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Berlin has plenty of unassuming neighborhood restaurants serving old-fashioned German food but happily, the dining scene in this thriving city has expanded to incorporate all sorts of international cuisine, as well as healthier, more contemporary versions of the German classics.
As in many other destinations around the world, eating locally sourced and organic food is more and more the rage in Berlin. Restaurants now understand that although they could import ingredients from other European countries, there are plenty of fresh farm resources closer to home. Look for the name Brandenburg, for instance, before Ente (duck) or Schwein (pork) on a menu–-it's the rural area just outside of Berlin. In spring, definitely look for the weisser Spargel, white asparagus from nearby Beelitz, which is all the rage, showing up as a main course with a variety of sauces, in pastas, soups, and even desserts.
When it comes to international cuisine, Berlin options run the gamut. Italian food is abundant, from relatively mundane pizza and pasta establishments to restaurants offering specific regional Italian delicacies. Asian restaurants, in particular, are popular, as is Turkish food, especially the beloved döner shops selling pressed lamb or chicken in flat-bread pockets with a variety of sauces and salads—always great for a quick meal, and a perennial late-night favorite. Wurst, especially Currywurst—curry-flavored pork sausage served with a mild curry ketchup—is also popular if you're looking for a quick meal on the go.
Old-fashioned German and especially Berlin cuisine is getting harder to find these days, as most restaurants aim to attract customers by reinventing the classics in the so-called Neue Deutsche Küche (new German cuisine) movement. But real, old Berlin classics are still lurking around town if you know where to look. Berlin's most traditional four-part meal is Eisbein (pork knuckle), always served with sauerkraut, pureed peas, and boiled potatoes. Other old-fashioned Berlin dishes include Rouladen (rolled, stuffed beef), Spanferkel (suckling pig), Berliner Schüsselsülze (potted meat in aspic), Hackepeter (ground beef), and Berliner Leber (calves' liver with cooked apples and onions).
Weekend brunch buffets are popular in Berlin and restaurants all over the city get crowded with patrons lingering over the meals.
It's worth noting that Berlin is known for its curt, slow service, except at high-end restaurants. Also keep in mind that many of the top restaurants are closed Sunday, and sometimes Monday as well.
Known for having one of the best breakfasts in Berlin (think avocado toast and toasted brioche with berry preserves), the filtered coffee at Distrikt is far from an afterthought, with beans chosen from some of Europe's top roasteries. Tea lovers aren't left out with a fine selection from Kreuzberg's Companion Coffee & Tea, served up with a scrumptious choice of cakes.
Intimate and effortlessly cool, this pint-size modern restaurant specializes in prix fixe menus showcasing creative plates using both local and European ingredients with an Asian touch, served alongside expertly mixed cocktails or inspired wine choices. Snag one of the tables if you’ve come with a group, but it’s most fun to sit on a bar stool near the kitchen where you can chat with the friendly staff and feel like a part of the action.
In the grand Berlin tradition of reinventing historical spaces, this lovely wine bar and Italian restaurant has taken over a former stamp shop (“Briefmarken” means “stamps” in German) on beautiful Karl-Marx-Allee; you can pick a regional Italian wine off the shelves (also preserved from the stamp-selling days) or leaf through the extensive list. Accompany your choice with antipasti like fresh mozzarella with speck, broccoli rabe, and marinated artichokes, or one of the daily menu of fresh pastas.
On a small winding street in an area between Kreuzberg and Schöneberg known as Rote Insel (Red Island) because of its location between two S-bahn tracks and its socialist, working-class history, this neighborhood institution was an early advocate of the slow-food movement. The food is Italian and focuses on high quality, locally sourced ingredients and everything—whether it's an innovative preparation of artichokes or beef fillet with green peppercorns—is tasty.
Just across from the Nauener Tor, Café Heider has been serving coffee in this Viennese-style café since 1878. In warmer weather, the outdoor seating has views of the gate; the indoor dining room has large bay windows and plush seating. The menu includes both Berlin and Viennese specialties, like Berliner currywurst, potatoes with quark cheese, and a classic Wiener schnitzel. For dessert, you can choose from cakes, ice cream, and the traditional Viennese dessert Marillenknödel (apricot-filled dumplings), which are difficult to find outside Austria. Sunday brunch is served here as well.
Within view (and earshot) of the elevated U1 line, Café Morgenland is a relatively unremarkable neighborhood haunt on weekdays but on Sundays it devotes an entire room to the extremely popular brunch buffet, which means table space can be scarce. The Turkish-inspired dishes (an ode to the home country of many a Kreuzberg native) are a delicious alternative to the more traditional brunches served elsewhere in Berlin.
Located in a small courtyard off the busy Karl-Marx-Strasse in Neukölln, Cafe Rix is a quiet oasis with a golden ceiling—a remnant from the building's heyday as a dance hall. The café is popular for its extensive menu all day long; on a nice day, stop by for a "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake) to enjoy on their outdoor terrace.
Tucked into a courtyard behind the bflat jazz club, this elegant restaurant benefits from fresh ingredients, expert cooking, and an enticing exotic tea list. It has a lovely location; the outdoor space is adorned with paper lamps and canopies. You'll find the usual suspects, like fresh summer rolls and skewered meats with peanut sauce, but there are also some excellent original dishes, like the pickled Vietnamese eggplant and the rice "burger" with smoked tofu and lotus root. Brunch is served on the weekends.
Russian treats such as dumplings, borscht, blini (Russian pancakes), and much more are the mainstays at this casually refined restaurant with a lovely outdoor terrace for when the weather is nice. There are several set menus available for lunch and dinner, and the breakfast selection is second to none, with a wide range of set menus and egg dishes (including delicious shakshuka) alongside standards like pancakes and French toast.
if you come for the weekend brunch you can try just about all of the delicious dishes, as well as dessert, in an extensive buffet.
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