Berlin is often regarded as one of the coolest cities in Europe. Laid back yet effervescent, trendy but no fashion-victim, Berlin is one of those places that just get the juices flowing. While the city centre may have become touristy and the ambience a little diluted, the nearby area of Friedrichshain still retains that old-school alternative feel. The ideal base for anyone who wants to experience the edgy side of the German hub, Friedrichshain is home to trendy beer gardens, restaurants and the most unique flea markets in town, and in particular some of the cosiest cafés in the whole city. Book a holiday rental in Friedrichshain, and go in search of that ‘home away from home’ we all look for when travelling. Check out our favourite haunts listed below and you may not want your coffee ‘to go’.

Macondo, Gärtnerstraße 14
Macondo serves up great South American fare from its inviting and super-cosy joint on Gärtnerstraße. With an extensive tea and coffee list, and blissful outdoor terrace, Macondo is preceded by a fervent reputation as the best chill-out café in Friedrichshain. Sit back on the vintage couches with a good book and a heart warming beverage and you may find it hard to leave. Ever. Join the crowds for a game of chess or just watch the steady stream of locals pour in and out.

Casero, Gabriel-Max-Str. 18
Casero’s faithful followers swear by the cosy setting of this trendy joint, not to mention the home-made cakes and peppermint tea served here. The service is as chilled as the atmosphere (but in a good way) and the fact that Casero is one of the few places which opens early on a Sunday means it’s very popular with young families on the week-end. If you can’t score a seat on one of the inviting lounges just stomp your feet and throw a dummy fit!

Karvana, Gabriel-Max-Strasse 4
Karvana isn’t just a cosy café; it’s a chocolate-obsessed cosy café…the best kind really. From the chocolate coloured furniture, to the chocolate coloured walls and the chocolate filled displays, Karvana feeds the soul in every which way. Here, you can sit on the chocolate coloured cushions, feast on chocolate drinks and chocolate treats and…well…you get the point. The kid’s playing corner is loved by young mums, who are free to gorge on (yes, you guessed it) chocolate without worrying about their young tots. Karvana may be most people’s idea of heaven on earth but do beware; we put on two kilos by merely walking through the door. This café is very popular with young students, who claim that it’s the best study place in town. Who’d argue?

Cupcake, Krossener Straße 12
Want a cosy café you’ll remember for a long time to come? Then head to Cupcake in Friedrichshain and come make some lifelong memories.

Do you remember once upon a time, when dark, rich brownies were all the rage? Or how about bagels? Man, they were everywhere! Well, nowadays it seems that cupcakes are headed for the gastronomic pedestal, and we’re not too displeased about that. It seems that cupcake mania is taking Germany by storm and we’d personally like to know what took them so long.

Friedrichshain is home to Berlin’s first ever cupcake haven, the surprisingly-named ‘Cupcake’ on Krossener street. While some people will argue that this café is not all that cosy, we beg to differ. The long communal tables do a great job in getting strangers to chat for hours, the sidewalk seating is ideal for lazy people watching and besides, if this place had comfy lounges, they’d get awfully dirty with all those cupcake crumbs. Now, as for the cupcakes. Simply divine does not even begin to cover it. These creations are so gorgeous you almost don’t want to eat them. But you really should…over and over again. If this isn’t a comfort café selling the best comfort food then we don’t know what is!