Breakfast in Cologne
Breakfast spots have been springing up everywhere here in recent years. But in Cologne, having breakfast out with friends has been a thing for years. And not just at the weekend. Entire streets are dedicated to the most important meal of the day.
1. Aachener Strasse
This long street is one of the main arteries of the trendy Belgisches Viertel (the Belgian Quarter). Here, the spots where you can frühstücken all day long are linked together in one long chain. Chalkboards featuring dozens of breakfast variations entice visitors inside, or onto the pavement terrace. With typical German bread rolls with Wurst and Käse, or a Strammer Max (fried egg with ham, sometimes with toasted-sandwich tendencies. The name is colloquial German for ‘erection’). Alongside the entire alphabet of trendy breakfasts, from eggs Bennie to granola, pancakes, Parisienne (croissant & co.) and toasties, the latter for example made with Kartoffelbrot. A few names: Herr Pimock, Metzgerei Schmitz, Café Bauturm…
2. Südstadt
This cosy neighbourhood is a village within a city. Full of coffee roasters, burger joints, gelaterias, Vietnamese pho restaurants and döner bars, which Cologne residents come to from all corners of the city. A good Kaffeerösterei is Ernst. It is also the place to go for filter coffee. Alongside it: good baguette with butter and jam, croissants, chocolate rolls and other sweet treats.
Ernst Kaffeerösters, Bonner Strasse 56
Just opened is the Portuguese Cafe Cantina Alentejo, where you can order sweets such as pasteis de nata and one of the many Portuguese coffee varieties. But also a boiled egg! During the week, from 8 a.m. already. Got a big appetite? How about a generously filled Portuguese (cabbage) soup?
Cafe Cantina Alentejo, Alteburger Strasse 2
As the name suggests, at Geschnitten Brot you order delicious German (sourdough) sandwiches with toppings. Such as Rührei (scrambled eggs) or liver sausage, but also an Orientschnitte mit Feta-Gurke-Eisbergsalat mit Zitronendressing und Kichererbsenhummus. Naturally accompanied by a Milchkaffee or one of those typical German lemonades.
Geschnitten Brot, Alteburger Strasse 28
3. Innenstadt
In the city centre around the Dom, you will find many shops that you encounter everywhere in Europe. But there are also good breakfast spots here.
Manufactum Brot & Butter
In the beautiful Manufactum department store, you will find only artisanally (hand-)made goods – from clothing to tableware, knives and plenty of food. At Brot & Butter, you can immediately eat all that regional, artisanal food displayed in the counter.
Manufactum Brot & Butter, Brückenstraße 23 (corner of Herzogstraße)
Café Jansen
The Konditorei-patissier-chocolatier Fassbender Genussmanufaktur (since 1910) has several locations. But Café Jansen is by far the most beautiful. The fifties interior has remained completely untouched since it opened. Imagine yourself in 1950s Germany while biting into a beautiful little cake (why not early in the morning?).
Café Jansen, Obenmarspforten 7
