Opening a chic cafe that serves decent espresso and delicious kuchen is nothing new in Berlin. Around the Landwehrkanal, cafes and funky designer boutiques are becoming the norm more than the exception.

For Olivia Wood, owner and operator of Katie’s Blue Cat, the challenges and endless logistics of running such a cafe are a daily challenge. The cakes, pies, and cookies are all made in-house, bagels are sourced nearby, and the coffee comes from Bonanza across town in Prenzlauer Berg. The blend of Robusto and Arabica beans makes it worth indulging in an espresso or two along with slice of New York style cheesecake.

Katie’s bright Mediterranean blue exterior makes it hard to miss, plus the smell of butter and sugar perfuming the air is enough to lure you into this fledgling cafe that rises way above the ranks of Berlin’s stereotypical coffee and cake dives.