Tips for food and drinks in Cologne
The best coffee in Cologne
Jlöcklich Barista Café
Enjoy real barista coffee, latte art (literally: art in the milk froth of a cappuccino) and homemade treats at Jlöcklich Barista Café. The friendly coffee bar is located in the charming street near the medieval gate of Eigelstein-Torburg, north of the centre of Cologne.
Address: Gereonswall 1
Ernst Kaffeerösterei
Maren Ernst, the owner of Ernst Kaffeerösterei, began the first coffee roasting house in Cologne. Today, you can still enjoy a delicious cup of coffee in the minimalist, industrial coffee bar in the lively Bonner Strasse in Südstadt.
Address: Bonner Straße 56
Meals in Cologne: lunch and dinner
Café Soleil - multicultural cuisine
Discover a changing menu of organic seasonal products at Café Soleil. The friendly, multicultural café is a real hidden gem in the city. Enjoy Mediterranean delicacies, organic muesli or a delicious piece of lemon cake.
Address: Fridolinstrasse 2
Café Noa - lunch in the Belgian Quarter
Need a break from shopping in the Belgisches Viertel? This is one of Cologne's hippest and most pleasant districts. For an extensive lunch, go to Café Noa. Enjoy a full brunch, flammkuchen or special pasta dishes. Please note that Café Noa is only open for lunch on weekends.
Address: Maastrichterstraße 3
Die Fette Kuh - the best burgers in Cologne
Burgers made of honest beef and without preservatives: restaurant Die Fette Kuh was started with the aim of making the very best burger in Cologne. The lively burger joint is located in the lively Südstadt.
Address: Bonner Strasse 43
Restaurants in Cologne Altstadt
Well Being Restaurant - vegan hotspot
Would you like to eat vegan in Cologne? At Well Being Restaurant in Cologne, you you can enjoy a wide range of Vietnamese dishes. Tip: order several dishes to share. Well Being Restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner.
Address: Kleiner Griechenmarkt 23/25
Max Stark
Because Cologne offers many restaurants with international cuisines such as oriental, Italian and Middle Eastern, you would almost forget that German cuisine is also worth having. At Max Stark, you can eat typical German dishes, like braadworst, speckfannkucken and Kölsch bier, in a friendly German setting.
Address: Unter Kahlenhausen 47
Beer and cocktails: nightlife in Cologne
Stadtgarten
On the outskirts of Cologne, you will find the green Stadtgarten, A vibrant beer garden and cultural centre where concerts, among other things, are held. With as many as 400 different shows each year, there is always something going on here. Enjoy an ice-cold Kölsch and a delicious meal in the restaurant.
Address: Venloer Strasse 40
Little Link
Are you a lover of cocktails? Then you can go to the trendy cocktail bar Little Link in the lively nightlife area of Belgisch Viertel. Treat yourself to an Espresso Martini or get tips from the friendly staff.
Address: Maastrichter Strasse 20
Dinner and accommodation in Cologne
With such a wide choice of restaurants, you'll need more than one day to taste the best of Cologne. Check out our train and hotel packages to Cologne, where you can book the hotel and train journey in one package. That way, you will get the most out of your trip!
City trip to Cologne by train
In addition to the best places to eat, Germany's fourth-largest city has everything for a perfect city trip. Discover world-famous street art, the best shopping streets, leading art collections and taste locally brewed beers. Travel with ICE International from Amsterdam Central in 2.38 hours to the centre of Cologne, where you can immediately start your city trip.
Book train tickets to Cologne
The same applies to Cologne: the sooner you book, the lower the price. Tickets are for sale from € 20. Children up to 14 years travel for free! Below you will find an overview of the travel times to Cologne station.
Tips to get the best train ticket rates
| Route | Travel times | Transfers | Header | Header |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam - Cologne | 2.38 hours | 0 | Content | Content |
| Schiphol - Cologne | 2.56 hours | 1 | Content | Content |
| Rotterdam - Cologne | 2.58 hours | 1 | Content | Content |
| Utrecht - Cologne | 2.10 hours | 0 | Content | Content |
For a complete travel itinerary, consult our itinerary planner
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