In need of that one last cup of coffee for the day? Or simply not in the mood for a crowded and noisy bar just yet? See this list of cafés in Hamburg that remain open well beyond afternoon tea time.
Café Paris (City Centre)
Rathausstraße 4, 20095 Hamburg
Café Paris is a bit tricky to define. Depending on the time of day and exactly what you're after, this beloved spot could be your new favourite café, restaurant or even bar. In the mornings, it tempts patrons with sandwiches, baguettes and croissants as well as a variety of international breakfast options. For late risers, breakfast is served until 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. At lunchtime, Café Paris serves delicacies such as salmon, beef medallions or the Plat du Jour - French finesse included. In the evenings, French classics such as oysters, steak-frites and bouillabaisse are on the menu.
Café Koppel (St. Georg)
Koppel 66, 20099 Hamburg
Located in a courtyard building parallel to the Lange Reihe street in St. Georg, it takes a little searching to find Café Koppel. But rest assured - the search is worth it! In summer visitors can sip their coffee or eat their cake in the garden. Most of the products are organic and many are homemade as well, but herbivores in particular are in good hands here: with a daily rotating menu of exclusively vegetarian and vegan dishes, there is no shortage of plant-based variety. Even the VEBU (Vegetarierbund Deutschland e.V.) are fans, having made Café Koppel a regular meeting place in Hamburg.
Würfel & Zucker (Eilbek)
Eilbeker Weg 39, 22089 Hamburg
The game café Würfel & Zucker has been offering gamers a home in Eilbek since 2017. Würfel & Zucker, which translates to ‘Dice & Sugar’, (or ‘Cube & Sugar’) is half open game collection, half café, where patrons can try out any of the over 800 games on offer while enjoying a variety of beverages, homemade cakes, sandwiches and snacks. And don’t worry about trying out something new: there’s always a helpful member of the staff on hand to explain or clarify rules — in German or in English. Würfel & Zucker also offers regular theme nights, including a ‘prototype day’ when local game designers can present their latest creations to players happy to test them out. And if you’d rather take it easy on your brain, there’s even a bowling alley in the basement.
Café Unter den Linden (Sternschanze)
Juliusstraße 16, 22769 Hamburg
Café Unter den Linden is a small oasis of peace in the middle of the bustling Schanzenviertel. The friendly café has been spoiling its guests with home-made cakes and dishes since 1982. The furnishings are fondly reminiscent of a classic Viennese coffee house. In summer you can relax on the terrace with a coffee or a beer from 9:30 a.m. until 1 a.m., and the large selection of newspapers and magazines also ensures you'll never be bored.
Café Kostbar (Sternschanze)
Susannenstraße 36, 20357 Hamburg
Located in the heart of Sternschanze, this unassuming café is much larger than it appears from the outside. That means there's nearly always a table free, perfect for setting up with a laptop and a coffee to get a little work done or meeting a friend for a classic German breakfast or lunch. In the evening, Café Kostbar becomes more of a bar and restaurant - a perfect place to begin an evening out in Schanze.
Kaffee Stark (St. Pauli)
Wohlwillstraße 18, 20359 Hamburg
The name says it all: here the coffee is '100% fair trade, 100% espresso, 100% strong'. The cakes are lovingly home-baked and many are also vegan and even gluten-free. In the evening the café is transformed into a cosy, shabby-chic bar, with fair beer prices and cosy sofas.
Café Gnosa (St. Georg)
Lange Reihe 93, 20099 Hamburg
Café Gnosa on St. Georg's Lange Reihe is a Hamburg institution. It was one of the first 'official' gay cafes in town, and it's still going strong more than 20 years later. It's not just the out and proud atmosphere that has kept it so popular all this time though - it's also known for having one of the largest and most beautiful cake selections in the city. It's a hot destination for queer and straight patrons alike, so don't be surprised if the queue for a table stretches out the door at times. But rest assured that a table at Café Gnosa is well worth the wait.
Café Panter (Karoviertel)
Marktstraße 3, 20357 Hamburg
The food at Café Panter is freshly prepared and most of the ingredients come from organically controlled cultivation. There are salads and warm dishes like pasta, as well as homemade paninis, cakes and brownies. The large café is furnished with wooden and leather furniture inviting you bask in its cosy atmosphere for hours.
Mother's Fine Coffee (St. Pauli)
Davidstraße 29, 20359 Hamburg
The small corner shop sells delicious soy lattes and a variety of vegan sandwiches, including ones with vegan cheese options. Great for a small breakfast!
Kaiserperle (HafenCity)
Am Kaiserkai 47, 20457 Hamburg
This little bistro with the large terrace is right by the river Elbe, and the Dalmannkai stairs in front are perfect for lingering with a cup of coffee and some homemade cake while watching the passing cruise ships.
Mathilde Literatur & Café (Eimsbüttel)
Bogenstraße 5, 20144 Hamburg
Looking for something good to read? Mathilde might just be the place for you. This café is packed with used books just waiting to be discovered by curious customers, who can read to their hearts' delight while sipping coffee or nibbling paninis. Mathilde also plays host to a variety of events, so be sure to check their calendar to see what's coming up.
Café Minah (HafenCity)
Kajen 1, 20459 Hamburg
The café in this riverside glass gazebo opposite the warehouses of Speicherstadt offers coffee, icecream, cake and other treats throughout the year. The terrace and the light-flooded interior are both perfect for watching the sun set on the HafenCity port.
Café Borchers (Eppendorf)
Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 1, 20251 Hamburg
A mixture of bar, café and restaurant, Borchers has been a fixture in Eppendorf for over 100 years. The traditional and extensive German menu means nobody leaves with an empty stomach: Tarte flambée, pizza, pasta, soups, salads or burgers - Borchers has it all. The Sunday breakfast buffet is beloved by Eppendorf locals, while the daily selection of homemade cakes is reason enough for anyone to visit.
I Bizzarri (Eppendorf)
Eppendorfer Weg 240, 20251 Hamburg
La dolce vita right in Eppendorf’s beautiful Hoheluft neighbourhood: all guests are welcome to feel a little bit of the true Italian way of life in this cosy rustic-style bistro and café with its small shop front terrazza. Ignazio and his employees speak Italian and everyone is invited to join in. Besides very good and strong espresso coffee, I Bizzarri offer homemade pasta for lunch and authentic Italian meat and cheese platters for dinner from 5 p.m. – perfect for an aperitivo drink with the staff and neighbours. Bella Italia within arm’s reach.
