Zimt & Zucker Berlin - recommended by Vegans And Friends

As a native Austrian, I feel at home right away in a coffee house like Zimt & Zucker. The branch at Schiffbauerdamm has been around since 2008. Nevertheless my first visit to Zimt & Zucker took place in the store in Potsdamer Strasse, which opened only in May 2018. Frankly speaking the latter one is also my favorite.

The ambience

According to their own statements, the coffee houses of the early 20th century in Vienna and Prague served as models. Above all, I find the shop in Potsdamer Strasse very well designed. On the one hand, it actually has the vibe and the flair of the old Viennese coffee houses, but on the other hand it also reflects the zeitgeist of Berlin. The latter shows in the raw, partially plastered walls and floors.

The furniture partly looks very much like the classic coffee house furniture. However, many of the furniture is jumbled together which again shows the influence Berlin has on the interior. On the one side there are classic wooden chairs with velvet padded seats and velvet sofas, on the other side you will find tables in different sizes and shapes. Some tables and chairs remind me strongly of a dining room set.

Despite the high hipness factor, the atmosphere in the store in Potsdamer Strasse is totally relaxed.

Zimt & Zucker Potsdamer Strasse. Raw floor, on the right classic coffee house chairs with red velvet seat cushions, in the middle some kind of dining room group, behind it a piano at the wall, to the right of it a colorful painting.

Zimt & Zucker Potsdamer Strasse View to the Bar and all the way back to the kitchen.

The food

Now we come to the most important and the best of all. On my first visit we were there for breakfast. Which you can get the whole day, as well as all other food. The names of the breakfasts are all borrowed from classical dances. My companion had the Foxtrot with sausage, cheese and Spreewald gherkin. I had the Swing with vegan spreads, soy yoghurt and raspberry elderberry croissant. Very cool was the topping. On the oval wooden board there were – depending on the season – raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and a fan like cut pear and avocado and finally a few sprouts as well or you get grilled veggies, nuts, physalis, plum and so on. I think the pictures below say everything.

The bread by the way was also really good. Of course it comes along with the breakfast. I liked the light sourdough bread the best. Take your time, if you go to Zimt & Zucker! The breakfast was really big and for me it was more of a brunch. I could easily skip lunch afterwards. The high quality and the size justifies the price of just over 10 euros for the Foxtrot and just under 12 euros for the Swing. The Slowfox is cheaper and costs just under 8 euros.

Zimt & Zucker Foxtrot breakfast. Oval wooden board with salami, turkey ham, raw ham, various cheeses, Spreewald gherkin, radishes, walnuts, strawberry, butter and jam in a little bowl.

Zimt & Zucker Swing breakfast. Oval wooden board with vegan spreads, avocado and pear cut like a fan, jar of soy yoghurt, blueberries and granola, nuts, berries, sprouts, salad.

More food

The Zimt & Zucker offers much more than breakfast. Under the rubric “sweets” you will find, for example, rice pudding, cheese dumplings and apple strudel. There are also sweet and savory crêpes. But in this section vegans find next to nothing.

Under the headline “Savory” it looks a little bit better for vegans again. In addition to bread dumplings and “Käsespätzle”, which are not for vegans, you will find something at the roasted breads again. Followed by “Tarte Flambee” (Alsatian pizza) and finally the salads, where vegans have good cards again.

Since all dishes are freshly prepared, special wishes can usually be easily implemented. Just call the attentive staff! For example, on request and for a small extra charge you can get many dishes gluten-free.

What surprised me a bit are the sometimes quite different menus of the two shops. The branch in Potsdamer Straße is much more vegan-friendly than the one on Schiffbauerdamm.

Events

As befits a decent coffee house, there are events taking place every now and then in the Zimt & Zucker in Potsdamer Strasse. The program ranges from readings to exhibitions and music performances.

Zimt & Zucker event flyer. Black & Bold by Maddy Graceo. Photography Vernissage.

Conclusion

The ambience and the menu of the coffee house on Potsdamer Straße convinced me most of both locations. The branch at Schiffbauerdamm is comparatively small and cramped and also the menu leaves much to be desired (especially for vegans).

My favorite food is the swing breakfast in Zimt & Zucker in Potsdamer Straße. Also the coffee tastes better there than on Schiffbauerdamm.

Have you ever been to Zimt & Zucker? If so, leave a comment on how you liked it and what you like to eat and drink there!