Frankfurt is not a city known for its cafes but there are a ton in the financial hub of Germany. I’ve lived in Frankfurt for many years and the cafe scene has really improved over the years. However, there are not many nice cafes where a digital nomad or WFH specialist can work in as other cities of the same size.
In this post, I will tell you my favorite cafes to work from in Frankfurt. Again, the list is not that big and the options on this list aren’t that ideal in the end. Frankfurt is not like Bali where the most beautiful cafes in the world reign. It’s not even like Berlin or other European cities in its caliber of work style cafes. Frankfurt is an expensive city with pricey real estate so you won’t find large open space cafes unfortunately.
My criteria for a good cafe to work from
Like I’ve already mentioned, there aren’t many cafes in Frankfurt given the size of the population. As well, this list isn’t for best cafes in general per se as it is geared towards which cafes are best to do work in. Of course, some of these things overlap and you’ll have cafes that are not only great for just being a cafe but also great for working in.
I don’t take cost into consideration because most of the cafes in Frankfurt charge the same prices. Expect to pay about €2.5-€4 for an American and €3-€4.5 for a cappuccino. Brunch/breakfast items will cost between €8 and €13 depending on the restaurant and item.
Size and openness
Like I said above, every restaurant and cafe in looks like a place you can spend extended time in to work from. Everything is inviting in Bali so it’s hard to really pick the best option! For the purpose of this post, I will focus on cafes that are larger in size. The larger it is, the more likely it is that you can find a space to work from without feeling like you are taking business away from other customers.
In addition, I like a cafe space that is larger and open. I just work better in large open spaces; think high ceilings and bright light. Many of the cafes in Frankfurt are smaller and have tighter spaces which makes it not ideal for working. I’ve found a few options that will fit this criteria however!
Wifi Speeds
For digital nomads, this is an obvious must. Many of the old school cafes in Frankfurt don’t even have wifi as that’s not really a thing. However, the cafes on this list will all have wifi that is publicly available. Super fast WIFI speeds aren’t imperative for my setup since I’m mostly blogging or executing trades. As long as it’s 50-100 mbps, that is more than sufficient for me.
Wifi is extra important in Frankfurt cafes because the mobile data plans in Germany are super expensive so hotspotting is not something I’m keen to do.
Crowdedness
The perfect place to work means there are people that visit the cafe because you don’t want a ghost town but also a place that isn’t too hot. If it is too busy, you can’t really concentrate on your work and it will be a nightmare if you actually need to take Zoom calls. This picks up on my previous point about size and openness of the cafe because it is nice to just have your own little space.
Most of the cafes on this list don’t get too crowded so this isn’t an issue. In peak summer months, you can expect many of the cafes to fill up more than winters as that is when people like to go out.
Availability of power plugs
If you’re working, it’s likely you’ll need a power source. If you have a terrible laptop like mine which runs out of battery in 1h, you’ll need to charge up. Most cafes look like they would be perfect work spaces until you sit down, have a coffee, and realize you have no power plugs to keep you going.
The cafes on this list all have easy access to wall plugs. They won’t be as abundant in some cafes as others, but you’ll be able to find one nonetheless.
Copper Bay
Copper Bay is located in Ostend right across the street from the beautiful ECB building. Copper Bay is a large and open space cafe with plenty of tables and desks. The decor is inviting and not stuffy which allows for a great working experience. There are abundant wall plugs everywhere so you can always stay charged. The wifi speeds are also great.
Copper Bay has a full menu of food and cafe items. Their coffee isn’t the best but also not the worst. I’ve not tried their food menu because it’s on the pricier side. However, the food looks tasty with a healthy menu of wraps, salads, sandwiches, and other foods.
This is probably my favorite cafe to work from because I know it’s always going to have plugs, space, and a welcoming environment available for me to get work done.
Neighborhood: Ostend
Coffee Rating: Great
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: Fast
Location: Sonnemannstraße 53, 60314 Frankfurt am Main
Cafe No 48
Cafe No. 48 is one of my favorite cafes in the city. It’s the quintessential neighborhood cafe in the heart of Nordend just north of Friedbergerplatz. This hipster style cafe is definitely the hotspot to hang out in the summer with its ample amount of outdoor space. However, it’s never overly busy inside the cafe. The space is beautiful decorated and is inviting. There are plugs at most of the seats in the cafe with great wifi.
Cafe No. 48 has very delicious cakes and pastries if you need a snack but no real food. The coffee is fantastic as well.
Neighborhood: Nordend Ost
Coffee Rating: Great
Noise Level: Medium
Wifi Speeds: Fast
Location: Rotlintstraße 48, 60316 Frankfurt am Main
Kaffee Maccherai
Kaffee Maccherai is probably one of my favorite cafes to work from in Frankfurt. It’s located in the heart of Nordend west and is one of the neighborhood hot spots to hang out. There is a beautiful outdoor space with numerous tables and benches where people drink wine and coffee throughout the day.
Inside, the open space is very inviting for doing work over a cup of coffee. They even have a hipster style bleacher seat bench seating.
The space has numerous wall plugs so you can always stay plugged in as well as fast wifi. The inside of the cafe doesn’t get as busy especially in the afternoon. In the winter however, you can expect more people as the outdoor space is closed down.
The coffee and food at this cafe is superb. The food is on the pricier side but it’s to be expected. There are plenty of amazing restaurants in the neighborhood as well including my favorite pizza restaurant in Frankfurt, Super Bros.
Neighborhood: Nordend-West
Coffee Rating: Great
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: Fast
Location: Bornwiesenweg 4, 60322 Frankfurt am Main
1895 Cafe Bar Bistro
1895 is a brand new cafe in the heart of nordend near to the Luisenplatz. It is one of the most spacious cafes in Frankfurt with plenty of indoor and outdoor space. The space is very inviting and beautiful decorated with reclaimed wood, plants, and a trendy bar.
The cafe offers top notch breakfast and brunch food as well as great coffee. There is also free water here which is always great to see in Germany! Wifi speeds are fast and there is an abundance of plugs all around the spacious interior.
The cafe turns into a bad and restaurant at night with some of the better Negronis in town. 1895 is definitely one of my favorite cafes in Frankfurt.
Neighborhood: Nordend – Ost
Coffee Rating: Top
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: Fast
Location: Luisenstraße 7, 60316 Frankfurt am Main
Bachbacker
Bachbacker is located in Westend and is actually a traditional German bakery as opposed to just a cafe. Expect plenty of good German bread, bretzels, croissants, pastries, and more bread. Most bakeries in Frankfurt as just a space for selling baked goods but Bachbaker has a very spacious interior that is beautiful decorated.
I’ve not actually tried their coffee before as I’m not so keen to get my coffee in bakeries since there’s no need to. However, the space is very inviting to work in. There are a few plugs throughout the bakery but mostly empty otherwise.
Neighborhood: Westend
Coffee Rating: Medium
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: N/A
Location: Grüneburgweg 58-62, 60322 Frankfurt am Main
Hoppenworth & Ploch Nordend
Hoppenworth is definitely one of the best coffee shops in Frankfurt. Definitely an art and craftsmanship to it that you don’t see from many other cafes.
H&P roast their own beans (with remarkable success) and you can really feel it in their shops. The staff of very knowledgeable and can give you great recommendations, starting from the origin of the beans, the roasting style, the decision on with or without milk and if so, what type. The food, especially the cakes, are very nice. My favorite is the chocolate cream cheese.
The space is a bit small inside but it’s a great way to meet new people at the large communal table. However, the outdoor space is a great place to get work done in the warmer months. It’s covered so you don’t have the glaring sun. Hoppenworth is also next door to Raum and Wein so when you are ready to call it a day, you can head over for a glass of wine!
Neighborhood: Innenstadt
Coffee Rating: Top
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: N/A
Location: Friedberger Landstraße 86, 60316 Frankfurt am Main
Coffee Fellows
Coffee Fellows is a chain of coffee shops all over Germany. There are numerous locations in Frankfurt. I like the Coffee Fellows in the city center right across the street from the big Commerzbank building. It is spacious, doesn’t get overly crowded and has decent coffee.
It’s also central with plenty of food options nearby. The interior is nice but not as welcoming as some of the other options on this list. Nevertheless a great option if you’re in the Innenstadt.
Neighborhood: Innenstadt
Coffee Rating: Medium
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: N/A
Location: Kaiserstraße 14, 60311 Frankfurt am Main
Bruhmarkt
Neighborhood: Bockenheim
Coffee Rating: Medium
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: N/A
Location: Leipziger Str. 1, 60487 Frankfurt am Main
Cafe Under Pressure
Located in Sachsenhausen, I discovered Cafe Under Pressure while eating at one of my favorite Thai restaurants in Frankfurt (Ran Muarai). This quaint cafe is in a smallish space in the heart of Sachsenhausen with an owner that is really dedicated to his craft. There are about 10 tables inside where you can get work done on their fast wifi.
The space is small inside but there’s always a space for you to get work done on your laptop. In the summer months, the outdoor garden is beautiful and fills up quickly with locals getting their coffee and wine fix in.
Neighborhood: Sachsenhausen
Coffee Rating: Medium
Noise Level: Low
Wifi Speeds: Medium
Location: Große Rittergasse 20, 60594 Frankfurt am Main
Stacks Coffee Nordend
Stacks Coffee is a new cafe in Nordend that’s quickly becoming one of my favorite digital nomad cafes. Stacks has a very inviting interior with modern Scandinavian style. There are two floors in this cafe with a giant wooden table in the middle of the upper floor where you’ll see plenty of other people on their laptops.
Stacks coffee is definitely one of the trendier cafes in town and the prices reflect this. However, you are in Frankfurt after all so it is all to be expected. Given that the space is small and it’s become so popular, the noise level is loud at times which makes it not ideal if you want to take video calls.
Neighborhood: Westend
Coffee Rating: Medium
Noise Level: Medium to Loud
Wifi Speeds: Slow
Location: Eschersheimer Landstraße 14, 60322 Frankfurt am Main
Hey you should provide a map of where these places are within Frankfurt. I’m sure they’re great spots but I quit reading because I don’t care for the cafe unless it’s near me and it’s cumbersome to need to search for it on a map / open a map app for every single one. I can’t see where they are at a glance and it really limits the practicality of your article.