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 offers a delicious Florentine biscuit; available with dark, milk, or white chocolate, they are the perfect sugar hit to accompany your caffeine intake.
2. Pacandé
Pacandé stems from a perfect partnership: 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 created a company that works directly with farmers in Colombia, using 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.
3. Fausto Kaffeerösterei
Located in an old flourmill, this sizeable roastery in the south of Munich offers a vast variety of coffee to choose from. You can stock up on beans from the spacious shop or enjoy 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.
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 begin roasting beans in Munich, it all commenced when owner Alexander Vits visited a coffee roaster in the old town of Barcelona in 2004. Vits now sells coffee worldwide. With ample outdoor seating at the Munich location, this is a relaxing spot to take a break and observe the world go by.
5. jb kaffee
Johannes Bayer (JB) embarked on his coffee roasting journey in his garage, using a small roaster from Vits. Today, he supplies some of the trendiest coffee shops in town, as well as others internationally. Visitors to Munich can sample jb Kaffee at Bean Batter – a fashionable hangout in Westend serving savory waffles (try the pastrami, red onions, and mustard combination) or Standl 20, a brew bar nestled in a small house in the heart of Schwabing’s Elisabethmarkt.
6. Man versus Machine
Man versus Machine is an independent specialty coffee roaster, known for its distinctive brand. Their illustrated black crocodile adorns mugs, coffee bags, and wallpaper. Continuously expanding, they currently operate three locations in the city, including a large warehouse-style roastery located in the trendy Glockenbachviertel. With a neon sign on the wall declaring ‘destroy bad coffee’, these purveyors are serious about quality. A flat white paired with a sweet Franzbrötchen (a small butter and cinnamon pastry) forms a delightful combination.
7. gangundgäbe
gangundgäbe merges roasting and brewing within a chic environment in Isarvorstadt. Expect independent magazines, stylish coffee filters, and smooth jazz melodies. Owner Andi is a genial host, always enthusiastic about sharing insights about their coffee. The beans are roasted slowly, according to specially developed profiles, and sometimes (we imagine) to the backdrop of 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 throughout the city. They roast their coffee in East Munich and have two flagship stores; emilo GLOCKENBACH, close to Gärtnerplatz, and emilo WESTEND. In addition to coffee, they serve classic German cakes such as Nussecken (triangular shortbread topped with caramelized hazelnuts and chocolate). If you wish to take something home, they provide excellent drip coffee bags – ideal for crafting the perfect brew during your travels.
9. Kaffeerösterei Vogelmaier
Kaffeerösterei Vogelmaier in Haidhausen captures a rustic alpine ambiance with wooden features and numerous antiques. Run by a couple who left their corporate jobs to pursue their coffee passion, they have traveled the globe to master the art of coffee roasting. Be sure to try the cinnamon rolls provided by Zimtschneckenfabrik.
An extra shot…
Numerous coffee roasteries existoutside the city. These include Dinzler Irschenberg, conveniently located at a motorway stop on the A8 heading towards the Alps, and Wildkaffee, which opened a ‘show roastery’ in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 2018.
