Sipping coffee whilst gazing at old gravestones, enjoying cake in the shade of centuries-old trees: what might sound unusual at first has long been part of Berlin’s cityscape. Here, cemeteries are not just places of peace and remembrance, but also lively meeting places. Whether in the charming Café Finovo, over Bohemian pastries at Nonna, or at a stylish brunch at 21gramm – each of these cafés tells its own story. Join us on a special discovery tour and get to know Berlin from its quiet, yet surprisingly delightful side.
Tip 1: Visit Café Finovo in the Old St. Matthäus Cemetery
Just to the left behind the impressive entrance archway of the Old St. Matthäus Cemetery, Café Finovo invites you to a cosy coffee break with its eclectic mix of garden furniture. Ivy climbs the walls, plants in the pots are green and in bloom, and beneath the large parasols, people share their stories over coffee and cake. Café Finovo is one of them.
If you browse through the publications on the subject, you’ll learn that it was founded in 2006 by the gay activist and actor Bernd Boßmann as Berlin’s first cemetery café. To this day, he remains actively involved alongside many other volunteers, tending to the magnificent graves, guiding visitors through the flora, fauna and history of the old cemetery, and thus turning it into a place of encounter. A truly magical place – and not just because, alongside many famous Berliners, the Brothers Grimm are also laid to rest here. Find out more about the Old St. Matthew’s Cemetery here.
When: Wednesday to Saturday 11am–7pm, Sunday 10am–7pm, Tuesday 12pm–7pm
Where: Café Finovo, Großgörschenstr. 12–14, Schöneberg, Tel. 030/20 61 55 20, online
Tip 2: Try Bohemian pastries at Nonna Café & CO
This little brick cottage by the old Georgen-Parochial Cemetery used to sell flowers. Now, this lovingly designed café is filled with the aroma of Bohemian pastries that you won’t find anywhere else in Berlin. Both the delicious yeast pastries and the café itself bear the signature of Anna Marte. The Prague-born architect renovated the 1930s cottage and transformed it into one of the city’s most charming cafés, Café Nonna, named after her grandmother – from whom, incidentally, not only the recipes originate but also some of the artwork that adorns the pretty café.
Tip: Once a month, Café Nonna hosts pop-up evenings and events, such as the German-Czech Pop Quiz. You can also hire Nonna for your own event.
When: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9am–5pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am–5pm, closed on Tuesdays
Where: Café Nonna at the Georgen-Parochial Cemetery, Greifswalder Straße 229, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 3: Enjoy the atmosphere at Café Friedberg (formerly Café Strauss)
Just a few steps away from the bustling Bergmannkiez neighbourhood, Café Friedberg welcomes you with a peaceful atmosphere and a large sun terrace. Step inside the rather unassuming brick building and you’ll be surprised by the spacious vaulted arches and stylish décor that make Café Friedberg a real gem. The air is filled with the scent of fresh waffles and the glass display case is bursting with delicious cakes and tarts.
After your coffee, it’s worth taking a stroll through the cemetery grounds on Bergmannstraße, which, starting from Café Friedberg at the Friedrichswerder Cemetery, encompasses several interconnected cemeteries. A number of famous Berliners are also laid to rest here, such as the doctor Johann Friedrich Diffenbach, the composer Eduard Grell, and the Reich Chancellor and Foreign Minister Gustav Stresemann.
When: Monday to Thursday 11am–5pm, Friday to Sunday 11am–6pm
Where: Café Friedberg, Bergmannstraße 42, Kreuzberg
Tip 4: Find a quiet spot at the Jacobi coffee bar
From the sun terrace behind the café, you look directly out onto the enchanted cemetery grounds: the mix of red parasols and venerable gravestones at this café in St. Jacobi Cemetery, right by Hermannplatz, inevitably makes you reflect on just how close life and death really are.
Right next to Hermannplatz underground station, where kebab shops usually dominate the scene, the Jacobi coffee bar, with its pretty colonnaded building, is a popular alternative. The menu features cakes, paninis, croissants and, of course, delicious coffee.
When: daily 10am – 6pm
Where: Jacobi Coffee Bar, Karl-Marx-Straße 4, Alter St. Jacobi Cemetery, Neukölln
Tip 5: Plan a weekend brunch at 21gramm
At the other end of bustling Hermannstraße, hidden behind red brick walls, lies another unusual breakfast spot where you can quickly leave the hustle and bustle of Neukölln behind. At 21gramm, you can enjoy a stylish brunch beneath the high domes of a former cemetery chapel in a peaceful atmosphere. You can indulge in a lavish brunch here well into the afternoon . Stacks of pancakes, fragrant waffles and paninis are served with truly excellent coffee.
And in summer, the terrace between the clinker brick walls and wild vines is a real draw. The name dates back to an experiment from 1907, which suggested that the human soul weighs 21 grams – a fitting reference for this special place.
When: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm; book in advance for weekend brunch
Where: 21gramm, Hermannstraße 179, St. Thomas-Kirchhof, Neukölln
Tip 6: Discover MARS at the silent green Kulturquartier
Especially in the evenings, the light shines invitingly from behind the large windows of Café Mars. But even during the day, the café | restaurant – tucked away in the side wing of the Wedding Crematorium, which has been converted into a cultural quarter – is a friendly, bright spot. Here you can sit at long wooden tables or in cosy alcoves, perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch with a view of the greenery. In the evenings and during events at the silent green Kulturquartier, Mars invites you to enjoy drinks and a specially curated evening menu.
If you don’t have much time to spare, you can pop into the gatehouse for a quick coffee and cake. Little Mars also offers fresh juices, smoothies and sandwiches. Take a seat at one of the bistro tables or find a sunny spot on the lawn.
When:
MARS | Kitchen & Bar: Monday to Friday: 12 noon – 6 pm (lunch until 3 pm), dinner Monday to Saturday 5.30 pm – 9 pm (drinks until 10 pm), weekends 10 am – 6 pm (brunch until 2.30 pm)
Little MARS: daily 12 noon – 6.30 pm (weather permitting)
Where: Mars, Gerichtstraße 35, Wedding
Tip 7: Meet up in the garden of the Pandora Café
The Pandora isn’t a cemetery café per se, but it is a very special church café – queer-friendly and open. A place that simply invites you to feel at home. As soon as the flower-adorned bistro tables are set up on the forecourt of the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche , it’s open. Inside, pink lighting, a disco ball and a flamingo lamp at the bar beckon.
But it’s not just the interior that has allowed the two tenants, Falk and Peter, to give Pandora its own unique style. The coffee is roasted to a chocolatey finish at a small Berlin roastery, and the cakes are supplied by Bracomi’s. Feel free to explore the church itself, a neo-Gothic brick building that was later extended with a modern steel-and-glass structure, opening up seating areas with cosy beanbags in the gallery. Perfect for listening to an organ concert in comfort. The garden area with its small waterfall is a real gem .
When: Wednesday to Sunday, 3pm – 9pm
Where: Pandora Café, Heiligh-Kreuz-Kirche, Zossener Straße 65, Kreuzberg
Tip 8: Get active at the Publix Kantine in Berlin
And there’s another unusual spot right on Hermannstraße in Neukölln: the Publix. Outside, red parasols are spread out, the terrace flows seamlessly into the old St. Thomas Cemetery, and inside, journalists sit at their laptops, looking out at gravestones and old trees.
Strictly speaking , the Publix sees itself as a hub for journalism and the public sphere, but at least on the ground floor it is open to everyone. The canteen has quickly become a meeting place, serving as a lunch spot but also as a shared workspace for media initiatives, research collectives and locals. People come for coffee or lunch and often stay longer because ideas, debates and projects take shape here.
Incidentally, the location is no coincidence: the project was sought across Germany until the site on the edge of the former cemetery was chosen, which lies not far from the Prinzessinnengärten urban gardening area and today naturally serves as a link between a workplace, public space and a retreat for the Neukölln public.
Tip: After your coffee,take a stroll through the cemetery and then simply follow the green path all the way to Tempelhofer Feld. A real Berlin adventure.
When: Monday to Friday, 8 am – 5 pm (lunch 12 pm – 2.30 pm)
Where: Publix, Hermanstraße 90, Neukölln
Tip 9: Find a sense of community at Startbahn in the Genezareth Church
Another place where you can spend some time in Neukölln is the Startbahn at Genezareth Church. During the week, you can simply pop in, find a spot and use the church however you need it at the moment – for working, reading, resting or a quick break from the daily grind. The galleries offer quiet corners, whilst downstairs there’s space for socialising; families with children are also very welcome.
Wi-Fi and power sockets make the space suitable for everyday use; you can pick up a coffee next door at Café La Maison and simply take it inside. This creates a blend of church space, workspace and neighbourhood meeting place.
As well as being open to the public, there are regular exhibitions, concerts, workshops and Ecstatic Dance evenings. You can also use the space for your own projects or special occasions.
When: Monday to Friday, 10 am – 5 pm
Where: Startbahn Berlin, Genezarethkirche, Herrfurthplatz, Neukölln
Tip 10: Lisbeth LISBETH | Kultur Büro Elisabeth – currently closed
Café Lisbeth is one of the newer cemetery cafés in Berlin and is run by the church. Even though it is currently closed, it is worth keeping this place in mind.
The design is deliberately kept simple. Individual church pews complement the understated furnishings, and subtle art adds touches that invite you to pause and reflect. Beyond its role as a café, Café Lisbeth is also used for events. The same goes for Villa Elisabeth (pictured), which is within walking distance.
When: currently closed
Where: Café Lisbeth, Bergstraße 29, at Sophien II Cemetery, Mitte
Tip 11: Take a look at art in St. Elisabeth’s Church
St. Elisabeth’s Church is no longer a traditional church either, but an open space for art, music and experimentation. Like Café Lisbeth, the church belongs to the Protestant parish of Am Weinberg – and is part of the Himmlische Räume, a Berlin network of event churches.
St. Elisabeth’s Church was built in 1835 to a design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel on behalf of King Frederick William III. Following a fire in 1945, the church lay in ruins for decades until it was rebuilt from the 1990s onwards. Today, it is used as a cultural venue together with the neighbouring Villa Elisabeth.
The programme ranges from early music to sound art, from dance and performances to exhibitions and cross-genre projects. And it’s well worth staying outside too: in the listed church park surrounding the church, you’ll find a peaceful, green retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city.
When: depending on the event
Where: St. Elisabeth Church, Invalidenstraße 3, Mitte
