"Helmut, Osten. Helmut is a non-profit initiative for art and political education. The club house that serves as a bar, gallery and project space is run mostly by students but is open to the broader public. Every second Friday there are exhibitions while the bar opens every Wednesday. From time to time Helmut also hosts flea markets, concerts, movie nights or communal dinners where it is easy to mingle with locals."

"Nebenan, Osten. Do you need a living room in Leipzig? Well, you might have just found it. Nebenan is a project of four friends that wanted to create a bar with an intimate atmosphere. That is why most of the wooden furniture is self-made. Many guests can be spotted playing board games or table football which adds to the homely feeling. Don't forget to try the homemade "Zwirbler" or "Mexikaner" shot. The bar opens every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday."

"VARY, Osten. Coffee, records and live music - it never gets boring at VARY. The record shop and café is located right at the beginning of Eisenbahnstraße. It opened in 2015 and is known for offering a small but well-chosen selection of vinyl records. Here you can take your time to browse through the latest records while sipping a local Lipz lemonade. Every now and then VARY also hosts movie nights, concerts or parties."

"Café Kune, Osten. Located at the buzzing Eisenbahnstraße Kune is the perfect place to slide from the finest coffee specialities to a beer or homemade Mexican after work. Every month you can listen to readings of known or unknown writers, take part in different workshops or spend an afternoon at one of the regular exchange markets.Photos: © Café Kune"

"Sekretär coworking, Osten. Sekretär is a small coworking space for brain workers. This place is ideal for creatives who need a central and calm desk. Enjoy the benefits of the cozy and flexible communal office - be it only for a day or several months. Sekretär is the perfect place for sparking creativity and starting to network with like-minded people."

"Espresso Zack Zack, Osten. Close to Lene-Voigt-Park you can enjoy freshly brewed espresso and coffee specialities at Espresso Zack Zack. Every day the coffee shop offers a delicious selection of homemade cakes, tarts, muffins and much more for your sweet and hearty desires. If you want to have the real Espresso Zack Zack experience at home, simply buy your own espresso machine there. Photos: © Espresso Zack Zack"

"Bistro Syrien, Osten. Even though most fast food restaurants at Eisenbahnstraße seem to offer a similar choice of Turkish or Arabic food, this small bistro sticks out for its delicious and authentic Syrian food: The pita bread is freshly made every day and the baklawa will sweeten up your day."

"Kleine Stadtfarm, Osten. Since 2012 the non-profit project “Kleine Stadtfarm” is running a small urban farm which offers families a break from the hectic city life. Goats, guinea pigs, rabbits, chickens, horses and pigs roam around - a few of them have been saved from the butcher. Children and adults are invited to visit the farm: They can ride a pony, pet and feed the animals or even clean the stables. The entrance is free but donations are welcome."

"Projektwohnung "krudebude", Osten. Krudebude is a cultural offspace located at the first floor of a partly renovated building. It can be reached by following the candles through a poorly lit hallway. The cozy 3-room apartment is an open space for everyone who likes to create and develop ideas. Young artists are encouraged to display their work in exhibitions like "3DRITTEL". Moreover, visitors can attend regular workshops or readings. The atmospheric flat only opens its doors for events, therefore it is recommended to look up opening hours before visiting. Photos: © Lui Linse Photography"

"Bistro 21, Osten. Paintings, sculptures or collages - Bistro 21 ist a contemporary artspace that shows various types of artwork. The space focuses on promoting young artists who are in the beginning of their professional careers. During exhibition openings artists, creatives and students mingle under the neon lights and discuss their plans for the night. During the day it is less crowded allowing art lovers to study the paintings in peace."

"LIQWE, Plagwitz. The Liqwe bar hosts a good selection of drinks and a mixture of second-hand and custom-made furniture, it offers a variety of outdoor events in summer months on the spacious back patio shared with its neighbor, Café Kater. Come to enjoy hangouts with local artists, or just to discover the secret contents of the mysterious golden globe at the bar."

"Dipasquale, Plagwitz. This Italian deli offers products from family businesses and traditional manufacturers, including scrumptious passata, antipasti, homemade piadina, and good espresso. Come here for fantastic gifts, tasty wines, and their counter full of Italian cheeses, hams, and sausages. The owner, Andrea, is always happy to chat and gives great recipe ideas."

"Akko, Plagwitz. Akko is a cosy bar serving tasty hummus with freshly baked pita from an Afghan bakery based in Leipzig as well as a variety of drinks. The perfect place to relax, have a drink, or take in a concert."

"Spinnerei, Plagwitz. The Spinnerei is a huge creative complex founded on the site of the former cotton mill, including more than 100 artists' studios, a potters' workshop, print studios, galleries, a cinema, an arts supply store, a Café/Restaurant, and much more. The historical industrial site was founded in 1884 and employed as many as 4000 workers at its height. Always worth a visit, you can book a tour or join in one of the seasonal “Rundgang” open houses."

"Drift, Plagwitz. This bookstore offers a fantastic range of specialty books ranging in topic from politics, subculture, and history, in addition to kids' books and selected comics. They also provide orders on demand for anything you can't find on the shelves."

"Schraubwerk, Plagwitz. Schraubwerk offers beautiful vintage racing bikes and friendly, competent advice in a stylishly decorated interior. A great place to stop by for maintenance tips or to put a little air in your tires."

"Egenberger, Plagwitz. Egenberger provides an array of regional, high-quality food and drinks at affordable prices and with beautiful design, the labels and packaging created primarily by artists and illustrators from Leipzig. The shop offers wholesale goods as well as products for a growing number of private customers. Here you'll find local specialties like Plagwitzer Honey, drinks like Lipz Schorle (fruit juice mixed with mineral water), Kolle-Mate softdrinks, regional sausages, and a variety of seasonal products."

"Brühbar, Plagwitz. A dream come true for the consummate coffee-lover, Brühbar provides top-qualified personnel and excellent consultation for the delectable cup you're craving. Here you'll not only find more than ten preparation methods to choose from, they even sell equipment and freshly roasted, highly aromatic coffee too!"

"Café Kater, Plagwitz. You'll always find a great assortment of delicious homemade cake, coffee, and tea at this beautiful locale, where you can easily spend a couple of hours reading a book or meeting friends. A variety of breakfasts is offered on both weekdays and weekends. The interior consists of handmade furniture, comfy chairs, a sofa, and great attention to detail. While the café is a super cozy place to nestle during winter months, the summer offers a chance to relax on the porch swing outside while enjoying the sun."

"Softeisbude / Bloc Books, Plagwitz. This location offers double the fun. Its cozy interior with a hand-painted exotic animal mural houses an ice cream shop in the summer months and a bookstore during this years winter period. Softeisbude serves special East German soft serve ice cream, known in the region as a popular treat in the former German Democratic Republic, and is a favorite hot spot for families with small children. Its this years winter incarnation, Block Books, is a delight for lovers of comic books and print art featuring a wide range of comics, zines, illustrated books, prints, and postcards. Readings and other special events offer an opportunity to get to know the authors and illustrators in person."

"Besser Leben, Schleussig. Besser Leben is a small pub with feelgood factor. You can enjoy your beer or wine in good company - as if you are sitting in your own living room."

"Röstgut, Schleussig. Organic, fair, directly traded and freshly roasted coffee. The coffee roastery Röstgut is café and roastery all in one. You can delve into the scent of freshly ground coffee, take a break from everyday life and treat yourself with a delicious piece of homemade cake."

"Fratelli Pastabar, Schleussig. Romantic pasta bar with delicious, handmade pasta specialties. Marvelous atmosphere between grapevines and welcoming staff."

"Westend, Schleussig. The film arcade WestEnd offers you a great variety of novelties, indie films and classics you will never find online. You can rummage through the shelves or get individual advice from the staff. At WestEnd you can find everything and a little bit more: a projector, drinks, snacks and the movie of your choice!"

"Tonis, Schleussig. At Tonis you can get traditional and organic ice cream. There, they solely use natural ingredients for every type of ice cream. Tonis invites you to linger over your ice cream at the Könneritzstraße."

"Edelrausch, Schleussig. You can find more than 1.000 different wines, noble liquors as well as premium olive oil and specialties from Italy and France at the wine store „edelrausch“. Whether you are a greenhorn or an expert - you will find your perfect wine. Some evenings there will be a wine tasting or a presentation of the vineyards taking place."

"Maza Pita, Schleussig. Syrian homemade specialties - stuffed pitas, delicious spreads, shawarma and more. Tenderly made from the pleasant staff."

"Jimmy Orpheus, Schleussig. Whether you seek a place to work, to let time lapse away or to get your coffee on a Sunday afternoon - the Jimmy Orpheus is exactly what you are looking for."

"Das Herbarium, Schleussig. Colorful, small, naturally, wild and simply different - that’s the Herbarium. The extraordinary, crazy things for your balcony, garden and table. Fruits and vegetables are homegrown just in front of the city gates. That means: many different seasonal sorts in small amounts that you cannot find in the supermarket."

"Subbotnik, Schleussig. This cultural pub was formerly known as „Schlechtes Versteck“. Cozy atmosphere, and you can find a great variety of gin and whiskey. If you are lucky, there will be a nice exhibition or concert when you are there."

"H24, Schleussig. Small book store, great range of english children’s books and novels. Between the original wooden furnishings from 1923, you can allow yourself plenty of time for your book selection."

"Bis SPeter, Zentrum West. Deli/Kiosk/small market with long opening hours selling a great choice of special beverages like craft beer, local produced juices and lemonade. You can also buy some food and a fresh homemade daily dish. The market is kept by young friendly people from the district."

"MZIN, Zentrum West. Art Book Store MZINmagazines, design and art publications Tue-Sat 11am-7pm http://mzin.deArt book store and project MZIN was founded 2008 by the ambitious duo philpp neumann and karen laube. They offer an amazingly huge selection of international and local zines, magazines, catalogs and books about design, graphic, illustration, comic, typography, graffiti, painting, urban art, photography, fashion, media arts, architecture and other fields of visual culture."

"GFZK Café (Baubau), Zentrum West. Attached to the Museum of Contemporary Art is a small café. Although located very centrally it has a generous green terrace and garden opposite to Johanna Park. Surprisingly, it is never overcrowded but visited by a relaxed and nice mixture of people. The café itself gets periodically redesigned by an artist. The current interior was designed by London based artist Céline Condorelli in 2014.The café offers cool drinks, nice coffee and a small choice of vegetarian tarts and cakes."

"GFZK Café (Baubau), Zentrum West. Attached to the Museum of Contemporary Art is a small café. Although located very centrally it has a generous green terrace and garden opposite to Johanna Park. Surprisingly, it is never overcrowded but visited by a relaxed and nice mixture of people. The café itself gets periodically redesigned by an artist. The current interior was designed by London based artist Céline Condorelli in 2014.The café offers cool drinks, nice coffee and a small choice of vegetarian tarts and cakes."

"Schreberbad, Zentrum West. The open air swimming pool Schreberbad is Leipzig oldest open air swimming pool and it is located very central. If the weather is fine, it is of course quite full. Nevertheless it’s worth a side tour from the city center to a quick bath at the „Schrebbser“. The area has large meadows, nice shady trees and a sweet old bath house. Slide into the water, drink a raspberry lemonade, play ping pong, eat french fries and become a teenager again…The Schreberbad has two pools for swimmer and one pool for children as well as a playground and a beach volleyball ground."

"Café Tunichtgut, Zentrum West. Small plain café where local creatives meet. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu is small, there is a main dish changing daily. All the meals (i.e. pasta, risotto, fish) are prepared fresh and taste delicious. Nice prices. Have a look at their facebook site for the daily menu."

"Kunstverein Leipzig, Zentrum West. Kunstverein Leipzig e.V / Leipzig Art Association is a nonprofit organization run by artists, curators, designers and theoreticians, dealing with a broad understanding of art production and exhibition making.The KV’s program and activity ranges from presentations by local artists – partly connected to the Academy of Fine Arts (Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst) Leipzig over international exhibitions to discursive formats such as lectures, talks and performances. The small exhibition space is located in a bare GDR building, opening its display to the street,which makes the exhibitions feel more direct and close and not so museum like. Entrance free!Photos: DasrotePaket, dotgain"

"Barcelona, Zentrum West. Established, cosy bar with a quickly served choice of delicious mediterranean snacks and a nice choice of spanish wine. In summer you can sit in the green atrium. Nice mixture of people - for some Leipziger it might be a second living room. At sunday morning a fresh prepared and wide brunch is served."

"Das rote Paket, Zentrum West. Our own small independent store and online shop for design gifts, furniture and interior accessories. Nice choice of local, German and European Design. If you're looking for a cute gift or inspiration feel free to come over or have a look at our webshop."