If there’s one thing Berlin has enough of, it’s coffee shops, but as a freelancer always needing to get out of the house for a change of scenery, that’s actually a good thing. So when I heard about a new place a couple kilometers away, in Neukölln, naturally I had to check it out. Just two months old, the former spot of a relatively short-lived Mexican restaurant, La Gloria, has been transformed into a welcoming space called Roamers. With clean, minimal, wooden seating (indoor and out), and a succulent-heavy decorating hand, the atmosphere is fresh but inviting, and the “natural” feel of the place makes it aesthetically pleasing.
I didn’t pay too much attention to the coffee menu, as about 98 percent of the time, I order an americano–which is just what I did. But the coffee selection is good nonetheless, and certain to please just about any kind of coffee drinker. There are also a few different breakfast options, as well as dessert (pie and cake). Additionally, you can order grilled sandwiches, soups, or slices of bread with a variety of toppings. I ended up getting the avocado bread, which is topped with sesame seeds and seasoned with lemon and olive oil. For something I could just as easily make at home, the €4.20 price tag made me raise an eyebrow. That said, it tasted fantastic and the presentation was beautiful, so I didn’t even mind. That’s another thing; you can really get a feel for how much care and passion goes into the space and the offerings.
Surprisingly, for a new business, the place has already worked out most of those inevitable new-business kinks. The one standout issue was no working WiFi, which I’m told was a new development on the day I went in. But otherwise, I had no complaints. Admittedly, there aren’t many vegan options on the menu, but that wasn’t a surprise to me. Yet a conversation with one of the owners revealed that, in time, they hope to add a few more vegan-friendly options to the menu, but as they don’t have experience making vegan items, it’s still a work in progress. Either way, it’s no reason not to drop on by and check it out.
Pannierstraße 64
12043 Berlin
Germany
Tuesday-Sunday: 9am-8pm