The Park Cafe was one of the first places in Hamburg which I hit at random to enjoy a social cup of coffee. When I arrived, it was packed, and it didn't take me long to figure out that one needs to find his or her "niche hour".
Park sports a very unique menu - they are very strong with their cocktail offerings (the strongest I've seen outside of a bar or pub), along with traditional warm drinks and an interesting selection of cakes and soups. Their coconut soup seems to be a hit with the crowd, personally, I could find myself at park only for their blueberry muffins.
Coffee at Park is a hit or miss. On some days, the coffee is too strong for my liking, on other days, it's distinctly weak. This I'm willing to forgive, however, since Park is and remains one of the best places to meet friends in the Schanze for some good conversation. I must admit, however, that due to the cafe's popular nature, the chances of me going there alone to drink coffee and read a book are extremely slim.
The crowd at Park is very diverse and remains diverse throughout the day. Young folks and the older crowd meet at Park during the mornings, afternoons and evenings, and it's not uncommon to see parents sitting at the tables with their children. The "clubbing crowd" seems to mostly frequent Park on Friday nights, presumably to order from the cocktail menu. read more