Espresso House

Gate-side caffeine fix near Terminal 1 security

One level up from Terminal 1 security at Cologne Bonn, Espresso House is the quick coffee option before you drift too far toward the gates. It’s a Scandinavian chain, so the menu skews classic: espresso drinks, drip coffee, iced coffee and sweet pastries stacked in the counter case. Expect prices in line with airport Germany norms: around €3 for a basic coffee and €4–€5 for lattes and cappuccinos.

Espresso House opens early in Terminal 1 to catch the first wave of departures, usually from around 05:00 until late evening when the last flights roll out. Seating is limited and close to the concourse, so treat this more as a grab-and-go stop than a place to camp with a laptop for two hours. You’ll see the brand’s standard teal-and-brown logo as you walk the main airside corridor toward the central gate area.

Order the double espresso or a flat white if you care more about caffeine than foam art; filter coffee is the cheaper refill option if you’re at CGN for a few hours. Pastry-wise, cinnamon buns and chocolate muffins are the safer bets compared with the drier-looking cakes in the case. Card payments are accepted, and prices are clearly listed in euros on boards above the counter.

Practical tip: if your flight leaves from a distant A-gate in Terminal 1, grab your drink here first; it can be a 7–10 minute walk to the far end with few decent coffee stops on the way.