Even though the pandemic is mostly over, some of us still work or study mostly from home. However having no divide between work and free time can be contra-productive. At some point in summer 2022 I felt the urge to go out and study somewhere else. I found a nearby café and sat down there. Even though I enjoyed the atmosphere of studying in a more or less bustling environment I quickly realized that I couldn’t stay there for long since there were no power outlets and the wifi was unbearbly slow. In the following weeks I went to different cafés in a journey to find great places to work or study at. In this article I’d like to share with you some of the cafés that I found during my journey.
When grading a café (1) availability of power outlets and (2) decent wifi as well as (3) long opening hours were my main priority. Besides (4) good food and drinks as well as (5) comfyness were of secondary priority.
Marktcafé#
Located directly on Dom Platz, the Marktcafé is a popular spot for families and pensioners, though students can also be seen enjoying coffee and the café’s tasty meals. It is open from 9 am to 11 pm on weekdays, 8 am to 11 pm on Saturdays, and 10 am to 9 pm on Sundays. The back area, which can be accessed by passing through the café, provides a nice view and access to power outlets. Furthermore inside the café there is a longer table located in the center that offers another power outlet. The café’s popularity can also be a downside, as it can get quite crowded at times.
Drei:Klang Café#
Drei Klang Café used to be my go-to spot for a long time. It’s located on Wolbecker Straße, Münster’s gastronomy street, behind the train station. Despite its location, it’s a popular place for studying, with many people seen studying on their laptops during my visits. It’s open until 10 pm most days of the week and until 8 pm on Sundays, making it a convenient option for those looking for a place to work or study later in the evening. However, the café only offers a small selection of cakes in addition to sandwiches, which makes it more suitable for a light snack after lunch or an early dinner. Due to its popularity, the café can be crowded on weekends, and the Wi-Fi may be slow or not connect at times. Additionally, Drei Klang Café occasionally organizes small concerts, but it is unclear to me whether attendees have to pay to stay during the concert. If you are looking to finish work or study in a quiet environment, it may not be the best option for you during these events.
Teilchen & Beschleuniger#
Open from 8:30am - 12:00pm (every day)
Campus Café Münster#
Closes at 8pm (6pm on weekends)
Pension Schmidt#
Pension Schmidt is a very hip café and popular among students. The interior which looks like an old living room is great to relax. Even on sundays you can stay there until 8pm. Though because of its popularity it’s often crowded and might be a bit louder. In addition there might be some power outlets that are used for the fancy lamps that are standing around everywhere but during busy ours access to power outlets might not be guaranteed.
Floyd#
Located opposite to Bona’me and Bar Celona, Floyd is a nice small café that has never been crowded when I was there. There are power outlets at the seats next to the counter however there are no outlets at the more cozy seats at the back of the café. I also had issues connecting to their internet each time I was there. The place opens daily at 9:30 am and closes at 7 pm from Monday to Saturday and at 6 pm on Sundays. I can recommend Floyd when you have your own Wi-Fi hotspot and you just want a quite environment and longer opening hours.
Bäckerei Schrunz#
Backerei Schrunz, located in Galeria Kaufhof is a small and quiter café. They offer several breakfast options and some delicious cakes. The café closes at 7 pm, except on Sundays when it closes an hour earlier at 6 pm. In the back of the café is a separated area with at least two tables that offer power outlets. Most of the times I went there these tables were available. However, one potential drawback is the unreliable network, which only works sometimes and can be quite slow.
Café Magnolia#
Café Magnolia despite being outside of the city center and a short walk away from the train station yet it is a great place to have a meal and relax. This café is probably the hippest one on this list with it’s special goat cream cheese or sesame-poppy buns made of potato and apples (called Kartöpfelchen). The area near the counter can be a bit loud but there are also two rooms in the back that are quieter and offer power outlets. The café is open from 9 am to 6 pm during weekdays and from 10 am to 6 pm on the weekend.
Herr Hase Kaffeeröster#
This cozy café is located above the city center in the Kreuzviertel. The café offers some chairs outside the café during summer. There are some chairs at the window with access to a power outlet. To the left is an additional place with seats. The coffee is good and they have a bigger selection of food. When I was there the internet connection was pretty solid. However sitting at the window next to the counter is quite loud when they prepare the coffee so bring your headphones. Herr Hase is open from 9 am to 6 pm from Tuesday to Sunday and from 12 am to 6 pm on Mondays. If you can sit in the separate area it might be an ideal place if you need solid internet and you don’t get distracted by occasional noise.