Munich roasts a lot of coffee. The city is home to many local brands – several with inner-city roasteries and flagship stores. We’ve filtered out some of the best so you can just show up and sip down.
1. Kaffeerösterei Viktualienmarkt
This busy stall in Munich’s central open-air food market almost always has a queue. And with good reason. Skilled baristas and strong espresso provide the perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Kaffeerösterei Viktualienmarkt also does a mean Florentine biscuit; available with dark, milk or white chocolate, they are the perfect sugar hit to accompany your caffeine intake.
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2. Pacandé
Pacandé is born of a perfect pairing: German engineer Andreas, who takes roasting technology very seriously, and Colombian copywriter Ana, who comes from one of the world’s best coffee-growing regions. Together they have created a company that works directly with farmers in Colombia and use both their website and shop to tell stories about the country. You can try their coffee and observe the roasting process at their small shop in Sendling.
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3. Fausto Kaffeerösterei
Located in an old flourmill, this sizeable roastery in the south of Munich has a huge variety of coffee to choose from. You can stock up on beans from the spacious shop or sip a cappuccino in their garden next to a babbling creek. Fausto is ideally visited on two wheels – the premises are close to several cycling routes along the Isar River.
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4. Vits der Kaffee
Not far from Isartor, you’ll find Vits der Kaffee – a roastery with an adjoining cafe. One of the first places to start roasting beans in Munich, it all began when owner Alexander Vits visited a coffee roaster in the old town of Barcelona in 2004. Vits now sells coffee all around the world. With lots of outdoor seating at the Munich location, this is a relaxing spot to take a break and watch the world go by.
5. jb kaffee
Johannes Bayer (JB) started his journey into coffee roasting in his garage, using a small roaster from Vits. Today he supplies some of the hippest coffee shops in town, as well as others around the world. Visitors to Munich can try jb Kaffee at Bean Batter – a trendy hangout in Westend serving sweet and savoury waffles (try the pastrami, red onions and mustard concoction) – or Standl 20, a brew bar tucked away in a small house in the heart of Schwabing’s Elisabethmarkt.
6. Man versus Machine
Man versus Machine is an independent speciality coffee roaster, with an instantly recognisable brand. Their illustrated black crocodile can be spotted on their mugs, coffee bags and wallpaper. Ever expanding, they currently have three locations in the city, including a large warehouse-style roastery in the hip Glockenbachviertel. With a neon sign on the wall ordering ‘destroy bad coffee’, these guys aren’t messing around. A flat white and a sweet Franzbrötchen (a small butter and cinnamon pastry) is a winning combo.
7. gangundgäbe
gangundgäbe combines roasting and brewing in a sleek location in Isarvorstadt. Expect independent magazines, fancy coffee filters and jazz music. Owner Andi is the perfect host – always more than happy to tell you all about their coffee. The beans are roasted slowly, according to specially developed roasting profiles, and sometimes (we imagine) to background music. Keep an eye out for their jazz concerts.
8. emilo Kaffee
Founded in 2012, emilo is one of Munich’s best-known brands, served in cafes across the city. They roast their coffee in the east of Munich and have two flagship stores elsewhere; emilo GLOCKENBACH, close to Gärtnerplatz, and emilo WESTEND. Alongside coffee, they make classic German cakes such as Nussecken (triangular shortbread topped with caramelised hazelnuts and chocolate). And if you want to take something home with you, they have great drip coffee bags – perfect for making the perfect brew on your travels.
9. Kaffeerösterei Vogelmaier
Kaffeerösterei Vogelmaier in Haidhausen has a rustic alpine vibe with wooden features and a number of antiques. It is run by a couple who quit their day jobs to follow their dream, travelling around the world to swot up on all things coffee. Don’t miss the cinnamon rolls supplied by Zimtschneckenfabrik.
An extra shot…
There are also a number of coffee roasteries outside the city. These include Dinzler Irschenberg, which you can find at a motorway stop on the A8 heading towards the Alps, and Wildkaffee, who opened a ‘show roastery’ in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2018.
