Pankow’s first Kindercafé is a colourful and welcoming place…

There are many reasons to visit Pankow, one of Berlin’s several under-represented boroughs. There’s the pretty Bürgerpark, with its lovely rose pavilions and great café ( Rosenstein); the elliptical Majakowskiring, a string of glamorous residences formerly occupied by senior members of the GDR government; the elegant Schloss Schönhausen…

Pankow is a good place for families too, visiting or local. Aside from the park and places like Pinke Panke, another great option if you’re with kids – and one that’s good for the colder months too – is Café Schönhausen.

Inspired by Berlin’s fantastic vogue for charming Kindercafes (see previously covered places such as Paul & Paula), Café Schönhausen opened in 2008 to cater for coffee-and-cake loving Muttis and Pappis and their energetic, ever-curious offspring.

The spacious main room, bathed in natural light from the street-facing windows, is a riot of colour, from the avocado green walls and floral wallpaper to the curvaceous counter and adjacent ‘shop’ that sells hand-made baby goods like embroidered pillows, kid’s crockery, toys and clothes.

Out back is another (slightly darker) room especially for kids, with a wooden house, slide, small ball pool and other thoughtful distractions. There are some ‘normal’ tables out there too, so parents can keep a closer eye if they want or need to.

The menu is pretty broad—aside from the routine spread of breakfasts (featuring bio breads, cheeses) and kid’s snacks (waffles, Würstchen), there are interesting soups (like their African recipe stacked with peanuts), quiches and plenty of home made cakes tempting you from the counter.

There’s a bio ice cream section too and, intriguingly enough, you can buy alcohol here—Prosecco with your breakfast as well as actual glasses of beer or wine.

This is particularly convenient for the various evening events held here, which include English classes for kids, puppet theatres and even food and literature events. You can also hire the place out for birthday parties—check the website for more details.

For more info, check out their website.