockholm’s koppi roasters to design elements with clean lines and soothing tones. this hamburg cafe takes the concept even further by serving sweets like kanelbuallar cinnamon cakes, ideal for fika, the traditional Swedish coffee break shared among friends.
the scandinavian theme begins with the owner david vahabi, who hails from sweden. he has infused his hamburg café with lagom or the right amount of details like free wi-fi and ample seating to ensure a balance between comfort and quality. If you close your eyes, you can think that you are drinking coffee in Helsinki or Turku.
Although skilled baristas have access to modern coffee equipment, such as Hario V60 drippers, we were drawn to the Bosco lever espresso machine imported from Naples. We love sipping expertly crafted espressos in the cafes of Naples, but we also love sipping third wave coffee in comfort. at the stockholm espresso club, we can do both at the same time
milk
In a neighborhood more famous for Portuguese food than specialty coffee, finding milch is like finding a needle in a haystack. however, don’t think that milk is a hidden gem. Housed in a former dairy and deli, this Hamburg cafe has been popular with locals and tourists alike since it opened in 2014.
milch, which translates to milk, retains much of the charm of the building’s previous business. the most notable feature is the pale blue mosaic where we chose to photograph our cappuccino.
copenhagen coffee lab
we were stopped in our tracks when we stumbled upon a copenhagen coffee lab in hamburg. after all, we live around the corner from a copenhagen coffee lab in lisbon and we also love everything that comes out of the coffee-loving Danish city.
That copenhagen coffee lab was not the last we saw during our hamburg coffee tour. The specialty coffee company arrived in Hamburg in 2019 and now has more than half a dozen locations across the city. The coffee conglomerate also operates coffee shops in more German cities, including Düsseldorf and Essen.
torrefaktum kaffeerösterei
torrefaktum has been a neighborhood fixture since it opened in 2013. cafe ottensen sells a variety of coffee drinks and pastries, as well as fun t-shirts that made us smile. just like the slogan on the t-shirts, we too feel depressed on days without coffee.
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original publication date: March 15, 2019
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