Café
Café Luitpold
A grand café on Brienner Straße founded in 1888, with a palm garden, in-house cakes and chocolates, breakfast until mid-afternoon and a small history museum.
Café Kreutzkamm
A traditional Konditorei founded in Dresden in 1825 that moved to Munich after the war, known for its Baumkuchen and Christstollen.
At a glance
- Type
- Traditional konditorei café
- Area
- Altstadt, Munich, Germany
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- kreutzkamm.de
Good to know
- Baumkuchen
- Christstollen
- Cakes and pralines
- Shop counter
Why we recommend it
Kreutzkamm is a confectioner's with a long history. The business was founded in Dresden in 1825, and after its Dresden premises were destroyed in the Second World War the family moved the business to Munich, where it has run cafés for more than 70 years. Its café on Maffeistraße, a short street off Theatinerstraße near the Fünf Höfe arcades, is a classic Konditorei-café of the kind that has become rarer in German city centres.
The house is best known for two specialities. Baumkuchen, the tree cake, is built up layer by layer on a rotating spit, so that a slice shows rings like a tree trunk. The Christstollen, the Dresden-style Christmas stollen, connects the business to its Saxon origins and is especially popular in the weeks before Christmas; the company also sells its products by mail order. The counter also sells tortes, pralines and tea biscuits, and a slice of cake with coffee at a table is the classic way to experience the café.
Kreutzkamm has a second café on Pacellistraße, also in the old town, and a small shop at its bakery on Kastenbauerstraße. Opening hours are not published on the website's front page, so call ahead if you are planning a visit for a particular time, especially on Sundays and public holidays.
The café suits anyone interested in German cake traditions, travellers who appreciate a calm, traditional setting, and shoppers looking for a well-packed edible souvenir: Baumkuchen and stollen keep well and travel easily. Prices are in line with other traditional cafés in the old town. Afternoon is the classic time for coffee and cake in Germany, and the café is at its most typical then.
Maffeistraße is a few minutes' walk from Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz, close to the Fünf Höfe shopping arcades, the Theatinerstraße boutiques and the Frauenkirche. It makes a good pause during a shopping afternoon in the old town, and in Advent the Christmas market around Marienplatz is only a few minutes away. For general enquiries the company publishes an email address on its website, and a separate address is given for questions about its products and shipping.
Café Kreutzkamm FAQs
What is Kreutzkamm known for?
Baumkuchen, the layered tree cake, and Christstollen, the Dresden-style Christmas stollen.
How old is Kreutzkamm?
The business was founded in Dresden in 1825 and moved to Munich after the Second World War.
Where are the Munich cafés?
On Maffeistraße 4 and Pacellistraße 5, with a small shop at the bakery on Kastenbauerstraße.
What is Baumkuchen?
A cake built up layer by layer on a rotating spit, so each slice shows rings like a tree trunk.
Can I buy cakes to take away?
Yes. Baumkuchen, stollen, tortes, pralines and biscuits are sold at the counter.
What are the opening hours?
They are not listed on the website's main page, so call the café before visiting.
Is Kreutzkamm good for souvenirs?
Yes. Baumkuchen and stollen keep well and travel easily.
How do I get to the Maffeistraße café?
Walk a few minutes from Marienplatz or Odeonsplatz.