Bonanza Coffee

Bonanza Coffee describes itself as a pioneer of European speciality coffee in Berlin, and it has been roasting since 2006, before the third-wave coffee movement became widespread in the city. Its café on Oderberger Strasse in Prenzlauer Berg is one of four Bonanza locations in Berlin, alongside cafés on Alte Schönhauser Strasse and Jägerstrasse in Mitte and on Adalbertstrasse in Kreuzberg.

The focus is squarely on coffee. Bonanza roasts its own beans and is known for carefully sourced, lighter roasts that highlight the character of each origin. Espresso drinks are made with precision, and filter options let you compare different coffees. Baristas are knowledgeable and happy to talk about the beans, and bags of coffee can be bought to take home. Food is limited to a small selection of snacks and sweet bakes, so plan breakfast or lunch elsewhere.

The Oderberger Strasse café is compact, with a few seats inside and benches outside on the pavement, and it suits a short stop rather than a long stay. It is popular with locals on their way to work and with visitors walking between Mauerpark and the Kulturbrauerei. On Sundays, when the Mauerpark flea market draws large crowds to the area, expect a queue.

All four Bonanza locations share the same opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Check the website before visiting on public holidays. As at many speciality cafés, it is worth asking for the coffee of the day if you want to try something different from your usual order.

Prenzlauer Berg became one of Berlin's most sought-after neighbourhoods after reunification, and its streets of restored apartment buildings, playgrounds and pavement cafés reflect that change. Bonanza's café on Oderberger Strasse fits naturally into the area and is a good place to start a walk through it. Coffee lovers who want to see more of the company can also visit the Kreuzberg location on Adalbertstrasse, which makes a handy stop on the way to Oranienstrasse.

The café is a short walk from Eberswalder Strasse station on the U2, and bus and tram routes run along nearby streets. Oderberger Strasse is one of the most attractive streets in Prenzlauer Berg, with restored nineteenth-century apartment buildings and pavement cafés, and the Hotel Oderberger, set in a former public bathhouse, is on the same street. Mauerpark and the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse are each within ten minutes on foot.