Café Kranzler: From Coffee to Connection
Striped red-and-white awnings. Off-white fence panels linked together. Big flashy neon letters proclaiming “Kranzler” atop a circular building. Overlooking the Zoologischer Garten train station, this eclectic café used to be one of Berlin’s most happening spots.
Making my way up to the rooftop, I was intrigued — having never seen anything like it before. In my hometown, I am used to quick takeaway orders of a coffee and breakfast at Starbucks or Philz. As a student, I am always on the run to my next class or meeting so I rarely have time to sit down. Here, it shocked me that cafés are not places to grab-and-go, but rather mid-city oases to rest, socialize, and recharge before starting or continuing on with the day.
You wouldn’t know it from looking at it, but the Kranzler has gone through years of destruction, reconstruction and renovation since it first opened on this site in 1932, altering its legacy in each era. It still embodies its original historic character, but has added new, contemporary elements to maintain its lively customer base.
Located above the Superdry fashion chain establishment, the top space is now occupied by the European coffee roasting chain The Barn. A narrow hallway leads to an elevator to reach the top, as well as a spiral staircase that opens up to the 2nd floor. Inside, the café is designed in a circle, with a coffee bar located on the right of the elevator, wooden furniture to sit down on, and tall leafy plants adorning the sides of the shop. Out on the patio, customers can view the street below in the warm Berlin air as they indulge in their Milchkaffees and pastries.
The Barn, the most recent owner of the Kranzler site, stands out from other cafés because of its spare, modern take on the famous establishment. Set on the roof, it gives customers like myself time and space to take in the beautiful richness of the city, as people below scurry to their workplaces, families stroll down the street, and tourists find their next destinations.
The 20th-century Café Kranzler on the Kurfürstendamm — the Park Avenue of western Berlin — was built as an addition to the first Kranzler establishment that opened in 1834 on Unter den Linden in central Mitte, across town. Both were destroyed during World War II air raids and the western location was rebuilt and re-opened in 1951, six years after the war ended, with the rotunda-shaped building constructed in 1957–58.
Sadly, the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall triggered much redevelopment, even on the western side of town, and the establishment ultimately closed in 2000. The Barn chain saved the historic Kranzler in 2016, renovating the upper floors of the site into a trendy, hipster café with tables to work, have conversations, or enjoy a snack. The landmark has withstood bombings, closures, and new tenants. But it still emphasizes a sense of togetherness, a place that adapts to changing times, and that serves delicious pound cakes and savory ham sandwiches.
As I finished my coffee, I couldn’t help but think about how a random stop in Berlin helped change my perspective on something as simple as eating a snack and drinking a coffee. I slowed down to appreciate my limited time in a fast-paced city. At Café Kranzler, I took a break in my day to focus on myself and enjoy the company of my colleagues around me.
Grace Medecki is an undergraduate student at UC Santa Barbara majoring in Communication. She is in Berlin this summer reporting for ieiMedia’s “Berlin Beyond Borders” publication.
