Berlin's Users Guide (Food & more...)

If you can't find it here, you won't find it anywhere! Well, it might be a little exaggerated but it's not so far from reality. Actually, nice about Berlin is that you find things you didn't even know you were looking for... All the artists, intellectuals, trend&fashion makers of the continent are gathered here, together of course with the usual flock of weirdoes and freaks... From alternative to trendy, from ethnic to exclusive, you name it, we've got it. And guess what: you can still get traditional German food and beer!

How this "guide" is organized

Berlin is quite big. Not enormous, but big enough to force you to go around with the U-Bahn and S-Bahn. Hopping from one of the districts (Bezirk) in which the city is divided into another to look for a place to eat or drink is time consuming and not necessary. Each of them has his own character, his own charm and, most important of all, his own "downtown" packed with restaurants, cafes and clubs. There isn't such a thing as one Berlin, there are many and each one is worth a visit. This guide is thus listed by Bezirk and subdivided into neighboring areas which offer a vast selection of choices. The name of the conference Hotels are written besides the corresponding Bezirk, when one or more of the areas listed there are within walking distance. Pick up one and then decide if you want to eat Thai, Indian, Italian German or whatever, sit in a cafe' and enjoy a beer or a piece of cake, linger in a lounge bar or listen to music in a club. Each Bezirk is "introduced" and the main streets or squares in the relative areas where most places are to be found are shortly described, with a brief orientation. Look around and go somewhere you like, the ones listed here are just based on personal taste, not intended to be complete. You'll see many more around you, as you wander around the streets. Most places, especially in the liveliest corners of the city, are open until very late and don't make a strict distinction between being a restaurant or a cafe, so they can be used both to eat or just to have a drink. Bars and places with music are listed apart. At the end you will find a glossary about the typical things to do in Berlin and the abbreviations used throughout the guide.

Mitte (Hotels Unter den Linden, Forum)

Mitte is Berlin, if by it you mean the historic town. Until the middle of the 18th century the city ranged more or less from Branderburger Tor to Alexanderplatz from west to east and from Oranienburger Tor to Hallesches Tor from north to south, Potsdamer Platz just beginning to be settled. Times have changed since then, with a few wars fought and a Wall built and destroyed in the meantime, with Mitte sitting on the wrong side of it (ooops), but efforts to bring it back to its old splendor have been great and the results really impressive. All the areas listed below are actually quite close to each other, within reach of a normal tourist stroll.

Oranienburger Str.

The oldest working class area of Berlin (the first steel industries where established right to the north of it already in the 18th century) has now become the youngest heart of the nightlife, with many places clustered around Oranienburger Tor, Oranienburger Str. and right to the north of it, around Auguststr., as far as Gipsstr. and Sophienstr. Many private art galleries are also to be found here, and the popular courthouses now refurbished are a major attraction (U6 Oranienburger Tor, S-Bahn Oranienburger Str.)

Restaurants & Cafes'

Amrit: Good Indian food.
Kamala: Very good Thai, try the shrimps cooked inside a coconut...
Las Cucarachas: Average mexican food.
Aufsturz: Nice cafe' known for its vast selection of bottled beers. Good German dishes.
Mendelsohnn: International Cuisine.
Oren: Mediterranian Kosher food,
Rimon: Kosher food & Klezmer music!!!
Beth Kafe' (Tucholskystr.): Gefillte Fisch!!! Very cheap and tasty Kosher cuisine, a little random opening hours and service.
Baccanali (Auguststr.): Very nice and friendly Italian place.
Trattoria (Friedrichstr.): Italian cuisine in a nice atmosphere.
Good Times (Chausseestr.): One of the best Thai in town.
Kellerrestaurant im Brecht Haus (Chausseestr.): Vienna cuisine according to Helene Weigel (Brecht's wife and collaborator) original recipes.

Drinks & Music

Cafe' Orange
Cafe' Silberstein
Silberfisch
Lounge 808 Very trendy, watch the way you're dressed.
Tacheles The mother of all squatted houses...
Mc Bride's Nice wine bar.
Verkehrsberuhigte OstZone (Auguststr.)
The Pips (Auguststr.)
Cafe' Bravo (Auguststr.)
Strandbad Mitte (Kleine Hamburger Str.)
Schlot (Schlegelstr.): Live Jazz.
Bar-Celona (Hannoverschestr.) Tapas-bar.

Hackescher Markt

Just a little further east along Oranienburger Str. lies Hackescher Markt, center of the trendy scene, where many restaurants and even more clubs are clustered around the S-Bahn station and on Rosenthaler Str. The Hackeschen Höfen are worth a visit. (S-Bahn Hackescher Markt, U8 Weinmeister Str.)

Restaurants & Cafes'

Ossena: Good and relatively expensive Italian
Aedes (inside Hackesche Höfe): Wonderful place to sit, right in the middle of one of the most beautiful courthouses in Berlin.
Aschinger: German & touristy.
Cibo Matto (Rosenthaler Str.): Very nice Italian cafe, trendy, expensive and full.
Zucca: nice Italian under the S-Bahn.
Schwarzenraben (Neue Schönhauser Str.): Good Italian, popular with local tv and movie stars.
Al Contadino sotto le Stelle (Joachimstr.): Very small and incredibly good Italian.
Hasir (Oranienburger Str.): Turkish cuisine, try the roasted lamb...
El Malecon Habana (Monbijouplatz): Cuba at its best.
Restauration Sophien 11 (Sophienstr.): Good wine selection and very good priced dishes.
Brazil (Gormannstr.): Nice brasilian cuisine.
Mäcky Messer (Mulackstr.): My favorite Sushi bar.

Drinks & Music

Riva
Lemke
Oxymoron
Yosoy
Dante
Greenwich (Gipsstr.)
Compay (Alte Schönhauser Str.)
Aktionsgalerie (Auguststr.)
Feuerstein (Weinbergsweg)
Acud (Veteranenstr.): Live music almost every evening.
Kaffee Burger (Torstr.)
Roter Salon (Rosa Luxemburg Platz)

Friedrichstr. Bahnhof

East of it, under the railway station along Georgenstr., some restaurants are to be found, while west on Schiffbauerdamm and Albrechtstr. there are some nice restaurants and bars, usually frequented by professionals and politicians coming from the nearby Parliament... (U6, S-Bahn Friedrichstr.)

12 Apostel (Georgenstr.) One of the best Pizza in town.
Broker's Bierbörse (Schiffbauerdamm): Vast selection of beers (prices change according to demand) and small warm meals.
Bonn Hbf. (Schiffbauerdamm): Brasserie in a nice atmosphere.
Ganymed (Schiffbauerdamm): Medium priced French and German cuisine.
Engelbrecht (Schiffbauerdamm): Pricey international cuisine
Cafe' am Schiffbauerdamm: Nice atmosphere cafe.
KartoffelKeller (Albrechtstr.): Potato based restaurant.

Gendarmenmarkt

This was the noble heart of Berlin and it has gone now back to his old standards. Politicians, diplomats and chief executives meet here, so don't expect many bargains, but the view of the square is unbeatable... (U6, U2 Stadtmitte, U6 Französische Str.)

Löwenbräu (Charlottenstr.): It should be the best bavarian restaurant in town....
Brasserie am Gendarmenmarkt (Taubenstr.): International cuisine.
Guy (Jägerstr.): International cuisine and wonderful wine selection at fair prices, for its category...
Vau (Jägerstr.): Kolja Kleeberg should be one of the best cooks in town. Prices are up to his fame.
Portalis (Kronenstr.): Creative cooking at "creative" prices...

Alexanderplatz

The former pride of the GDR is now an huge tourist trap, quite empty in the evening. A couple of places still offer however nice and hearty German food. (U2, U5, U8 S-Bahn Alexanderplatz)

Brauhaus Georgbräu (Nikolaiviertel): German restaurant with good simple food and good beer.
Zum Nußbaum (Nikolaiviertel): One of the oldest in Berlin, good German food.
Mutter Hoppe (Nikolaiviertel): Good German food at good prices.
Paddenwirt (Nikolaiviertel): One of the few places serving typical Berlin cuisine...
Leopold's (Karl-Liebknecht Str.): The food is typical bavarian, but their self brewed beer is the real reason to go there...

Prenzlauerberg (Hotel Transit-Loft)

An old GDR popular quarter, Prenzlauerberg is now what Mitte was 5 years ago and what Friedrichshain will be in 5 years. Pricey restaurants are substituting cafes and clubs as the buildings get refurbished, making it an interesting mixture of alternative, trendy, unconventional and yuppie. Most of the places are quite close together, making it a nice spot to stroll around at night...

Kollwitzplatz

Many restaurant cluster around the square, Kollwitzstr., Knaackstr. and Wasserturm. (U2 Senefelderplatz.)

Restaurants & Cafes'

Gugelhof (Kollwitzplatz): French and International cuisine.
Am Kommandantur (Knaackstr.-Wasserturm): The best pizza in town.
Am Wasserturm (Knaackstr.-Wasserturm): Kosher cuisine.
Pasternak (Knaackstr-Wasserturm) Russian food.
Chagall (Kollowitzstr): Another popular russian restaurant.

Drinks & Music:

Müller-Lüdenscheid (Szredskistr.) Very good wine bar.
Bambi Bar (Kollwitzstr.)
Pfefferberg (Schonhauser Allee): right across the street from Senefelderplatz U-Bhnf lies this nice Biergarten where live music is often played.
Miles (Greifswalder Str.): blues cafe'.
Knaack (Greifswalder Str.): concerts or disco.

Kastanienallee

The bar street. Some food is available, but is not the main reason to come here. (U2 Eberswalder Str.)

Prater: My favourite Biergarten.
Mary Jane
Am einem Sonntag im August
Kastanie
Nemo (Oderberger Str.)
X-Bar (Raumer Str.)
Kulturbrauerai (Knaackstr.) Biergarten and more in this former brewery.

Friedrichshain (Hotel Upstalsboom)

This is the center of the young scene. Some of the most famous discos are here (Maria am Ostbahnhof, Matrix, Non Tox), as well as virtually all the squatted clubs. The cafes and bars are clustered around Simon-Dachstr. (U5 Frankfurter Tor). Among our favorites are:

Euphoria
Astrobar
Cafe' 100 Wasser
Cayetano
Conmux
Daneben
Die Tagung
Sanabel: Food, at last!

Kreuzberg (Hotel Transit)

This was the East quarter of West Berlin (together with Neukölln), before the whole "scene" moved "east". It is now its Little Ankara, still lively at every hour of the day and night...

Bergmannstr.

East and west of Mehringdamm lies this nice street with many restaurants and cafes. Relaxed atmosphere and good food practically everywhere. (U6-U7 Mehringdamm)

Atlantic
Keiserstein: International cuisine.
Golgatha (Kreuzbergstr.): Biergarten right in Victoria Park.
Mokkabar (Gneisenaustr.): International cuisine.
Chandra Kumari, (Gneisenauer Str.): Indian food, good and price worth.
Junction bar (Gneisenaustr.)
Osteria N.1 (Kreuzbergstr.) One of the most loved Italian places in Berlin.
Yorkschösschen (Yorkstr.): Live jazz & blues (Wendesday & Saturday evening and sunday afternoon), good cooking, nice summer garden.
Blue Nile (Tempelhofer Ufer U Hallesches Tor) Ethiopian cuisine, nice atmosphere, good food and good prices!
Curry 36 (Mehringdamm) Currywurst at its best (?).

Oranienstr. and Ufer

The younger scene in Kreuzberg is to be found around Oranienstr., along Skalitzer Str. all the way to Schlesisches Tor and on the canal bank (Ufer), where many restaurants and bars lie. Good food around Oranienplatz, good drinking around Görlitzer Bahnohof... (U1-U8 Kottbusser Tor, U1 Görlitzer Bahnohof, Schlesisches Tor)

Morgenland (Skalitzer Str.): One of the best places for brunch buffet.
Makabar (Oranienstr.)
Bateau Ivre (Oranienstr.)
Ossena (Oranienstr.): The first (Italian).
Amrit (Oranienstr.): The first (Indian).
Habibi (Oranienstr.): Felafel I.
Nachtigall (Ohlauer Str.): Felafel II.
Würge Engel (Dresdner Str.)
Morena (Wiener Str.)
Madonna (Wiener Str.)
Wild at Heart (Wiener Str.)
Il casolare (Grimmstr., am Ufer): Friendly Italian atmosphere, good Italian food.
Cafe' am Ufer (Paul Linke Ufer): Very nice for Frühstück.
Iskele (Planufer)

Treptower Park (Treptow)

Right east of Kreuzberg lies the Bezirk of Treptow. Treptower Park is right there, and inside it the Biergarten Zenner-Eierschale and Die Insel are very popular in summer for the Berliners.

Tiergarten

This is the old Kaiser's hunting park. Not much is to be found here, besides two of the best Biergarten in Town: Cafe' am Neuen See (Lichtensteinallee) and Schleusenkrug (Müller-Breslau Str./ Tiergartenschleuse). The other main attraction is Potsdamer Platz, which is however more interesting for its modern architecture than for its restaurants. Although many, they are quite touristy and without real highlights, apart for the fruit sundaes of the ice cream parlour at the second floor of the Arkaden shopping mall...

Schöneberg

Viktoria-Luise Platz, Winterfeldtplatz and Akazienstr. are the center of Schöneberg night life. They lie within walking distance of each other, making it a nice place to spend the evening (U1, U2, U4 Nollendorfplatz, U4 Viktoria-Luise Platz, U7 Eisenacher Str., U7 Kleistpark)

Montevideo (Victoria-Luise Platz): Nice Frühstück place.
Tomasa (Motzstr.): Simply the best Frühstück a la carte.
Tim's Canadian Deli (Winterfeldplatz-Maaßenstr.)
Cafe' Berio (Maaßenstr.)
April (Winterfeldstr.): Great Frühstück buffet.
Storch (Wartburgstr.): Unbeatable atmosphere. You have to share the table with perfect strangers and the menu changes everyday according to the cook's fancy. A great place...
Phuket (Akazienstr.): Cheap and tasty Thai.
Hasir (Maaßenstr.): The first in the world, still the best Kebab in town.
Habibi (Winterfeldplatz, Akazienstr.): Best felafel and Schawarma in town.
Slumberland (Winterfeldplatz)
Greendoor bar (Winterfeldstr.)
Mr. Hu (Goltzstr.)

Charlottenburg

This was the heart of West Berlin, a sort of re-invented downtown for a city that had lost its real one to the cold war. Now that all has become again "normal", it is still a very popular and nice commercial and residencial area, some sort of second center of Berlin. During the day Ku'damm is the liveliest place, but restaurants and cafes cluster mostly around Savignyplatz (S-Bahn Savignyplatz, U2, U9 Zoologischer Garten)

Restaurants & Cafes'

12 Apostel (Bleibtreustr.): The first, the best.
Carpe Diem (Savignypassage): Spanish restaurant and tapas bar.
Good Friends (Kantstr.): The best chinese in Berlin, simply unbetable.
Cour Carre' (Savignyplatz)
Schell (Knesebeckstr.): Very nice Italian restaurant.
Cafe' Savigny (Grolmanstr.): Popular for Frühstück.
Cafe' Hegel (Savignyplatz): Live music & Russian dishes.
Dralle's(Schlüter Str.): Live music & American dishes.
Weinrestaurant Yves Risacher(Savignyplatz)
Wellenstein (Kurfürstendamm)
Cafe' Bleibtreu (Bleibtreustr.): Weekend Frühstück buffet for 11 DM!
Literaturhaus Cafe' (Fasanstr.): Small but nice garden-cafe'.
Caras (Kurfürstendamm): Small dishes and good espresso.
Curry192 (Kurfürstendamm): The trendiest (?) Currywurst in Berlin...
Amstgericht (Kantstr.): Currywurst "Imbiss" popular with taxidrivers. Real Berlin atmosphere...

Drinks & Music

Gainsbourg (Savignyplatz)
A-Trane (Bleibtreustr.): Jazz and more.
Zwiebelfisch (Savignyplatz)
Galerie Bremer (Fasanenstr.)
Times Bar(Fasanenstr.): Cuban Cigar bar...
Quasimodo(Kantstr.): Live jazz.

Glossary

Biergarten

Ok, I admit it, the Heimat of the Biergarten is Munich, but it is 600 km. away and they speak even funnier than here, so you'll have to cope with what Berlin has to offer. Having a good fresh beer and sitting in open air, possibly within something green and well gardened, are two major sources of joy for Germans. While the former can be satisfied all year round, the latter has to face the reality of stubborn German weather which usually takes months to be convinced that it is actually summer, namely until summer is over and there is no point anymore in letting the sun shine, is there? The result is that any drop of sun is carefully enjoyed dipped in a nice glass of Weizenbier (Hefe or Kristall, Bavarian but tastes good here too), Pilsner, Schwarzbier or the ubiquitous Berliner Weiße (Rot or Grün, sour beer mixed with syrup, either you like it or you hate it, nothing in between). Any decent Biergarten in a lovely day will therefore be packed like a football stadium for the World Cup, the rule being that long tables are to be shared among perfect strangers. The other rule is self catering, the whole staff being busy tapping tons of draught beer to go around to collect orders. There is only someone gathering empty bottles and dishes, unless of course you left a deposit (Pfand) for something, in which case you have to take it back yourself to have your money returned. Berlin Biergarten are "moderate", don't expect Oktoberfest atmosphere and Volksmusik, some of them being actually quite popular with trendy youngsters. What more can I say, go out there and enjoy them, if it doesn't rain!


Frühstücken

If there is one thing "young" (up to their 40's) Berliners go bananas about is breakfast, which they call Frühstück and is to any practical purpose a brunch, meaning too late for breakfast and too early for lunch. It is started by the perfect trendy Berliner on late morning and can go on till middle afternoon, most of the places still serving "breakfast" as late as 4-6 pm, with a couple of fanatics running 'round the clock. Frühstück is young and trendy and if you are a student and don't have to work you can frühstück all week long. Most of the people however happen to work, so on Saturday and Sunday the best places are packed and one might need a reservation. Frühstück is a social event, for which they dress properly. Friends are met at Frühstück, family reunions are at Frühstück and in general the first thought for the weekend is "Where and with whom will I frühstück?". The main line among brunch places is drawn between those who offer a set choice, which can be however extremely large (some offer more than 50 different platter combinations) and those who have a buffet, in which case you can fill up your dish as much as you want, drinks not included. Some places I happen to like are listed in the guide and if you are staying until Saturday 25 it would be a pity to leave Berlin without trying any of them out...

Clubs and Bars

The Club and Bar scene in Berlin is the most impressive thing the town has to offer, ranging from the trendiest to the wildest, craziest or simply unbelievable things in the world. Some are born and die as fast as the city changes, some are real institutions, some are for teenies and some for "grown ups", the spectrum is wide enough to meet any taste. Most have of course music, either live or with dj, and dancing is often the rule. Berlin techno and rave scene is world wide famous, with the Love Parade its highest peak, although the whole thing has become quite "conventional" and certainly commercial. Typical of the "unconventional" scene are "squatted" clubs, lasting no more than a few days or even hours, where an empty suitable area (a former shop or equivalent) gets temporary decorated by some young artist and used as a bar or club for a some time, usually until the people get tired and move somewhere else. East Berlin is the ideal place for such operations, the rate at which old buildings are bought, refurbished and sold being unbelievable. As "normal" restaurants, cafes, bars and stores move in the "squatters" move somewhere else, the whole thing being tolerated or even encouraged. It all started in Mitte at the fall of the Wall (Tacheles is still there), moved to Prenzlauer Berg in the middle 90's and is currently happening mostly in Friedrichshain. Don't complain with me, if at the plenary sessions you will show up with a headache...

Giuseppe Burgio