The Best Brunch and Breakfast Spots in Cologne Ehrenfeld, Germany

Café Sehnsucht is one of the most popular all-day cafés in the neighbourhood. Both the charming interior and the fantastic food play their part. The café banks on regional products: their breakfast buns are delivered by a nearby bakery, the coffee is roasted a few doors down at Van Dyk, and their jam is made in-house. The breakfast menu is split between readily themed platters, which include all kinds of yummy treats from French toast or omelettes and muesli to bread and buns topped with a selection cheeses and meats. Alternatively, you can pick one of the extensive design-your-own sheets and tick off everything you want.

CafeCafe does not only occupy a small spot at the fringe of the Belgian Quarter (Belgisches Viertel), but their second joint can be found on Ehrenfeld’s main drag, Venloer Strasse. Their menu is packed with everything both omnivores and vegans may desire for the first meal of the day – bagels, sandwiches, açaí bowls, smoothies, eggs any style, muesli and breakfast platters of fresh bread, spreads, sweet and savoury toppings. Wash that down with a juice, coffee, tea, matcha latte or chai latte to start your day.

This health-food café is pretty new on the block, but word travelled quickly and Ehrenfeld locals now flock to the light-flooded eatery on Venloer Strasse from the early hours of the day through to dinner time. Vegans rejoice at Edelgrün‘s breakfast menu, which is composed of a number of delicious bowls, for example, coconut yoghurt topped with granola, nuts and fruits and chia porridge. But that’s not all, you can also kick off the day with spelt-and-spinach pancakes, a vegan breakfast platter or avocado on toast. Yum!

This cute little gem is only a short stroll away from Ehrenfeld train station, and the café fills quickly as soon as they open in the morning. Exposed brick walls, detailed décor and fresh flowers welcome those who haven’t managed to snatch a seat out front. Breakfast at Café Rotkehlchen means banana bread, croissants, muffins, fresh buns and sliced bread, cheese and meat platters, fruit salads and sweet and savoury spreads and vegan dips.

A former pub was converted into the now popular Helmholtz café in 2016. The old bar counter stayed and inspired the rest of the retro interior of wood-panelled walls, wallpaper and mid-century furniture. Whether you head over for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a quick bite in between, the home-made food won’t let you leave disappointed. Expect grilled sandwiches – pineapple and ham or peanut butter, banana and bacon – Belgian waffles and a breakfast platter with bread and buns, cheese, sandwich meats, a boiled egg and freshly brewed coffee.

Since the Woanders (elsewhere) cultural café opened in Ehrenfeld’s industrial corner, the small joint has become a lunch-break haven. Their weekend hangover breakfasts have proven so popular that you now have all week to indulge in all-time-favourites from croissants or pain au chocolat with butter and jam, granola or scrambled eggs, to their signature chicken waffles, French toast and an English-inspired breakfast with baked beans, hash browns and bacon. The daily feast is accompanied by chilled music that plays from the vinyl record player in the corner.

We all love pancakes, but how do you feel about French crêpes? They’re arguably better, but certainly more versatile. Café Lizbät is dedicated to making some of the best crêpes in town and fills their creations with anything from cheese and ham or ratatouille and feta to chickpeas with spinach and vegetarian bolognese. Crêpes aside, you can also get a typically German breakfast with bread, a range of toppings and eggs.