Munich’s well-known cafes can get very busy, particularly on a Saturday afternoon, when a sit down with a newspaper can turn into a stressful wander seeking out a quieter place. I’ve picked out my favourite hidden cafes – those that are tucked away, off the beaten track, or sometimes hidden in plain view, where you can sit back and enjoy a cappuccino in peace.
Bogy’s Film Cantina
I don’t think this is open at weekends, but there’s not an awful lot of information online, so it’s not easy to find out for sure. It’s a small, colourful, retro canteen belonging to a dubbing studio in Munich’s Art Nouveau Lindwurmhof (Poccistraße). There are no signs – you have to enter through the main door (by Strom), head to the back building, wind your way up the steps until you see an inconspicuous sheet of A4 informing you that you’ve arrived. The food is nothing special, but the location really is – it’s packed full with props from sets, old cinema chairs and seventies armchairs – it’s full of character.
Kaffee Schneller
I’ve written about this before, but I’ve been a few times on a Saturday, and there’s always been plenty of room to sit down and read a broadsheet. I bet they’re busier during the week, when students flood in after lectures. The cakes are delicious, and there’s a good range on offer.
Kitchenette
Kitchenette’s located at Harras, which isn’t known for its cafes. But there’s Hermannsdorfer and supermarkets nearby, and Harras has been developed into a rather lovely little square, with plenty of benches, and Kitchenette is a cosy little place to stop by for some tea and scones in between doing the shopping.
Hoover & Floyd
Between the well-trodden paths of Hans-Sachs-Straße, Jahnstraße and Fraunhoferstraße is cafe/bar Hoover & Floyd, on Ickstattstraße. It really doesn’t look all that spectacular from the outside, which is why it’s such a treat to go in – there’s a big brick wall that reminds me of England, service is friendly and it feels a little like coming home.
Fräulein Grüneis
This isn’t much of a secret any more, but if you’re not from Munich, you might not know about it – the little kiosk at the Eisbach does a hell of a brownie. It’s tiny, and it’s best to visit in spring – you can sit outside with your brownie and coffee, watching the surfers from afar, while soaking up the spring sunshine.
Cafe Blá
I also included Cafe Blá on my list of Munich’s best coffee, and it’s just off the beaten track – close to Wirtshaus in der Au, a five-minute walk from the Deutsches Museum. Blá celebrates Nordic coffee culture, and besides great coffee, they offer potent Icelandic schaps.
Reed Cafe
Run by Londoner Jules, Reed is a tiny little cafe on Hohenzollernstraße. Food is comforting – porridge, earthy soups, quinoa bowls and hearty cakes, and the Emilo coffee is made with love.
Kitchen2Soul
Markus mentioned this cafe in the comments below, and I like it so much I have to add it to the list – great Franzbrötchen, it’s cosy inside (lots of books, child-friendly), and Schlörstraße is the loveliest place to sit with a lemonade on a hot summer’s Sunday. They also have a very interesting events’ program – you can spend your lunch break relaxing with them, for instance.
Turmstüberl
Hidden in plain sight, the Turmstüberl is a quaint, old-fashioned cafe in Isartor. It’s a part of the Karl Valentin Museum, and you have to pay 3 € to enter, but it’s worth it. It’s 14 metres high, opens at 11:01am, and closes at 5:29pm, offers good soups and cakes and the toilet’s unusual.
Where are your favourite lesser-known cafes in Munich? Care to share?
2 comments on “Munich’s Best: Hidden Cafes”