A peek at the toilet. yeah. That’s when Kuchenkiste – the (relatively) new cafe in Oppelner street – caught my eye. Not because it’s extra clean (it is), or extra (good) smelly (maybe it it) – but rather because it’s… Mario themed! like – Nintendo’s Super-Mario. With abundance of mushrooms and cartoonish plumbers. How can I not like a place with a Super-Mario themed toilet? Have I got no heart?
Kuchenkiste is a colorful sweet place. And it fits a bit strangely in Wrangel Kiez. Why, you ask? well, it opens at 7:30 before morning in a neighbourhood that wakes up at 11:00, got a totally colorful “screaming” design, offers a lucrative menu of taste-enhanced coffee beverages, like caramel- macchiato – and is very, very (like, way-too very) family-friendly, with emphasize on the little kids/babies kind of families. What’s that? what did you say? Why is it here and not in babies-swarming Prenzlauer Berg? who locates such a place in the middle of over-hyped population who’s their only connection to kids is ‘how many beers can a baby drink’ of Wrangel kiez? will it work??
well, it works. I can make that Sherlock Holme’s style observation by the fact that there are people there. On mornings you got the early parents looking for a peaceful coffee after the kid was sent away to the kindergarden/school. A bit later arrive the laptop people. Silently they sit there, concentrating in their computer and ignoring the rest of the world. And then, a bit after lunch, arrive the fathers/mothers with their kids. There’s a playing area in the back room, which makes it the perfect combination between a garden and a cafe. Highly recommended for parents. Highly recommended to get away from it on those hours for anyone else.
The menu showcase mostly their excellent collection of cakes including the star-of-the-day: New York Cheesecake! Who thought that getting a piece of that will be such a hard task in Berlin? I had, in addition, the chocolate-cheese cake, which was also great. So if you got kids – or just a crave for a good cake, then Kuchenkiste might be the place for you. But if you’re not one of those? then, well, ahm, there are better place in the neighborhood. Unless you’re a Mario-fan of course.
Business Card:
Name: Kuchen Kiste.
Address: Oppelner Str. 34 , 10997 Berlin.
Opening Hours: 7:30(!!!)-18:00.
Wireless: yes. But not too fast. Even quite slow if I may say.
Buttom Line: I chatted with one proud father there for a while, and upon his departure, I asked weather he’ll return to the place. He gave a (sad) look to his daughter, just to clarify who’s the real boss here, and said: ‘that’s not my decision to make’. The little princess was satisfied, and insured us calmly that the toys were to her taste so that they’ll be back. Be aware :]
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