When Mario and Johannes met while working as baristas in Australia, the pair couldn't imagine that they'd one day have their own coffee shop in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg. Now, their venue has gained a reputation for excellence in one of the city's most picturesque areas.
Zacharias Kaffeebar opened in May 2021, with founders Mario and Johannes working toward the goal to create a local place that combined Italian hospitality and cafe culture with the quality of Australian speciality coffee.
The pair met in Melbourne, doing what they love: making coffee. Mario had spent the previous eight years working as a barista in Sydney and Melbourne, and Johannes had worked in cafés in Italy and Melbourne over years prior.
''We are a fast-paced, local coffee bar, as found in every Italian city, that provides a social-hub and community for the neighbourhood; combined with the attention to quality and innovation brought forward by the Australian third-wave coffee culture,'' says Johannes.
Zacharias Kaffeebar and its team offer a range of espresso based drinks, filter coffee, flavoured hot drinks, tea, hand-pressed orange-juice, a variety of croissants, and a famously delicious banana-bread made from saved supermarket-bananas. They are also renowned for their decaf, offering beans from both Field Coffee and Coffee Circle.
As for why they opened their venue in Prenzlauer Berg, it was a no-brainer: the combination of atmosphere and clientele was an opportunity too good to pass up.
''Kollwitzkiez is one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods in Berlin, with large, generous streets that remind of London or Paris,'' Johannes says. ''The people are cosmopolitan, affluent, willing to pay for quality and have time to enjoy themselves.''
Location: Kollwitzstraße 44, 10405 Berlin
Social media: @zacharias.kaffeebar
Recommendation: A filter coffee (or two) with a piece of banana bread