Exploration doesn’t always have to involve hopping on a plane and visiting a new country – although admittedly that’s fun too! While I’m not a fan of the word staycation, I am a huge fan of shaking up your daily routine and checking out a new place or a new neighbourhood.
For me, exploring my city usually means checking out a new cafe – or at least one new to me. I also try to check out unusual museums of which Munich has several, but I must admit, with few exceptions, I enjoy the cafes a whole lot more! I work from home and while I love it (it means more time to spend with my two co-workers, aka Fuego and Coco, my two cats), I also need to get out of the house. Furthermore my creativity seems to flow better when I’m working in a cafe in new surroundings.
Then I recently discovered I was lactose intolerance, that’s in addition to having celiac disease in which I can’t eat any gluten. That’s not an easy thing when eating out in Germany, but I’ll get to that in another post. It was after many disappointing visits to cafes that I thought would have offered a lactose-free option, only to discover that they did not, that I decided to write this post. Of course, you can drink a tea in other cafes, but some days there’s just no substitute for a cappuccino or latte macchiato!
Through much research – aka spending times in cafes – you can thank me for all my hard work by buying me a coffee the next time you’re in München :), I’ve discovered nine cafes that cater to those of us who are lactose intolerant, and yes they also have regular milk as well if you’re going with some one who prefers that.
9 Cafes in München Serving Lactose-Free or Soya Milk:
One of my favorite cafes in München and they cappuccino always comes with really pretty designs in the foam.
Vits: This is one of my FAVOURITE cafes in München. The aromatic smell of coffee hits you as you walk into the cafe – they brew their own blends. Furthermore it’s centrally located near Isator, has plenty of seating, and free WIFI. They offer lactose-free or soya milk. I personally like lactose-free milk better, but it’s a matter of personal taste and the soya is a good option for vegans. Address: Rumfordstraße 49.
Ayla one of the resident cats.
Cafe Katzentempel: This is my FAVOURITE cafe in München because of the residents that live there – meet Ayla on the left. I’ve written about it not once, but twice – see my review of Germany’s First Cat Cafe here. I like it that much! It’s a PURRfect place for cat lovers although you might want to avoid it if you’re allergic to cats. They offer soya milk (no lactose-free milk) and have a variety of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. Address: Türkenstraße 29.
Cafe Luipold: This is the place to go for one of the largest selections of cakes and pastries in München. Cheap it’s not, but it is centrally located and the cakes look delicious! It’s just a short walk from the Munich Residenz. They offer both lactose-free and soya milk.
White Rabbit’s Room: This half store, half cafe is whimsically decorated, resembling a little girl’s room. It’s one of my regular spots in Haidhausen and I often meet a friend there. They offer lactose-free milk. Address:Franziskanerstraße 19.
Fortuna Cafebar: This is a cosy little place that’s more than a little bit retro and is popular with locals in Haidhausen. They have lactose-free milk. Address: Sedanstr 18, but really it’s right around the corner from Sedanstr so a bit confusing to find the first time you’re there.
Catwalk: I’m a big fan of this cafe in Bogenhausen. There is plenty of seating inside and outside on a tree-lined street. They have a good-size menu and free WIFI. They have lactose-free milk. Address: Mauerkircherstr 2.
Segafredo: I’ll admit that I’m not a regular at this Italian chain of cafes – I try to avoid chain cafes, but they do have convenient locations throughout München. Address: notably Tal 1 (near Marienplatz) and at the Ostbahnof – the east train station. I’ve only requested lactose-free milk here, but I think they also have soya milk.
San Francisco Coffee Company: Another one that I choose for convenience since they have several locations throughout Munich and because they have WIFI. Address: Theatinerstr 23 (at Odeonsplatz), this location has a lot of seating and outdoor seating as well. Their other really good location is at Orleansplatz 5 across from the Ostbahnhof. I’ve only requested lactose-free milk here, but I think they also have soya milk.
Yorma’s: Not a cafe at all, but a grab and go place, I choose it exclusively for its location – the Haupbahnhof (main train station) in Munich. They have what I believe is the cheapest lactose-free coffee in the entire city – less than €2! There are multiple locations throughout Bavaria and the rest of Germany, but I don’t know whether all locations provide a lactose-free option. Address: Hauptbahnhof – across the rail tracks on the opposite side of Starbuck’s.
So now you know where to go, how do you order a lactose-free cappuccino in German? “Lactose-free” is “Laktosefrei” in German, with the “e” pronounced as short “e” (not silent as it is in English) and “frei” pronounced with a long “i”. Fortunately, “cappuccino” is just “cappuccino” :).
I hope you will find this list of cafes in München where you can enjoy a lactose-free cappuccino or latte macchiato helpful! If you know of others, and I know they are out there, please let me know in the comments below and I’ll add them to the list!
Note: As I prefer lactose-free milk over soya milk, it’s possible that some of the places listed above also offer soya milk, but I didn’t ask – at the time of my visit, I wasn’t planning on writing a post about it. It’s also worth noting that I received no incentives or financial compensation to include any of these places on my list. I just included places from my own experience.
&locale;&layout;&action;&width;&height;&colorscheme;
