Cafes in Munich form the main part of local culture. Being the capital of Bavaria in Germany, it has a large population. People from various cultural backgrounds co-exist with each other in this city. Being a major center of art, technology, culture, education, business, and tourism in Germany, it enjoys a very high standard and quality of living. As part of the local lifestyle, the Munich cafe culture goes from traditional venues to modern venues crossing the city. It is not about a cup but a significant lifestyle.
Whenever I visit Munich or pass Munich on a road trip in southern Germany, I would find a time to have a cup of coffee in a different cafe. Several cafes in Munich are in the downtown around the shopping area and next to the main tourist attractions are with some unique features.
The follow cafes in Munich downtown area are quite different from each other:
- Cafe Katzentempel (Türkenstr. 29 80799 München)
- Cafe Luitpold (Luitpoldblock, Brienner Straße 11, 80333 Munich)
- Alois Dallmayr (Dienerstraße 14-15, 80331 Munich, Germany)
- Rischart (Marienplatz 18, 80331 München)
- Chocolaterie Beluga (Chocolaterie Beluga – Viktualienmarkt 6, 80331 München)
- Cafe Frischhut (Praelat-Zistl-Str. 8 80331 Munich, Bavaria Germany)
- Kaffeerösterei Viktualienmarkt (Viktualienmarkt, Stand 3/26, 80331 München)
Cafe Katzentempel
Cafe Katzentempel is a funny cafe based on cat themes. It has six cats rescued from the local animal shelter. Each of them has a name. Guests can play or cuddle with them during their stay. Sometimes they are high on the cat shelves and observing the crowds below. Other times they withdraw themselves to their cat room for a snap.
There are some play corners decorated for these cats. Guests can also buy products with cat prints on. These cute cats are even having their photos on postcards. Besides, you will see cat pictures almost everywhere, on the menu, on the wall, and also on the door of the toilet.
In this cozy small cafe venue, guests can also enjoy a leisurely breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Being a vegan-vegetarian this place only offers plant-based food (with the exception of organic cow milk as an alternative to various plant-based milk). Cafe Katzentempel is a nice place special if you are a vegetarian or an animal lover.
One of the uplevel Cafes in Munich, Cafe Luitpold
In 1888, the opening of the legendary Cafe Luitpold was known as palace cafe. At that time, it was one of the biggest and most fashionable coffee houses in Europe. But during the Second World War, it was damaged. After extensive rebuilding, it was reopened in 2010. The building today is less complex compared to its first design.
The Café Luitpold offers everything from breakfast to lunch and dinner as well as a selection of cakes. The coffee bar opens during the day. In the evening, only the restaurant part opens. It is an urban coffee house with charm, style, and a metropolitan atmosphere. It is a nice spot for business lunch and afternoon cakes.
In the Cafe Luitpold there is also a museum. The museum has a collection of the glorious days of the European coffee house culture. Every morning the museum opens a window to the bakery. In the afternoon short films about Luitpold layered cakes, etc. are shown there. The entrance to the museum is located in the palm tree garden of Cafe Luitpold.
Alois Dallmayr
Dallmayr is one of the best-known German coffee brands. Over its 300-year history, the company has extended its businesses from coffee & tea into delicatessen and gastronomy, party and catering business.
The coffee house is part of its headquarter and situated on the upper floor of its building. Other than Dallmayr coffee, you can choose various high-quality coffee such as Ethiopian Crown, San Sebastián in Guatemala and Grand Cru Hawaii Kona.
The coffee house demonstrate its quality service in every detail. If a guest orders a tea, a sand timer is also placed on the table. Different sand timers are used for different types of tea. This is because, that different types of tea require different lengths of brewing time. This sand timer will keep you brewing the right way.
On the ground floor there are counters selling daily products ranging from such as cheese, home-made pasta, fishes, teas, wines, hot foods from counters at the right side of the main entrance it is a restaurant led by the Michelin-starred chef.
Rischart
The Rischart is a traditional coffee and bakery house which has many branches in Munich. The most famous one is the one on Marienplatz 18, right at the beginning of the pedestrian zone. On the ground floor, it offers many types of fresh baked German bread, desserts and sweets.
On a busy day, you would have a problem to enter the shop, it just had too many customers. This is also the most visited backer shop in Germany. It is also one of the hosts for annual Oktoberfest.
Guests can have breakfast, coffee, or afternoon cakes on the upper floor. It is the ideal place for viewing busy life on Marienplatz.
If you prefer to have less busy surroundings, on the Viktualienmarkt, there is also a branch which offers the same product. It has a roof-top open terrace and offers pleasant views of the busy Viktualienmarkt.
Chocolaterie Beluga
Chocolaterie Beluga is a very small cafe venue. There are only several high seats next to the wall. Most seats are placed outside. Within several square meters, this cozy and inviting cafe offers prime quality chocolate products.
The tasty chocolate products are such as a hot drink, pralines, or cakes. Among those products, the hot “chocolate-on-a-spoon” is something you should try. Some of those have alcohol (for example, rum) in a capsule linked to a block of chocolate. You place the chocolate part in the hot milk. When the chocolate melts the rum flows into the drink.
Cafe Frischhut
This small cozy old style cafe offers a type of sweet delight, the Schmalznudel, a freshly fried dough. Every morning, after setting up their market booths, owners from Viktualienmarkt go to this place to have some Schmalznudels with cups of coffee for a break.
During the day, many people buy them and just eat on the road. When people finish their shopping at the market, this is a perfect place to have a rest. It is interesting to see that people eat Schmalznudel not only with a cup of coffee or juices but also with a glass of Sekt (a type of German sparkling wine). In case you are looking for local delicacies in Munich, Cafe Frischhut is a must visit. It is one of the cafes in Munich that the locals are the target customers.
Kaffeerösterei Viktualienmarkt
Kaffeerösterei Viktualienmarkt is a coffee stand at the Viktualienmarkt. It is a lovely small coffee shop with a few high tables but no seating place. During the market time, you need to queue for the coffee. It is a great place to enjoy coffee and the sights of the market.
Not all cafes in Munich perform own roasting process. But Kaffeerösterei does. The roasting transforms green coffee into the aromatic brown beans. Roasting machines must maintain a certain temperature in order to produce the flavor and aroma of the coffee. The entire process requires high skill and technique. Using fresh beans and fresh organic milk, Kaffeerösterei makes its coffee simply better.
I am travelling to Italy with a stop in Munich. I have 24 hours from 10:10 am on June 7 to 10:35 am on June 8, 2023. I do plant to visit thr Alte Pinakothek museum. Are any of these cafes near that museum?
Do you have another suggestion for a nice lunch near the museum?
Hi Giovanna,
Yes, the Cat Cafe is about 7 minutes walking from the Museum. It’s address is Türkenstraße 29, 80799 München, Germany.
I would love to visit Munich someday! And now I’ll know which cafes to check out. I’m especially excited about Katzentempel! Sounds so cool ♡
I haven’t made it to Germany yet, but Munich is the place I would most like to visit in this country. I would love to go during the Oktoberfest, not just for the fest, but also for other attractions, like the cafes you recommend here.