Cologne boasts countless cafés and restaurants, some of them offering guests a sumptuous Sunday brunch. From typically German open-faced sandwiches and egg omelettes to muesli and vegan buffets – we take a look at the city’s favourite spots for a Sunday morning.
Café Bauturm
Cafe, German, European, $$$
Café Bauturm, Cologne
The Belgian quarter is known to be an absolute hotspot for cafés, restaurants and bars in the city, but Café Bauturm had already nested on the strolling promenade Aachener Straße before the district turned into hipster central. Their breakfast menu leaves nothing to be desired, even vegans are spoiled for choice, and the super attentive staff is more than happy to help with individual wishes. Whether you fancy muesli, bread roll or omelette, you’re in the right place.
The cute café at the heart of Cologne’s hippest quarter Ehrenfeld is a living room for many. It dishes up yummy food daily from breakfast to dinner, Sundays being no exception. Organically-grown and locally-sourced products are their focus – the bread and pastries are freshly prepared at the Zeit für Brot bakery around the corner, and the coffee is roasted a few doors down at Van Dyk. They do offer a handful of themed platters but why not grab one of the menus, simply tick off everything you like and design your own meal.
The Südstadt restaurant serves brunch every day, and the variety of food is impressive. One side of the buffet is entirely dedicated to vegan and vegetarian food. From cold and warm salads, bread, sandwich spreads and dessert. A good selection of gluten-free products is available too – the bread is made freshly in-house every morning. Omnivores can dive into scrambled eggs, meat dishes and more.
The bakery/bistro is located just off Cologne’s busiest shopping street and serves breakfast all day, perfect if you want to lie in on a Sunday. Germans love their bread and you will too after having breakfast here. The bread, rolls and pastry are all made in-house and are combined with all kinds of sweet and savoury toppings on their menu. Muesli, yoghurt and eggs are also available, or jump right ahead to lunch and order a quiche or a burger.
The Maybach restaurant moved onto the site of a defunct freight yard and is particularly popular in the summer months when their beautiful terrace opens. The food is great year-round, and the Sunday brunch menu combines all-time German favourites from cereal to open-faced sandwiches topped with cheeses, meats and spreads with hearty warm meals such as lasagne and pasta.
The Rheinterrassen might have the best views out of all the cafés listed, especially in the summer months when you can sprawl on their benches outdoors. From their terrace, you can enjoy panoramic views of Cologne’s skyline on the other riverside, including the cathedral. Every Sunday, the buffet-style chill-out breakfast offers hot and cold dishes, from muesli, crêpres, bread and eggs to soups and warm meals. You’re invited to eat as much as you like between 12pm and 5pm for a flat fee of €24 – coffee included.
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Once an insider’s tip, word of the sumptuous Jakubowski Sunday brunch has reached the locals beyond the Mülheim district. Reservations are recommended, but if you do snatch a spot in the lovely café, you’ll be treated to a buffet of cold and warm dishes ranging from cheese platters, meats and salmon to antipasti and fruit salad. But the real focus is the weekly pot roast.
