On a recent visit to Berlin and wandering through the city to see as many historic sights as we could on a cold, rainy day, we had just made it to Potsdamer Place and I was in desperate need of a good cuppa.
Thankfully we found one, at The Coffee Company, located just outside the shopping mall, opposite the Sony Centre. It was a very cosy cafe, with a good selection of coffees and cakes - and the regular cafe latte was as good as any I've had in Germany.
Hot, creamy and not too weak. My only regret was not having two as they were closing by the time we'd finished our first cups....
The Coffee Company - a good coffee indeed!
Rating
Atmosphere 4/5
Coffee 4/5
Milk 4/5
Overall 4/5
Dec 11, 2010
Nov 21, 2010
Is Maccy D's really the best there is...?
On an outing today around the outskirts of Stuttgart, we were on our way to the cinema after a good long walk in a quite chilly forest, when we decided to detour into McDonalds for a coffee break. Now in any other country, I probably wouldn't consider going to Maccers for a coffee, not even those with a snazzy McCafe, however, when one has such trouble sourcing a cafe on the weekends that isn't a) jam packed with people trying to find somewhere warm to escape the cold weather and their own houses, and b) is relatively quick with regards to service, McDonalds seems to be a reasonable choice.
And infact this time round, I have to admit it was the right choice as the coffee was the good! Reflecting on this, I realise how pitifully sad it may be that McDonalds offers one of the best coffees in Germany, but I really must give praise where praise is due,and yes - the coffee was good!
I quickly decided on a 'tall' cappuccino and was pleasantly surprised - it was just the right temperature - quite hot but not enough to make the coffee bitter, the milk was frothed to a nice creamy foam and the coffee was NOT bitter - hurrah for McCafe in Germany! While I'm almost embarrassed for Germany to admit it - it really was the best cup of coffee I've had to date here...
So if you're looking for a good coffee whilst here in Deutschland on a holiday, or just settling in and trying to get some insider tips - take yourself into Maccers pronto and order a cappuccino.
I'm lovin' it!
Rating
Atmosphere 3/5
Coffee bean 4/5
Milk 4.5/5
Overall Rating 4/5
And infact this time round, I have to admit it was the right choice as the coffee was the good! Reflecting on this, I realise how pitifully sad it may be that McDonalds offers one of the best coffees in Germany, but I really must give praise where praise is due,and yes - the coffee was good!
I quickly decided on a 'tall' cappuccino and was pleasantly surprised - it was just the right temperature - quite hot but not enough to make the coffee bitter, the milk was frothed to a nice creamy foam and the coffee was NOT bitter - hurrah for McCafe in Germany! While I'm almost embarrassed for Germany to admit it - it really was the best cup of coffee I've had to date here...
So if you're looking for a good coffee whilst here in Deutschland on a holiday, or just settling in and trying to get some insider tips - take yourself into Maccers pronto and order a cappuccino.
I'm lovin' it!
Rating
Atmosphere 3/5
Coffee bean 4/5
Milk 4.5/5
Overall Rating 4/5
Nov 19, 2010
Grand Cafe Planie, Stuttgart
On Thursday I headed into Stuttgart to meet a friend for coffee, and I was pretty excited as she is local and I was relatively certain she would know where to find a good coffee in the heart of the city, Konigstrasse.
She did have a place in mind, unfortunately they permitted smoking inside and with a 6 month old child in tow this is never a good idea. We switched to Plan B and after a short walk off the main shopping strip, we walked past the schloss garten and down to Grand Cafe Planie.
From the moment you walk in the door, it's like you've been transported back to another era, perhaps the 50's or 60's. There are huge murals on the walls, depicting what I interpret as Old Parisian style. The decor is red and beige with booths all along the walls, and a special 'lovers' booth with lots of red heart shaped cushions and a curtain that can be pulled shut. We of course did not take this booth!
The waiter was dressed in a crisp white shirt, black suit pants and a very smart black waistcoat. His hair was slicked back and he looked every bit like an elegant 50's waiter. After perusing the drinks menu, more than 20 pages, we decided on the Cafe au Lait Planie Grande.
When you enter the cafe, there is an enormous selection of magnificent looking cakes, and I simply couldn't resist ordering a slice. I carefully, after much consideration, selected a raspberry cheesecake, and the slice I received was actually almost an entire cake in itself - it was huge!
The coffee and cake arrived at the same time and I was beginning to become a little taken by our waiter. He cooed at (and with) the baby, was friendly and managed to bring our order promptly and altogether.
This is the first time I have experienced this kind of cafe au lait - the coffee was served in a small jug, the frothed milk in another jug and you poured the two elements into your own large cup. I like the idea of this, as you can add as much milk and coffee as you please to suit your own tastes, however in this case, the coffee was weak and watery and no matter how little milk I added, it just tasted like watered down coffee. This was a huge disappointment as when served, it looked marvellous. Aside from the weakness of the coffee, neither the coffee nor the milk were hot enough, so not only was it weak, it was also lukewarm.
The cake on the other hand, was splendid! It took me most of the morning to finish it, but the bottom third of the cake - the cheesecake - was creamy and flavoursome, and the top two thirds were raspberries set in gelatine and also full of flavour. Sprinkled on top was some icing (powder) sugar and almond slivers - delicious!
It has to be said that while the coffee was mediocre, at best, the cake and the atmosphere in this cafe were great. The murals were interesting to see, the waiter was charming and the cakes are as you would expect in Germany - extravagent, sweet and delicious.
Rating
Atmosphere 4.5/5
Coffee bean 2.5/5
Milk 3.5/5
Overall Rating 3.5/5
She did have a place in mind, unfortunately they permitted smoking inside and with a 6 month old child in tow this is never a good idea. We switched to Plan B and after a short walk off the main shopping strip, we walked past the schloss garten and down to Grand Cafe Planie.
The waiter was dressed in a crisp white shirt, black suit pants and a very smart black waistcoat. His hair was slicked back and he looked every bit like an elegant 50's waiter. After perusing the drinks menu, more than 20 pages, we decided on the Cafe au Lait Planie Grande.
When you enter the cafe, there is an enormous selection of magnificent looking cakes, and I simply couldn't resist ordering a slice. I carefully, after much consideration, selected a raspberry cheesecake, and the slice I received was actually almost an entire cake in itself - it was huge!The coffee and cake arrived at the same time and I was beginning to become a little taken by our waiter. He cooed at (and with) the baby, was friendly and managed to bring our order promptly and altogether.
This is the first time I have experienced this kind of cafe au lait - the coffee was served in a small jug, the frothed milk in another jug and you poured the two elements into your own large cup. I like the idea of this, as you can add as much milk and coffee as you please to suit your own tastes, however in this case, the coffee was weak and watery and no matter how little milk I added, it just tasted like watered down coffee. This was a huge disappointment as when served, it looked marvellous. Aside from the weakness of the coffee, neither the coffee nor the milk were hot enough, so not only was it weak, it was also lukewarm.
The cake on the other hand, was splendid! It took me most of the morning to finish it, but the bottom third of the cake - the cheesecake - was creamy and flavoursome, and the top two thirds were raspberries set in gelatine and also full of flavour. Sprinkled on top was some icing (powder) sugar and almond slivers - delicious!
It has to be said that while the coffee was mediocre, at best, the cake and the atmosphere in this cafe were great. The murals were interesting to see, the waiter was charming and the cakes are as you would expect in Germany - extravagent, sweet and delicious.
Rating
Atmosphere 4.5/5
Coffee bean 2.5/5
Milk 3.5/5
Overall Rating 3.5/5
Nov 15, 2010
Emporio Bar, Ludwigsburg
On a miserable, cold and rainy day one of the best activities one can do, aside from staying under the doona in a warm, cosy bed, is to find a warm and cosy place where you can enjoy a good coffee and thaw out.
We entered Emporio bar to the sound of Ibiza-esque tunes and warmth, and settled on the sofa bench after taking of my coat, hat, fleece and scarf, I perused the menu for the coffee selections.
After seeing the typical latte macchiato's on the table next to me, in huge glasses and nothing but a pale beige colour due to the rich brown coffee colour washed out by the abundance of milk, I immediately decided against this option instead opting for a plain old cappuccino.
The cappuccino wasn't too bad - although the coffee was once again bitter, the froth too airy, not quite hot enough and no chocolate on top. As we broke out the scrabble board again, too warm and cosy to walk home through the rain just yet, we decided to sample the chai lattes as I wasn't sure I could manage an espresso or even an espresso macchiato with such bitter coffee beans.
The chai lattes were, as most are, sweet warm spiced milk. The glasses they were served in were much too large - I'm just not sure how people enjoy drinking so much warm milk! The flavour of my chai (Elephant Chai) was quite good with just the right mix of spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon) without being overpowering, although there was too much honey which ruined the flavour a little by making the drink sickly sweet.
My other half's latte (Green Chai) didn't have much flavour - a very mild mix of spices - essentially it was just like drinking warm milk with loads of honey - and again - too sweet. Not sure how they came up with the name 'green' chai as I detected no taste of green tea at all...
While it was a good way to escape the rain, and the atmosphere inside Emporio's was cosy and relaxing - good music, not overcrowded and relatively comfortable seats, I don't think I could honestly say I would go back for the coffee.
Rating
Atmosphere 4/5
Coffee bean 2.5/5
Milk 3/5
Overall coffee experience 3.5/5
We entered Emporio bar to the sound of Ibiza-esque tunes and warmth, and settled on the sofa bench after taking of my coat, hat, fleece and scarf, I perused the menu for the coffee selections.
After seeing the typical latte macchiato's on the table next to me, in huge glasses and nothing but a pale beige colour due to the rich brown coffee colour washed out by the abundance of milk, I immediately decided against this option instead opting for a plain old cappuccino.
The cappuccino wasn't too bad - although the coffee was once again bitter, the froth too airy, not quite hot enough and no chocolate on top. As we broke out the scrabble board again, too warm and cosy to walk home through the rain just yet, we decided to sample the chai lattes as I wasn't sure I could manage an espresso or even an espresso macchiato with such bitter coffee beans.
The chai lattes were, as most are, sweet warm spiced milk. The glasses they were served in were much too large - I'm just not sure how people enjoy drinking so much warm milk! The flavour of my chai (Elephant Chai) was quite good with just the right mix of spices (cloves, cardamom and cinnamon) without being overpowering, although there was too much honey which ruined the flavour a little by making the drink sickly sweet.My other half's latte (Green Chai) didn't have much flavour - a very mild mix of spices - essentially it was just like drinking warm milk with loads of honey - and again - too sweet. Not sure how they came up with the name 'green' chai as I detected no taste of green tea at all...
While it was a good way to escape the rain, and the atmosphere inside Emporio's was cosy and relaxing - good music, not overcrowded and relatively comfortable seats, I don't think I could honestly say I would go back for the coffee.
Rating
Atmosphere 4/5
Coffee bean 2.5/5
Milk 3/5
Overall coffee experience 3.5/5
Nov 12, 2010
Bubbles Cafe, Ludwigsburg
Last Sunday, while the rain continued to fall, my other half decided to do some of his own research into the most atmospheric cafe or coffee bar in our town - Ludwigsburg. Settling down on the sofa with his notebook, he googled and found that the most popular cafe (at least from the reviews online) for good coffee and atmosphere was... drum roll please.... Bubbles Cafe.
At around 4pm we decided to brave the rain and wind so we rugged up and equipped with our travel scrabble, set out to see if Bubbles Cafe really does have it going on. Unfortunately, after a 10 minute walk through the miserable weather we discovered that they don't open on Sundays! But yesterday I had enough time to pop out and see for myself just how good their coffee is.
It's fair to say that the place does have atmosphere. Most cafes and coffee bars, and infact most restaurants and cocktail bars in this region of Germany, lack atmosphere. By that I mean they are designed without creativity and don't have their own personality or charm - they aren't unique and there is nothing that makes you want to return - very run-of-the-mill in both their decor and their menus. But Bubbles has charm!
As you walk into the cafe the first thing you notice is the unusual and very unique shiny silver coffee machine sitting smack bang in the middle of the service counter. The decor is a mix between modern and old school with funky standing white bar tables and benches to 1960's era armchairs and tables. There was music playing in the background - instrumental with what I thought was an oriental influence. Unlike many cafes, the staff at Bubbles make the coffee, rather than just pressing a button on a fully automated coffee machine which pours the espresso, froths the milk and pours the entire thing into a cup so the waiter/waitress simply has to place it on a saucer, add a teaspoon and run it out to the customer. At Bubbles the glorious silver giant pours the espresso and the staff heat and froth the milk and pour it into the cups.
I ordered a cafe latte - not to be confused with the very popular latte macchiato here. The latte macchiato is a standard shot of espresso topped up with a huge amount of milk that hasn't quite been heated to the right temperature - so the overall effect is a weak, lukewarm and very milky coffee, topped off with about 2-3cms of airy froth. The standard cafe latte is still served in a large cup but not as big as the latte macchiato glass, and the froth should be creamier.
The Bubbles cafe latte was quite good. Not quite hot enough for my liking, and there was still too much milk, but the coffee wasn't bitter as it often is here in Germany, wasn't too watery and the best aspect was the froth - it was creamy, not airy and only about 0.5-0.8cm thick.
The staff were friendly, personable and relaxed - no rushing around with their electronic gadgets, one employee taking orders, another one issuing bills and taking payment and all in an uninterested and unfriendly manner.
I will definitely be dragging my hubby along on the weekend for a second trial, and will be sure to sample some of their other coffee beans and styles.
http://www.bubbles-cafe.de
Rating
Atmosphere 4.5 / 5
Coffee bean 4 / 5
Milk 3.5 / 5
Overall coffee experience 4 / 5
At around 4pm we decided to brave the rain and wind so we rugged up and equipped with our travel scrabble, set out to see if Bubbles Cafe really does have it going on. Unfortunately, after a 10 minute walk through the miserable weather we discovered that they don't open on Sundays! But yesterday I had enough time to pop out and see for myself just how good their coffee is.
It's fair to say that the place does have atmosphere. Most cafes and coffee bars, and infact most restaurants and cocktail bars in this region of Germany, lack atmosphere. By that I mean they are designed without creativity and don't have their own personality or charm - they aren't unique and there is nothing that makes you want to return - very run-of-the-mill in both their decor and their menus. But Bubbles has charm!
I ordered a cafe latte - not to be confused with the very popular latte macchiato here. The latte macchiato is a standard shot of espresso topped up with a huge amount of milk that hasn't quite been heated to the right temperature - so the overall effect is a weak, lukewarm and very milky coffee, topped off with about 2-3cms of airy froth. The standard cafe latte is still served in a large cup but not as big as the latte macchiato glass, and the froth should be creamier.
The Bubbles cafe latte was quite good. Not quite hot enough for my liking, and there was still too much milk, but the coffee wasn't bitter as it often is here in Germany, wasn't too watery and the best aspect was the froth - it was creamy, not airy and only about 0.5-0.8cm thick.
The staff were friendly, personable and relaxed - no rushing around with their electronic gadgets, one employee taking orders, another one issuing bills and taking payment and all in an uninterested and unfriendly manner.
I will definitely be dragging my hubby along on the weekend for a second trial, and will be sure to sample some of their other coffee beans and styles.
http://www.bubbles-cafe.de
Rating
Atmosphere 4.5 / 5
Coffee bean 4 / 5
Milk 3.5 / 5
Overall coffee experience 4 / 5
Nov 11, 2010
The beginning...
This blog is about my journey to find good coffee in Germany, which believe me, is no easy feat. When I arrived here three months ago I never imagined it would be so hard to find a good cup of coffee - after all - Germany borders Italy and they make pretty damn good coffee.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm no coffee expert, nor do I consider myself a real coffee connoisseur, however, I do know a good coffee and after 12 weeks of exploring various cafes, restaurants and bars primarily in and around the Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart area, but also as far as Dusseldorf, Berlin and Munich, I haven't really found one cup that I've been able to say 'Wow, that was a great cup of coffee!' about.
I've never given so much attention to my mere daily cup of coffee, and never thought coffee was so vital to my day-to-day peace of mind and happiness - you may even think its a little eccentric or over-the-top to spend so much time and energy complaining about a damn cup of coffee - but trust me - when you are used to drinking a coffee which is just the right strength, isn't bitter, with just the right amount of creamy milk heated to the right temperature, and topped off with just the right amount of creamy froth - it can be devastating to wake up one day and realise that this ten to fifteen minute ritual of your day, which gives you a deep sense of happiness during each and every minute, is gone.
Now I've lived in Australia, England and Vietnam, and have travelled through Europe, South East Asia and most of Australia and have never had so much trouble finding a good coffee -which lead me to think that after so many cups of mediocre - and several cups of just plain awful coffee - it might be of interest to the coffee lovers and drinkers of the world to know just where they can expect to find a good cup of coffee in Germany - if such a thing exists!
So join me as I try cup after cup of espresso, cafe latte, macchiato and cappuccino in Germany in search of at least one (but hopefully more than one) perfect cup of coffee...
N
I've never given so much attention to my mere daily cup of coffee, and never thought coffee was so vital to my day-to-day peace of mind and happiness - you may even think its a little eccentric or over-the-top to spend so much time and energy complaining about a damn cup of coffee - but trust me - when you are used to drinking a coffee which is just the right strength, isn't bitter, with just the right amount of creamy milk heated to the right temperature, and topped off with just the right amount of creamy froth - it can be devastating to wake up one day and realise that this ten to fifteen minute ritual of your day, which gives you a deep sense of happiness during each and every minute, is gone.
Now I've lived in Australia, England and Vietnam, and have travelled through Europe, South East Asia and most of Australia and have never had so much trouble finding a good coffee -which lead me to think that after so many cups of mediocre - and several cups of just plain awful coffee - it might be of interest to the coffee lovers and drinkers of the world to know just where they can expect to find a good cup of coffee in Germany - if such a thing exists!
So join me as I try cup after cup of espresso, cafe latte, macchiato and cappuccino in Germany in search of at least one (but hopefully more than one) perfect cup of coffee...
N
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