Hello Berlin #9 - Where To Eat In Berlin

Berlin has so much to offer besides its extraordinary night scene. With its mix of educated visitors and local cosmopolitan, the city also offers a broad basket of gastronomic alternatives. 

Casual Cool is the motto of the city; nothing too rigid or conservative here is the norm, and deeper you venture into the heart of the city, the more you get relaxed. The gastronomic tour will begin with places where to try something sweet while you drink a coffee with a friend to more complex culinary experiences. Fascinated by this unknown quayside scene that Berlin offers, we took a look behind the scenes, and found some of the best location where to indulge in pure delicious treat.

Here's our list of the top six of our Berlin favorites restaurants, cafes and places in-between, and all with a special must-have to offer. 

 

#1 Vegan Candy at Brammibal’s Donuts

Besides strolling along the beautiful Maybachufer where you can find a bi-weekly Turkish market (Tuesday + Friday) and the Saturday flea market, you defiantly should jump into this little vegan coffee place. Besides tasty matcha latte and self-roasted specialty coffee, the place offers a palette of delicious crazy colored donuts. All handmade and vegan. A must have for all candy lovers who look for something special to sweeten up their life. 

Opening Hours Tuesday to Sunday 10 am - 6 pm 
Maybachufer 8, 12047 Berlin  

#2 Hot Shot at Wild Things Berlin

 

Tapas-like dishes and natural wines are on the card of this wonderful bar/restaurant, which is placed in Neukölln, but is a little further away from the known party area. These petite food plates are based on great recipes but aren't the only specialties offered there. They recently opened a Mezcal Bar in the back of the restaurant - yes: the high percentage liquor from Mexico. It looks like this is the hottest shot, which the Berliners are craving for these days.

Opening Hours every day from 6 pm until end 
Weserstrasse 172, 12045 Berlin 
 

#3 French Chic at Dînette

 

The new bistro in Friedrichshain serves classic, easy, and yummy French cuisine while also offering catering services. Every day the kitchen opens at lunch time. The menu changes almost daily as the ingredients are fresh and seasonal. For brunch lovers, they also have a special treatment set up: the bistro has a bi-weekly Brunchette - a total must-eat occasion. Classical croquet monsieur or croquet trans are offered alongside veggie salads and smoothies, and homemade Lemonade. For those hung-over candidates, there is always a Bloody Mary readily available. "Taking your time to relax" is the motto - whether you visit for a work lunch or for a break on the weekend. 

Opening Hours Monday to Friday 12 am - 4 pm 
Lehmbruckstrasse 9, 10245 Berlin 

#4 Underground brunch at Geist im Glas

 

By night it's a bar and on weekends Geist im Glas also functions as a cozy brunch place. It is known not only for this but also for its living- room character. The classic prohibition-era cocktails are made out of their house-infused spirits and top-shelf selected spirits, already a special quality. The brunch also should not be missed out on. One cautionary note however...you won’t find coffee on the menu. Instead - besides their three signature Bloody Mary - they serve tea, things like Biscuits and gravy, fluffy pancakes with dulce de leche, huevos rancheros loaded with fresh and spicy guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. A south-American based, boozy brunch. Just in time for the warmer season, they recently added some spring specials to the menu like brioche cinnamon french toast with clotted cream and maple syrup masticated strawberries.
The brunch’s motto is: "first come, first eat".

Opening Hours Monday to Wednesday 7pm - 2am and until 4 am on Saturday
Lenaustraße 27, 12047 Berlin 
 

#5 Secret garden at DUDU

 

Right on Torstrasse, Mitte, the restaurant resides behind some bars where a little terrace surrounded by hundred of plants opens up. Especially in summer, this is a wonderful place to take a bite and to calm down. If you visit DUDU, you won’t be alone. The established "it" -location which serves asian-fusion, is almost a legend itself. The owners, Chi Cao Hanh and Nam Cao Hoai, are siblings as famous as their restaurant - they are part of Berlin’s in-crowd and so are their visitors. That’s why besides enjoying delicious food and this great green surrounding, it’s always a place where you will see and you will be seen ...besides enjoying your lunch or dinner.  

Opening Hours every day 12 am – 12 pm
Torstrasse 134,10119 Berlin 

#6 Bite of home at Monella

Yes, Berlin is full of Italians and so also the great food entered the city and conquered the foodies’ hearts by storm. No wonder that the streets of Berlin are paved with Pizza places and Co. That’s also why the True Italian Pizza Week came into being. One, and for sure the hot-spot when it’s comes to Neapolitan pizza in Berlin, is Monella – a perfect get-together place in the heart of Neukölln. Opened around two year’s ago the place has already was announced by falstaff.de as the second best pizza in Germany. There is no doubt where this is coming from: after all you enjoy besides wine or classic drinks and cocktails like Negroni and Spritz, your freshly backed pizza is baked with the finest ingredients, hand picked and delivered straight from Naples and Sorrento. It's the must-eat pizza taking all internationals and locals alike by storm. 

Opening Hours daily from 6 pm – 1 am
Weichselstr. 17, 12045 Berlin 

Credits

Dinette image by Ilona Hartmann
DUDU image by Steve Herud
Monella image and cover image by Thomas Neukum