Laundrobars Make Shirts Clean, Drinks Neat, Food Delicious
For anyone without a washer and dryer at home, laundry day can be unbearably painful—a surreal universe defined by fluorescent lights, never-ending spin cycles, and a perpetual lack of quarters. Enter the laundrobar, a laundry/bar/restaurant hybrid that rescues laundry-goers from fabric-softener-induced hell.
These genius establishments let customers pass the time in cozy booths sipping cappuccinos or craft beers and eating killer food—a definite upgrade from those hard plastic chairs and empty vending machines in a typical laundromat. Free Wi-Fi is de rigueur, and some laundrobars double as live music or event venues. Popular across Western Europe and a few enlightened cities in the States, they transform Sunday afternoon laundry from a chore into a food and booze-fueled pleasure.
1/7The Bar of Soap: Asheville, N.C.
The city of Asheville is quickly becoming a local beer mecca, so it makes sense that one of its laundromats would offer more than 70 craft beers (nearly 20 percent of them brewed in Asheville) to swill during the dry cycle. Founded in 2011, The Bar of Soap hosts live music and comedy nights and partners with Del Vecchios, an Italian restaurant that cooks out of the laundrobar's in-house kitchen. "We were approached by some upscale dining establishments, but we are a laundromat," says owner Sean McNeal. "Pizza, pasta, and sandwiches just seemed like a better fit than Korean Fusion cuisine." (Credit: Sean McNeal)
2/7Brain Wash Cafe and Laundromat: San Francisco
This full-service laundrobar has one of the most extensive menus of the bunch. Founded in 1989, it's also the oldest, proving that California still averages about 20 years ahead on food trends. Washers can dine on fish and chips with chipotle aïoli, vegetarian chili, grapefruit and Parmesan salad, or the "flat iron chicken sandwich" (a chicken, onion marmalade, and pesto panini) while their clothes spin. Rachael Ray is a fan and—for better or for worse—there's a live cam of the shop available on their website. (Credit: Flickr user Stepan Mazurov)
3/7Harvey Washbangers: College Station, Texas
Located just steps from Texas A&M University, Harvey Washbangers is frequented by coeds lugging overstuffed hampers. But the laundrobar offers more than location—namely Culinary Institute of America–trained general manager Michael Lair. His jalapeño cream cheese burger, coconut and pecan pie, and "Ol Army Fries" (hand-cut fries topped with gravy, melted cheese, chorizo, and sliced jalapeños) are all made in-house. The food, along with 6 taps pouring Texas microbrews, attracts plenty of non-matriculated local residents. "We have a light board that alerts diners when their laundry is done," Lair says. "We joke that you can 'eat and drink till your lights go out!'" (Credit: Courtesy Harvey Washbangers)
4/7Laundrette: Hamburg, Germany
This might just be the most elegant laundromat in existence. With an emphasis on the café and bar side of the business, Laundrette customers can choose from espresso drinks and teas, homemade soups and cakes during the day, and a variety of beer, wine, and spirits at night. Throughout the week, the floor-to-ceiling washing machines hum constantly, but on Friday and Saturday evenings, the owners transform the laundry area into a dance party, complete with a D.J. Check out the video to understand why visiting Laundrette might actually beat having an in-house washer/dryer. (Credit: Courtesy Laundrette)
5/7The Laundromat Cafe: Copenhagen; Reykjavik
With a website that resembles the inside of a hostel, this laundrobar chainlet (there are three locations in Copenhagen and one in Reykjavik) is geared toward international travelers as well as locals. The menu offers a mix of comforting Western staples like hamburgers and French toast with marmalade, along with piri-piri chicken and tomato-shellfish soup. To help pass the time, there are board games, more than 6,000 books to browse, and a play area for kids. (Credit: Flickr user Ryan Harvey)
6/7Mangel Wirtschaft: Berlin, Germany
Located in Prenzlauer Berg, the Berlin equivalent of New York’s Soho, Mangel Wirtschaft offers a full brunch and lunch menu, including yogurt with muesli and mango, rolls with salmon, cream cheese, and horseradish, or tomato and gorgonzola sandwiches. The house cocktail—a mix of vodka, Baileys, Southern Comfort, banana nectar, and coffee liqueur—will certainly take one's mind off of doing laundry. The space occasionally gets rented out for private parties—fun for everyone involved, except laundrygoers who have to wait until the next day to tackle their wash. (Credit: Sven Dahl)
7/7Wasbar: Ghent and Antwerp, Belgium
Housed in a former bookstore, Wasbar is a European hipster's dream. The café serves a full brunch menu of freshly made waffles, espresso, tabbouleh, and toast topped with cheddar and pimento. On Friday evenings, there's a generous buffet of salads, cheese, and charcuterie—gratis for anyone who orders a glass of Prosecco. For those looking for more than food while their clothes get sudsy, there's a regular lineup of live concerts, D.J.'s, and an arsenal of stylists ready to administer a wash, trim, or shave. Wasbar has a second location in Antwerp that is essentially the same, minus the salon. (Credit: Courtesy Wasbar)
