Bistro B

Terminal 1 landside, Bistro B is the pre-security fallback.

Before you commit to security in Terminal 1 at CGN, Bistro B sits landside as one of the standard bistro counters for a last coffee or quick bite. It’s in the public area, so it works for both departing passengers and anyone waiting to meet an arrival from a Eurowings or Lufthansa flight. Think sandwiches, pastries and basic hot dishes rather than a long sit-down meal.

Opening times usually mirror daytime departures from Terminal 1, so you’re more likely to find it running during the 06:00–22:00 peak than at 03:30 for an ultra-early departure. Prices sit in the usual German airport bracket: expect around €3–€4 for coffee and €5–€8 for a filled baguette or simple plate. That’s not cheap compared with Cologne city, but roughly in line with other food options in this terminal.

The menu tends to cover simple café standards: pretzels, cakes, cold cuts on bread, and a couple of heat-and-serve items like soup or pasta. Nothing here draws specific rave reviews, but also no consistent complaints in the CGN reviews on AirlineQuality or Google. If you just need something dependable before a Eurowings hop to Hamburg or a Lufthansa connection via Munich, Bistro B does the job without surprises.

Because Bistro B is landside in Terminal 1, it works well if you arrive early on the S-Bahn from Cologne Hbf and want to sit with a drink before heading to security and passport control. It’s also a practical meeting point for families seeing someone off on a flight; everyone can sit together without a boarding pass. Just remember that security for Schengen departures in T1 can still take 15–30 minutes at busy times.

Tip: if you have a longer layover and already cleared security, don’t backtrack to Bistro B; stay airside in Terminal 1 and use the airside cafés so you don’t queue twice.