If you can do without your Chai Tea Latte in the morning and are not a big fan of complicated coffee-art creations, then Café Käthe on Gebsattelstraße is the right place for you. The restaurant in the Au is a great place to relax. Memories of old times are awakened: In the former grocery store, there is coffee and cake like at grandma’s.
The small restaurant has only six tables – two outside and four inside. Reservation is not possible. Because “there should always be a table free in case someone from the neighborhood comes by,” says operator Vera von Rimscha. You can relax on one of the comfortable sofas, and gentle jazz music awakens the feeling of being immersed in a completely different world away from the big city. A large selection of books and magazines replaces the WiFi and suppresses any temptation to work.
The whole facility is reminiscent of cozy moments at Grandma’s. Most of the furniture is from the flea market. Only the counter still comes from the old shop that used to be here. Sometimes you can also look at art. Because the café always lets artists exhibit their works.
Checkered floor, mixed up furnishings – a look into and out of the café.
(Photo: Florian Peljak / Florian Peljak)
For more than 60 years the premises had been a store for everything. The owner Katharina (Käthe) Arnold sold what the customers’ hearts desired – from fine tights to canned mandarins. Coffee was also roasted there. It is said that Käthe and Dallmayr even started roasting coffee at the same time. But with her the great success did not materialize.
In the past, beans were roasted here. Today you come to drink coffee.
(Photo: Florian Peljak / Florian Peljak)
Käthe Arnold is still present in the name of the café, but otherwise, with the exception of the counter, not much reminds of the former landlady. Vera von Rimscha has been running the restaurant for 13 years. Beans are no longer roasted on site, but come from the Vits coffee roastery. For 3.10 euros you get a cappuccino with wonderfully loose milk foam. Rolls and bread come from the KO-Back collective from Schwabing, one of the first organic bakeries in Munich. Everything locally, without long transport routes. But the real highlight of the café are the wonderful cakes and biscuits.
The operator Vera von Rimscha bakes the hazelnut rings and cookies herself.
(Photo: Florian Peljak / Florian Peljak)
Who is going there?
For Vera von Rimscha it is clear that her café is intended for the neighborhood: “During the lockdown you supported me a lot.” She wants to give something back. The neighbors, of course, but she also wants everyone to find a place in Café Käthe. There is also something for families, as there is a complete corner with toys for the children.
What is there and what does it cost?
The hostess thinks that her breakfast offer could be expanded, but there is something for both savory and sweet breakfasters: buttery croissants (2 euros), sandwiches (from 3 euros) or a bowl of fruit (4 euros). Orders are placed at the counter, which reveals a whole load of delicacies.
With the large selection of cakes and tarts, there is something for every taste.
(Photo: Florian Peljak / Florian Peljak)
The cakes are an absolute “must try”. Vera von Rimscha bakes them herself – for one simple reason: she suffers from celiac disease. Because of her gluten intolerance, she had to switch to alternatives. “One day I was standing behind the counter and realized that I couldn’t eat any of the things,” she says. Since then she has been baking a wide variety of cakes and cookies – all gluten-free. A piece of blueberry tart is available for 3.10 euros, a piece of tart from 3.80 euros.
There is also an offer for people with different eating habits or needs: lactose-free, nut-free, vegetarian or vegan. However, meat lovers will not get their money’s worth here.
Café Käthe, Gebsattelstraße 34, 81541 Munich, opening hours: Thursday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Website: cafekaethe.blogspot.com