Originally from Melbourne, Australia, I am a local guide living in Hamburg, Germany and a self proclaimed coffee snob. It’s ok - I know it sounds pretentious, but honestly life is far too short to drink bad coffee! Because of my need for exceptional caffeine, I love to photograph and review cafes and their coffee wherever I go. Sometimes it’s with great success, sometimes I would have been grateful for a heads up. So my coffee reviews and contributions are my way, to make sure those who want to find good coffee here in Hamburg, do!
I am not someone who needs caffeine in order to function, but when it’s exceptional, I really enjoy a great coffee, in a funky cafe. I can go days without coffee, but there’s nothing like finding a new hole in the wall, somewhere here in Hamburg or beyond, that serves the perfect liquid-velvet flat white of my dreams! It’s that winning combination of perfectly roasted beans, a milky crema made from tightly packed air bubbles and served at a hot but still drinkable temperature, that makes my day. Having grown up in the coffee culture of Melbourne, I love to see where and how the locals drink their coffee, after all there is some what an art to it!
I have lived in Hamburg for 11.5 years now, surviving the lack of proper coffee for the first 7 years here by travelling home or to Italy on a regular basis. Only in the last 4 years has the coffee scene in Hamburg started to drastically improve. One could now liken it to Melbourne 10 years ago, which in my opinion is fantastic! Great coffee still not reliably available at every cafe you fall into here, but there is now a good percentage and choice, when it comes to the perfect coffee in a cosy, fun cafe. For years, we could count these extensions-to-our-living-room, on one hand - but I am so excited to say they are now cropping up more often and that the flat white is slowly becoming a staple on the menu! #phew
Berlin was the always the coffee front runner here in Germany. I’m not sure why. Perhaps because of the demand or maybe because the knowledge and expertise arrived there first? It was always a little sad leaving Berlin after a visit, knowing that we were leaving good coffee behind too. But I can now safely declare that Hamburg is definitely catching up and has caught the coffee bug! Yippee for me!!
So without further delay, here are my top 3 picks for the best coffee, or more specifically, flat white, here in Hamburg:
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A cosy, beautiful interior to while away a morning or afternoon, but could be easily missed from the street - so keep your eyes peeled. Playground Coffee roast and sell their own beans, all of which i can personally vouch for. Their Flat White is a rich, creamy strong coffee, served in large coffee cups and a glass of water on the side. This coffee has been described as seriously badass on Google Maps, which an accurate description in my opinion. Those looking for friendly service with a smile, a talented barista and extremely good coffee will be happy they stopped in here.
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Tucked away in a Sternschanze back street and also on a popular plaza in Ottensen, Codos has taken the coffee scene in Hamburg by storm! Serving up house-roasted beans, as well as a guest bean every month, Codos serve a velvety smooth, double shot flat white with finesse. An Australian flat white technically only has one shot of espresso, so depending on your taste, Codos can do it either way. I love that they discount your coffee if you bring your own mug or Keep Cup - which contributes to more people being aware of how debilitating disposable coffee cups are to our environment. They also have a Stempelkarte - where you get a stamp for every coffee you buy and your 10th coffee is free
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Complete with Scandinavian minimalism, this cafe might be intimidating to some. It looks a little more like a coffee laboratory than a cosy cafe, but rest assure these guys know what they’re doing! They will happily take your order in english, for the Deutsch-challanged among us and usually have two different kinds of beans on offer. A small card served with your coffee, gives you the origin and special notes of your coffee bean. Sounds too pretentious for you? Don’t worry, just order your coffee, pick a bean, pull up a chair in the sun outside and just enjoy a damn good coffee!
I really hope you enjoy your coffee here, whether you’re passing through or plan to stay in Hamburg for a while. You won’t be disappointed and may even see me there too!