AWESOME BERLIN

When I first visited our beloved city, before even considering moving here, the first place I fell in love with was Friedrichshain. The busy streets around Boxhagener Platz, the historical Karl-Marx/Frankfurter Allee, the RAW Gelände… A typical touristic stroll, which now feels like not even scratching the surface of this interesting and always changing neighborhood.

After 4 years in the city, I have continued to love Friedrichshain, but thankfully discovered many other corners in the area. Here’s what I’d call a perfect day in Friedrichshain!

To start the day, there is no shortage of cafés and restaurants that offer breakfast or even brunch on weekends. One of my favorites is the café Lykke, which is 100% gluten-free and organic. The café also offers vegetarian and vegan options, equally gluten-free. The flavors are amazing. They make their own bread and it is delicious!

Photo by Helena Nacinovic

From there, follow the streets in the direction of Warschauer Straße and discover the small shops, which sell mostly unique, handmade items. Follow along Wühlischstraße or Sonntagsstraße to explore the different corners. If walking stimulates your appetite, be careful when choosing a place to eat, even though there are many restaurants in the area. There are quite a few bigger places that are frustratingly bland and boring.

I recommend going for a simple, very Berliner/German restaurant: Speisehaus. It is German food made with regional ingredients, fair prices and no Bavarian clichés to be seen! A nice, comfortable and delicious restaurant that offers very nice seasonal options as well as a fixed menu. But careful! Vegetarians won’t have loads of options there, so in this case, it is better to go across the street to Mammam, a small, simple Vietnamese restaurant that offers more taste than your average generic Vietnamese place in Berlin.

Still hungry? Go for the best ice cream in Berlin, at Eismanufaktur? The shop is closed during winter, but in any other season, I would highly recommend one scoop of salted caramel ice cream here. Eismanufactur also has shops in other neighborhoods beyond Friedrichshain. Also try it in Mitte, Kreuzberg, Kreuzkölln, Rixdorf and Wedding.

Photo from Eismanufactur’s Website

A movie buff? Check out one of the coolest cinemas in Berlin: b-ware! Ladenkino. It is a video store and cinema club mix. A different movie every two hours, usually original version. Lots of character, lots of great movie options.

Photo by Helena Nacinovic

If you feel like being outside a bit longer, try strolling towards Samariterplatz, in the north part of Friedrichshain. I recommend ending your walk at Die Kaffeefreunde, a friendly neighborhood café with good coffee for a fairer price than the fancy shops at Boxhagener Kiez. From there, go on a short bike or U-Bahn ride to the Computerspielemuseum. Even if you are not a major fan of video games, this interactive small museum is always worth a visit. You can play older/vintage games there! And on the way, enjoy the view of the TV Tower, the tall 50s Stalinist buildings and the gardens along Karl-Marx Allee.

Watch the sunset from a privileged spot! Continue on Karl-Marx Allee until PlaceOne – Panoramabar Berlin. It is a classic Berlin rofftop club/bar with perfect views over the city. There’s no better way to round up the day!

Photo from Place One’s Website

This article was written by Helena Nacinovic. Helena is an instructional designer, a photographer and a writer for Almost Locals. She has been living in Berlin for the last 4 years and is still in love with the city. She lives in Lichtenberg and she also offers English-speaking tours with www.fototourberlin.de

Edited by Tulio Edreira.

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AWESOME BERLIN

A few years back, fine dining in Berlin was reduced to only a couple of notable options. The “fancy” Berlin restaurant scene, however, has significant evolved since then. So much so that Berlin now has the highest number of Michelin Starred restaurants in Germany. Fine, having a Michelin star is not everything and it also does not mean that there aren’t quite a few amazing dining options without the famous quality seal.

Photo from Skykitchen’s Website

With that in mind, we thought it might be useful share the Best high end restaurants in Berlin with you.

If you want to try some of these and do not want to spend a fortune, check their websites for lunch options. They are usually more casual, less pricey and still delicious.

Make sure to make reservations! These are in high demand these days. And it keeps getting harder and harder to get a table.

Let’s start with the “Cream of the crop”.

2 Michelin Stars/Chef/Neighborhood

Fischers Fritz /Lohse, Christian/Mitte
Lorenz Adlon /Otto, Hendrik/Mitte
Reinstoff  /Achilles, Daniel/Mitte
Tim Raue /Raue, Tim/Mitte (Also on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in the World List)
FACIL /Kempf, Michael/Mitte
Horváth / Frank, Sebastian/Kreuzberg
Rutz /Müller, Marco/Mitte

Photo from Lorenz Adlon’s Website

Onto to the second tier of the major league of Restaurants in Berlin!

1 Michelin Star/Chef/Neighborhood

Frühsammers /Frühsammer, Sonja/Wilmersdorf
Hugos /Kammeier, Thomas/Schöneberg
5 – cinco by Paco Pérez /Pérez, Paco/Tiergarten
Pauly Saal /Anker, Arne/Mitte
SKYKITCHEN flavored by a.choice /Koppe, Alexander/Friedrichshain
Nobelhart & Schmutzig /Schäfer, Micha/Mitte
Bandol Sur Mer /Saul, Andreas/Mitte
Bieberbau /Garkisch, Stephan/Wilmersdorf
Markus Semmler / Semmler, Markus/Charlottenburg
Richard /Richard, Hans/Kreuzberg
einsunternull /Rieger, Andreas/ Mitte

Cinco by Paco Pérez. Photo by www.inteerior.com

Naturally there are many more fine dining (or not) restaurant options to choose from in Berlin. If you fancy something more casual or less expensive, check out our Lunch and Dinner options for more tips.

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Berlin Weißensee is one of those areas you could easily pass through on your way to somewhere else without giving it a second thought. It might not look all that special (compared to picturesque Prenzlauer Berg or hip Neukölln). However, don’t let it slip you by!

If you only have one day to spend here before the temptation of a night at the Berghain calls, here are just some of the things you can do in this underrated part of town. Our beloved Berlin Weißensee! 

Photo by Natalie Lunt

Spend the morning at the gorgeous Weißer See (Lake). Set up camp, lay back and RELAX. You won’t even realise you’re in the big city as you read a book, go for a dip in the water, feed the ducks and watch the world pass you by. There’s plenty of grass and shady spots and a path that goes right the way around so you can take in all the amazing views. Plus a beachy area where you can cool off with a drink or snack. You can even hire a rowboat for a while and let all your troubles float away…

After all that relaxation you might need some action (or are curious about abandoned children’s hospitals?). Don’t fret – adventure awaits! Take your camera, a pal (and a torch just in case) and check out the creepy ‘Kinderkrankenhaus’. On a day where there’s lots of light, you’ll get some amazing photos inside – however, do be careful! It’s not technically allowed for people to go inside, plus it’s in a pretty bad state in some parts (due to numerous arson attacks over the years). So watch your footing! More than likely you won’t be the only ones inside and might cross paths with other curious Berliners wandering about. But with three large buildings to explore it’ll still feel like you have the place to yourself.

Photo by Natalie Lunt

If trespassing is not your thing or you fancy something a bit more thought-provoking, you don’t need to travel too far to find some history. Take a look inside the Jüdische Friedhof Berlin Weißensee – it’s Europe’s second largest Jewish cemetery. Maybe a stroll around a graveyard isn’t how you like to spend your days off, but it really is a fascinating site containing more than 115,000 graves. At the entrance you’ll find a Holocaust memorial and commemorative stones whilst inside 120 different sections of grave plots, each with its own geometric shape. Many of the original graves are still intact as luckily, the cemetery wasn’t damaged too badly during the wars.

Photo by Natalie Lunt

By now you must be pretty peckish after all that Berlin Weißensee excitement… Not to worry! Weißensee’s got you covered as there are plenty of good places to eat depending on what your taste buds desire, be it Thai, Indian, Cuban or Japanese. From the yummy restaurant chain Schiller Burger to the very fancy Milchhäuschen that’s been kicking around since the 70s, you’re sure to end a perfect day in Weißensee on a food high.

Photo from Schiller Burger’s Website

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Neukölln is one of Berlin’s busiest neighbourhoods and it’s a must-see for the culture, vibe, food, bars, and some unexpectedly great things to see and do.

Enjoy our tips on how to spend the perfect day in Berlin Neukölln with a walk or slow bike ride around this happening area.

Start at U-Bhf Schönleinstraße and aim for Maybachufer along the Spree. On Tuesdays & Fridays this leafy stretch is alive with a Turkish market, offering cooked delicacies, fresh fruit and vegetables, clothes and fabric stalls and much more. If you’re there on an off day, it’ll be a quieter stroll and you can take the chance to check out The Bread Station for delicious warm loaves, and coffee.

Continue to The Berlin Book Nook for a bulging store of second-hand books (in English!) then keep going along Pannierstraße towards Sonnenallee. You’ll be heading past cafes, second-hand clothing stores (including the hip Repeater), community gardens, and Two&Two, a cafe of matcha delights along with funky Japanese stationery.

For lunch, you’re now on Sonnenallee for world of options. Al Andalos does legendary falafel and schawarmas, both cheap and delicious. If you’re really hungry, a giant plate for two goes for just 9 euros. Risa Chicken does some of the low-key best charcoal chicken in Berlin where even chefs admit it’s their guilty pleasure. For a sweet treat, Roamers, just off between the two lunch options, offers the most ridiculous carrot cake you’ll find.

Roamers Carrot Cake. Photo by Tristan Rayner.

From here we’re heading into Tempelhof Feld via Schillerkiez. Ride, walk, or jump on a bus up towards Boddinstraße, and Herrfurthplatz. Grab a drink from a nearby Späti to take with you into the entrance to Tempelhof.

DH5JM3 People sitting on raised seats on Tempelhof Airfield in the evening sun, Berlin-Tempelhof, Tempelhofer Feld, Berlin, Berlin

The gentle slope into the old airfield is the best spot in the park to people-watch, lie in the sun, or grab a seat in the nearby community garden. Stop to admire the work of green-thumb Berliners. If you bike, skateboard, or rollerblade, take a chance to tour the old runways, and find the plane left for firefighters to practice on.

The perfect day in Berlin Neukölln continues…With the sun starting to set, your evening starts with a visit to Klunkerkranich on top of the Neukölln Arcaden. (It’s hard to find: Go to the elevators near the Deutsche Post office, then hit fifth floor.)

Photo from Klunkerkranich’s Facebook Feed

This is the spot to look out (with a drink in hand!) over Berlin’s rooftops. Even in winter it’s a great spot to visit as the bar area becomes super cosy with a hot drink.

Dinner options await you from here too. Nearby Tung Long has cheap and cheerful Vietnamese, while Nudelbude is always busy. If you fancy a drink, Das Gift is a quirky Scottish bar that offers a good selection of drinks, cocktails. You’ll find a seat easily. From there, you can find a traditional baklava or knafeh dessert at Konditorei Umkalthum.  End the day at the small bars of Weserstraße!

*A perfect day in Neukölln was written by Tristan Rayner. Tristan is a freelance writer and editor from Australia. He considers Berlin the best kind of Hotel California. And he occasionally makes tasty apple cider. Twitter: @tristanrayner

**Edited by Tulio Edreira.

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We have always been fans of soft serve ice cream.  “Soft serve” is a type of ice cream that is softer than regular ice creams as a result of air being introduced during freezing. It has been sold commercially since the late 1930s. This peculiar type of ice cream is also part of life in Berlin and many East German cities. A concept that had not been updated for the longest time.

Traditional soft serve ice cream. From Paul Möhring’s Facebook Feed.

Until recently, the vast majority of soft serve ice cream shops served generic, artificially flavored (at times made with powder) concoctions. And that has, unfortunately, tarnished the reputation of this potentially delicious ice cream form.

Paul Möhring soft serve ice cream to the rescue! Well, we are very happy to say that we found a place that has taken the soft serve ice cream concept to heart. They are serving an exciting combination of unusual flavors and fun toppings. Let’s call it “the next level soft serve ice cream”.

Photo from Paul Möhring’s Website.

Find Paul Möhring around the busy Hackeschermarkt area, along Oranienburger Strasse (See map below). The charming ice cream shop has the potential to finally change the soft serve ice cream game in Berlin and Germany (why not?). You can feel the love here. From the shop itself (cool design, great service) to the insanely fun and delicious flavors they serve. The soft ice cream “ooses” premium ingredients like Grand Cru Valrhona chocolate and fresh whole vanilla beans.

Photo from Paul Möhring’s Website

There are a couple of traditional options as well, if you prefer to stick to your favorite flavors. And while we do love a great vanilla soft serve, we did get super excited about some of their specials.

Take, for example, their “Holy Shit” –  chocolate ice cream with pretzel stick crush, szechuan pepper and Valrhona chocolate sauce. Or “Campfire” – vanilla or chocolate ice cream with burnt Marshmallows, cookie dust and Valrhona chocolate sauce. Another crazy fun “seasonal flavor” is the  “Gin Tonic cucumber with mexican Chamoy” (lime, chilli, salt).

Photo from Paul Möhring’s Website.

I mean….their concept of mixing tradition with madness totally shines through! Fun toppings include wasabi pea dust, salted peanuts, Bourbon walnuts, Balsamico raspberries, hot sauce, among others. We must come back to try and create our own flavor/topping combinations soon!

And they also serve great coffee drinks (beautifully executed) from Bonanza Coffee Roasters. In the cutest cups!

Paul Möhring’s Website

Address: Oranienburger Straße 84 Berlin, Germany

Phone: 0170 3417618

Paul Möhring Soft Serve Ice Cream
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The Mexican food scene in Berlin has, for the longest time, been a hit and miss game. And we’ve had fun, delicious as well as disastrous meals in many Mexican restaurants around town. Consistency is still one of the biggest problems. One day they are great. The next…not so much. I truly hope that the new “kid on the block” can bring its game to deliver consistent good food.  Hear that, La Lucha?

Photo from La Lucha’s Facebook Feed

Le Lucha is a fun new Mexican restaurant in Kreuzberg. Sorry, as they themselves classify their food: Modern Mexican restaurant. We are not sure what that means. But we assume their goal is to deliver Mexican flavors and dishes with a modern and inventive twist.

La Lucha’s location could not be more charming. Right off the beloved Landwehrkanal,  inside a stunning “Altbau” with a giant open air seating area. There is something to be said about a fun restaurant concept along one of Berlin’s magical waterways…

Photo from La Lucha’s Facebook Feed

The overall concept and design of La Lucha is upbeat, colorful, modern and tasteful. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The crowd (yes, the place gets quite busy) is diverse and casual but does skew on the younger/hip side. The combination makes for an overall relaxed and lively experience.

Photo from La Lucha’s Facebook Feed

The menu “takes a stroll” through Mexican, Tex Mex and Latin American concepts in a playful way. Some dishes deliver a definite Mexican flavor profile, like the Tamal Rojo, while others deconstruct known concepts like the beef brisket burrito. Overall, there are some hits and misses (like the fish tacos and the ceviche), but the final result is still satisfying and worthwhile. Disclaimer: We did visit La Lucha the Chef was being replaced. Make sure to speak with the staff and let them guide you through the menu. When in doubt, get the Molcajete and a couple of beers or Micheladas and call it a night!

Smoked Pisco Sour

La Lucha’s drinks, like the food, can also deliver a mixed experience. The Mezcal selection and the Smoked Pisco Sour were EXCELLENT, but the Margaritas were a little on the watered-down side. But that could be just a matter of taste.

Overall, we recommend La Lucha Modern Mexican Restaurant for a fun evening with friends (big groups are better, so you can sample more food options). Reservations are highly recommended.

Go for a stroll along the canal afterwards. You are sure to have a memorable Berlin-style night!

La Lucha Berlin Mexican Restaurant’s website

Address: Paul-Lincke-Ufer 41, 10999 Berlin

Phone: +49 (0)30 55 2009 14

La Lucha Berlin Modern Mexican Restaurant
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Ahhh Berlin Schöneberg. There’s probably no other city district in Berlin that holds so much (culinary) diversity that would make even important figures of the West proudly and not wrongly exclaim “I am a Berliner”.

Photo from http://www.steuckardt.de/inhalte/1009866/cdu-schoeneberger-westen/index.html

If you’ve been running after the elusive feeling that the world could be your oyster, then you might just need to give yourself some time off from the hurry scurry of the over-populated touristy areas, take it easy and head over to this lovely and chilled corner of Berlin.

A long day of exploration starts with a good coffee and there’s no stress to find some of the best cafes along Akazienstraße and neighboring Gotzstraße. The coffee in Double Eye is premium quality and ideal to take away. Their wide assortment of coffee beans from far and wide is famed for bringing even Berliners from other neighborhoods to taste an award winning brew. The Visit Coffee Roastery, located in a beautiful backyard on Akazienstraße is yet another great coffee place, with some of the best espresso around and also a nice choice of snacks. The charming Gottlob Café is perfect to watch passersby whilst enjoying your drink under green ivy.

Photo from Double Eye’s Facebook Feed.

For sweet tooth emergencies or professional chocolate shopping in Berlin Schöneberg, there’s no better place than Winterfeldt Schokoladen aka “The Chocolate Pharmacy”, with 1000 different chocolate products, pralines, and amazingly rich (yet crazy affordable) hot chocolate. All in a vintage, landmarked pharmacy with gorgeous cabinets that doubles as a café indoors and outdoors. You can also find their shop online.

Photo from Winterfeld’s Website.

Jones Ice Cream is by far one of the best in town and they also offer vegan alternatives served with environmentally friendly tableware. Their Mint lime sorbet is to die for.

Irrelevant of weather conditions, the beauty and charm of the tastefully decorated street restaurants will be sure to draw you in and it’s not a flight of fancy to find a really good restaurant or any cuisine of the world amongst the dearth of choice.

If you would like to try some great Korean food, we recommend a sizzling and delicious Bibimbap at Ixthys, served in hot stone plates with cozy and super friendly atmosphere. For a true taste of Italy, pizzeria Malafemmena on Hauptstraße, ranks as another award winning place by being one of the only 2 pizzerias in Germany to have been accepted by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, thanks to its high quality ingredients.

Cafe M, opened 1979 is a true legend of Berlin punk and nightlife culture, and definitely a good place to start the evening. Afterwards, Salut Classic Bar is great for a nice cocktail and if you’re going for something special, Slumberland’s friendly barkeepers, special fruity beer serving and sandy floors might make for a unique experience.

Photo by Madalina Vintilescu.

Take a nice stroll or listen to some impromptu street music in the numerous parks and green spaces in Berlin Schöneberg. Rudolph-Wilde-Park (or by its older name “Stadtpark Schöneberg”), is a great area to chill and big enough to even practice sports, to be reached by U4 station ‘Rathaus Schöneberg’. Natur Park Schöneberg Südgelande, south of Schöneberg is another green oasis to wander through, with a diverse and somewhat wilder landscape that naturally took over the former Tempelhof railway yard.

As an aside, if you’re off hunting for bargains and not the type to indulge too much or splurge on entertainment, then the Flea market at Rathaus Schöneberg could prove a perfect weekend activity. Open every Saturday and Sunday between 8AM and 4PM. For international specialties, Farmer’s market at Winterfeldplatz is a gourmet’s paradise with endless choice of quality product.

And since we’ve been saluting the diversity of choice in this low-key and often understated district, this year’s 25th edition Lesbian and Gay Festival was another good reason to celebrate with street food, concerts and cheerful inclusivity. For more tips about Gay parties, bars and more, check out our “Gay Berlin” section.

Photo from http://www.stadtfest.berlin

*This article was written by Madalina Vintilescu.

**Edited by Tulio Edreira.

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Soldiner Kiez, Wedding

Even after months (or years) of exploring Berlin, it’s still possible to stumble onto hidden gems and unexpected surprises. Hop of at U-Osloer Str. and take a stroll through Soldiner Kiez to find peaceful cafés, cool community spaces, and a home away from home (literally).

Rosa Parks House

Tucked in a small corner of Soldiner Kiez in Wedding is a surprising piece of American history. The home of Rosa Parks, famous African American civil rights activist, sits in between apartment buildings and a parking area. Of course, Parks never lived in Wedding herself – though she did live in the Detroit home in the late 1950s after leaving her native Alabama. When the house fell into disrepair and was scheduled for demolition after Parks passed away in 2005, American artist Ryan Mendoza worked with Parks’ niece to ship it over, piece by piece, and put it back together in Berlin.

The juxtaposition of the old 1950s house with the familiar Berlin apartment structures can feel like a window back in time, and makes for a great pit stop on a bike ride around the neighborhood and nearby Panke. Because it’s located in a private residence, it might be easier (and less intrusive) to drop by and take a look from the Hinterhof next door (20 Wriezener Str). To get a closer look, keep an eye on special events, like open mic nights or viewing hours, are posted every now and then on the artist’s page.

Address: Wriezener Str. 19, 13359 Berlin.

Update on Rosa Parks House in Berlin: According to an interview with the New York Times, Mendoza only intended Soldiner Kiez to be a temporary home for the structure – and in recent days it looks like there’s renewed interest in returning the structure to the United States for exhibition. Be sure to drop by and see this unusual gem before it’s gone for good!

Rosa Parks Café

Just around the corner on Soldiner Str. is the newly opened Rosa Parks Caf’é, which takes it’s name from the house nearby and is decorated with photographs and images of civil rights movements icons, from Nelson Mandela to John Lennon. When I showed up on a Friday afternoon, baked goods were just coming out of the oven and I got friendly smiles from the owners. Their Milchkaffee was huge, foamy, and served with a tasty sugar cookie – perfect for a rainy weekend morning. If you’ve been hunting for an American-style breakfast (but aren’t excited by the thought of waiting for a table at Cabslam), Rosa Parks Café has pancakes with syrup(!) and omelettes for under five euros. With an ambiance that’s more warm and cozy than hip (they’ve got a rocking chair and Tibetan prayer flags out front), the good vibes just pour out of this place. Check it out now while it’s still a true hidden gem.

Address:Soldiner Strasse 32 Berlin 13359.

Photo by Olea Morris.

Kakadu / Wedding Community Kitchen

Kakadu is one of those places that once you’ve found it, you wonder how you ever could have missed it. Their claim to neighborhood fame are the quesadillas, ranging from the traditional (veggie, cheese, or chicken) to ones that incorporate Italian or Korean flavors (hint: they’re even cheaper if you take them to go!). But that’s only the start – with British-style breakfast with beans and toast (the “Brexit”), hummus platters, quiches, and more, Kakadu has a round-the-world type menu that has something for everyone (even vegetarians). True to their name, Kakadu combines food and community, serving up events from photo exhibitions to the Kulinarischer Salon, which pairs food and film screenings. Drop by during the Wedding Kulturfest in September, where you can eat your quesadillas while listening to some groovy tunes. Kakadu does keep an ongoing lively cultural (live music, art exhibits, talks) agenda, so keep checking their website!

Address:Soldiner Str 13 Berlin 13359.

Photo from Kakadu’s Facebook Feed.

If you are into street art, Berlin Wedding is a great place to explore. We even created a Street Art Itinerary! For more ideas on how to explore this amazing neighborhood, check out WEDDING NEIGHBORHOOD ARCHIVES.

*This article was written by Olea Morris and edited by Tulio Edreira.

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Everyone I know has a bit of a problem when it comes to finding good places to eat and drink around Berlin’s most iconic places. Partly because the assumption is: if it is a place where tourists go, the food and drink options must be generic and have no soul. Well, I am taking up the challenge and proposing that you can find great places for food and drink anywhere in Berlin. Including places like Alexander Platz, Gendarmenmarkt, Hackescher Markt, Potsdamer Platz, etc…

If you are a local or a visitor, this series of articles will provide a definitive guide to enjoying what these areas have to offer (sights, architecture, shops, etc…) while having access to good restaurants and bars. Let’s start with one of Berlin’s most emblematic areas: Retaurants and bars around Potsdamer Platz!

And let’s make it easier, but giving you tips by category.  Enjoy!

Lunch & Dinner

Facil

Facil is perhaps the finest dining experience available around Potsdamer Platz.  It is a restaurant with two Michelin stars. Luxurious, elegant and pushing avant-garde cooking techniques. Head chef Michael Kempf is known for stunning dishes that are both refined and understated. Facil’s design is stunning with a lush green garden view.

Photo from restaurant’s website.

Lutter & Wegner

Experience traditional German/Austrian cuisine in the historical Weinhaus Huth. Small but sophisticated, traditional yet cosy. Lutter & Wegner’s dark-wood bar, its large picture windows and the classically set tables create a charming atmosphere. This place is a wine shop, delicatessen and restaurant in one. It serves a hearty and regional cuisine. Make sure to enjoy the terrace in the warmer months.

Essenza

Ristorante Essenza is a higher-end Italian restaurant. It focuses on seasonal dishes from the “Cucina Italiana” with a heavy emphasis on preserving the essence of natural flavours. The wine menu is stellar with a selection of over 750 labels, including rare harvests. Essenza also offers a yummy and more affordable weekly lunch menu.

Photo from Restaurant’s Website

Alt Bayern

Alt Bayern is a bavarian style restaurant. The staff welcomes guests in leather pants and Bavarian shirts. The kitchen serves traditional South German classics. Even though the food menu is quite decent, we prefer to come here for a beer early in the evening.

Photo from the Restaurant’s Website

*If you catch yourself in a hurry, the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden has quite a few express restaurant options. Our favorites for that quick bite are:

Salomon Bagels 

Salomon Bagels, you guessed it, focuses on bagels! The popular roll with the hole in the middle. Apparently there is quite a complex production process. Bagels are cooled and boiled before baking, which gives them their distinctive flavour – quite different from classic German rolls. Their menu offers quite a selection of bagels, oriental dishes like couscous, falafel and hummus, as well as freshly cooked seasonal dishes.

Photo from Potsdamer Platz’s Website

Salaid

SALAID promises a  “whole new way to eat salads”. Salads and ingredients are prepared and chopped right in front of the guests. Come here if you are craving that easily customized fresh salad. They have a few options with quite healthy and filling ingredients. I have to say we were quite satisfied with what we got here.

Photo from Restaurant’s Website

Asia Gourmet

Asia Gourmet is a chain of Pan-asian restaurants, usually found in the major train stations and malls. It is our “go to” Asian joint when we are in for a quick and flavorful Asian option.  Sometimes we come here and get our food “to go”. We then either have our meal on the grassy and beautiful Tilla-Durieux-Park or around the stunning Piano Lake.

Photo from Restaurant’s Website

Coffee, Cakes & Ice Cream

The Coffee Shop

The Coffee Shop is slightly reminiscent of a Viennese coffee house. The design elements are stylish and cool. Come here for very well prepared specialty coffee drinks. The small snacks and cakes on offer are also quite tasty. A good place to spend some time enjoying the locals go by or just working on your computer.

Photo from The Coffee Shop’s Website

Panorama Café

Hop on Europe’s fastest elevator (100 metres in just 20 seconds) and enjoy great cakes and coffee with a stunning view of Berlin from the 24th floor. Panoramacafé also offers 360° views over Berlin and when the weather is nice, go up their rooftop terrace for the perfect sunset. There is also an open-air exhibition space that showcases the History of Potsdamer Platz!

Photo from Panorama Café’s Website

Caffé e Gelato

“Caffè e Gelato” is considered one of Germany’s best ice cream parlours. In fact, the Chef just participated in the Gelato World Tour! Perhaps the best around this neighborhood. They offer unique ice cream flavors that are developed in their own laboratory. Think organic, spaghetti-style, even sushi-like mini morsels. Everything is prepared in-house. Even the waflles, chocolate and fruit toppings!

Photo from http://caffe-e-gelato.de/

Wiener Conditorei Caffeehaus

Established in 1928, Wiener Conditorei Caffeehaus is one of Berlin’s most traditional coffee houses. Fresh ingredients, in-house confectionery, delicious cake creations, Viennese desserts, French pastries and peti fours. You can get it all here. They even make their own ice cream! The menu also covers some savory options and of course, coffee!

Photo from Café’s Website

Bars

Jamboree

Jamboree is the new stunning bar concept by Grand Hyatt Hotel Berlin. A very well curated trip to the 80s. From the bar décor to the interpretation of classic cocktails, Jamboree delivers a true 80s vintage feel. Yes, even the drinks are named after song hits from the 80s, like “Der Kommissar” or “Love will tear us apart”. DJ sounds take over the space from Thursday through Saturday from 10 PM.

Photo from Jamboree’s Website

Qiu

QIU is bar/restaurant. This funky bar looks out across the Boulevard of the Stars, a nice spot to watch the hectic life outside, while sipping through your cocktails. The clientele is a bit “businessy” but the lounge design and the first class cocktails surely merit a visit.

Photo from Qiu’s Website

Momsen Eck

Momsen Eck is regarded as The “House of 100 Beers”. Beyond the amazing beer selection, this place also serve traditional German cuisine. The restaurant’s panorama window looks directly out across Fontaneplatz in front of the historic Haus Huth. Sit outside for a fun “happy hour” during the warmer months.

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The Berliner Cocktail Bar scene is strong. And it keeps getting stronger. Very often you will find some of the bars in Berlin mentioned among the top in the world. Consistently solid drinks, amazing spaces, cool vibes and fun crowds deliver interesting and diverse experiences. Every time.

I, for one, love bar hopping with friends. And bar hopping, in my opinion, means going from GREAT bar to GREAT bar. Sure, the random “Kneipe-and-darts” night can be fun as well. But if you are looking for a  winning combination of cocktails and atmosphere you might want to focus on some of our favorite bars below.

PS: I love gin based cocktails! And if you follow me on social media, you know that I am obsessed with Negroni. That said, I always like to try new and exciting concoctions. So I have included recommendations for gin based cocktails at each of these great bars in Berlin.

Enjoy!

 

Bar Zentral

This “in-the-know crowd” kind of bar has a great location under the train tracks in Charlottenburg. Run by Torsten Bender and Sebastian Mathow (heavy hitters of the Berliner bar scene), this stunning bar delivers beautiful design, great cocktails and a charming and chill atmosphere. Regulars come through the backdoor, legend says. Have an “Amnesia” here (London dry gin, Cocchi di Torino Cherry brandy and  Absinth Spray).

Address: Lotte-Lenya-Bogen 551, 10623 Berlin.

Bar Zentral

 

Velvet

There is “new blood” running this beautiful hidden gem in hip Neukölln. In an area filled with average bars, local bar “legends” Filip Kaszubski, Ruben Neideck and Damien Guichard took over the space and are catapulting Velvet into new heights. It can certainly aim for a spot among the best bars in Berlin. Order “Tell You Next Week” here, a delightful mix of gin, sake, grapefruit, lime and rhubarb shrub. Long live shrub!

Address: Ganghoferstraße 1, 12043 Berlin

Picture by http://hocoo.co

 

Bar Milano

There is just no other place you need to visit if you are a Negroni fan, like myself. Bar Milano is a favorite Aperitivo Bar in the heart of Mitte. Eya and Kappa, the owners, always make sure the atmosphere is lively and welcoming. And the Italian minimalist design accents are just gorgeous. Have a classic Negroni (gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth). Trust! You’ll thank me later.

Address: Brunnenstraße 11, 10119 Berlin

Bar Milano

 

George R

George R is a trail blazer in the Moabit quality cocktail bar scene. I personally love that you can pretty much get great cocktails in almost every neighhorhood in Berlin nowadays. Prohibition time inspired cocktails and chill atmosphere deliver a unique and pleasurable experience here. George R has been open for a while now but it has managed to maintain its air of mistery and secrecy. A “locals” kind of bar. Try their enjoyable Mr. Remus (Gin, self-made Honeysyrup, fresh lemon juice). 

Address: Wilhelmshavener Straße 57 10551 Berlin

Photo from George R’s Facebook Feed.

 

Geist im Glas

Geist im Glas exudes intimate vibes. This sweet gem of a neighborhood bar run by Aishah Bennett has developed quite a loyal following. With good reason. Their wonderful versions of classic/prohibition era cocktails incorporate diverse gins infused with distinct seasonal flavours.  The atmosphere alone is merits a visit. As cozy as it gets!  Go for the “London Fog” (Assam Earl Grey and lemon zest infused London Dry Gin, shaken into a sour with egg whites, lemon juice and house sugar syrup. It is then spiked with teapot bitters). 

Address: Lenaustraße 27, 12047 Berlin

Photo from Geist im Glas’ Facebook Feed.

 

Coda Dessert Bar

Why not mix great cocktails and fun experimental desserts? This unique combination is what makes Coda Dessert Bar a standout. An indiscernible location from the outside, it transforms into a beautiful space inside. And the surprises keep happening as you go through their dessert menu/cocktail combos. When visiting Coda, try the following: Cocktail – Gin, manzanilla sherry, apple, celery and lemon, + Dessert – Rhubarb, yoghurt and tarragon. It WILL “bring you back to health” for sure! 

Address: Friedelstraße 47 12047 Berlin

Photo from Coda’s Facebook Feed.

 

Bryk Bar

This stylish and intimate (yet relatively spacious) bar is located in one of the coolest streets of Prenzlauer Berg. The stunning interior is made cozy by a super atmospheric lighting scheme. The cocktail menu is fun and very inventive. An upmarket experience for sure, Bryk is an “off the beaten bar-path” option for a quiet boozy night with fancy friends. At Bryk, make sure to try their “Smokey Gin & Tonic”  (Bryk’s own Gin, Dry Tonic Water smoked with lavender).

Address: Rykestraße 18, 10405 Berlin

Bryk Bar

The list of great bars in Berlin is endless. If the above options are not enough to quench your cocktail thirst, try checking out some other more “traditional” options like Buck & Breck, Reingold, Curtain Club, Bar Marqués, Victoria Bar, Windhorst and/or Würgeengel.

*This article has been graciously sponsored by Gordon Gin. The Awesome Berlin team had complete freedom in selecting the theme, bars and cocktail recommendations.

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When you’re looking for the perfect vegetarian burger, there’s nothing worse than checking out a place with tons of hype and recommendations, only to walk away disappointed. One of the best things about Berlin is that it’s got something for everyone – and when it comes to burgers, sometimes it’s all in the same place. Awesome Berlin has done the painstaking research for you – read on for the best vegetarian burger restaurants in Berlin (that will ALSO satisfy the meat lover within).

Best Halloumi Burger

It should be impossible to mess up fried cheese – but sadly, so many burger places in Berlin throw halloumi burgers on the menu as an afterthought, and most somehow end up cold, rubbery and crunchy all at the same time. Look no further, cheese lovers – Burgeramt nails the halloumi burger. The key is balance – smaller strips of fried cheese are balanced by the other toppings, so each bite is a perfect blend of flavors. That and the heaping servings of fries won’t leave you hungry  (a friend and I struggled to finish the “grosse” portion, so I don’t even know what to do with the thought of the “richtig grosse” size…).

Picture by Olea Morris.

Best Tofu Burger

If you’ve been in Berlin long enough, you’ve probably played tour guide to out of town guests more often than you can count. Next time, throw Burgermeister into rotation – I still have Couchsurfing friends from all over Europe write me to rave about the beef patties here. But the real star is their tofu burger – After 10+ years of vegetarianism under my belt, I can never get my tofu this satisfyingly crunchy and crispy…and they manage to do it perfectly every time. Recently I read a review of Burgermeister explicitly saying “do not go for the tofu burger” – this is clearly a clever trick to keep the lines from getting longer. Locations at Kottbusser Tor and Schlesisches Tor make it a perfect stop after a graffiti tour or a lounge at Gorlitzer Park.

Picture by our lovely friends from Berlin Food Stories.

Best Selection

Veggie patty? Halloumi? Spinach and Feta? …Breakfast Burger? Take your pick at Rosenburger – and that’s just the veggie menu. The Gorgonzola burger wins for cheesiest, funkiest burger that even hamburger purists will drool over. If you’re not so into cheese as a key ingredient (you might be in the minority there), go for the Spinach burger – so packed with veggies, it’s even green. Meat-eating friends still have their choice of chili cheese, fried eggs, bacon, and even pineapple as toppings. Go all in and order a side of the curly fries too – it’s something everyone can agree on.

Picture from Rosenburger’s Facebook Feed.

And The Winner Is…

Though a little underwhelming in the size department, everything else about the burgers at Shiso Burger is an absolute win. The combination of sliced aubergine and pickled tofu gives their Veggie burger an amazing texture and a smoky flavour that almost tastes meaty without trying too hard. Though usually I’m no fan of Portobello as a patty, I have friends that swear by the Toad Burger – the texture is so right, it’s made me a believer. If that won’t do for meat eaters, they have their pick of other fusion styles, from Bulgogi to Salmon burgers – the Chili Lemon burger is always a crowd favourite. Skip the Wagyu beef upgrade for an extra charge – these burgers don’t need it.

*Written by Olea Morris and Edited by Tulio Edreira.

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You know by now that we LOVE an atmospheric Berliner courtyard. And as much as we love Heckmannhöfe in Mitte, we always wondered why it did not offer better entertainment and food options. Well…that has just changed with the arrival of Night Kitchen Berlin, a new “eat and hang” hot spot.

Photo from Night Kitchen Berlin’s Facebook Feed.

Located deep in the courtyards, Night Kitchen occupies a most charming renovated 19th century brick building (with its own special backyard). The space has a functional yet cozy design and the bar area is quite inviting. The location itself should be enough to lure you in. The food and drinks coupled with the casual and fun atmosphere have the potential to turn us into regular customers. We simply love places that not only deliver good food, but also provide the perfect environment for having an awesome time with friends. Chill, non pretencious and welcoming.

Photo from Night Kitchen Berlin’s Website

The food concept centers around modern Mediterranean dishes. All plates are made for sharing and portions are adequate. We were particularly excited about the octopus a la plancha, the tomato carpaccio and the fennel trio salad. But do not get too attached. We are sure the menu will change frequently. Ask the friendly staff (great service, by the way!) for suggestions on what to order.

The cocktail menu is inventive without going too crazy. Familiar concepts with a fun twist. Perfectly conceived for an ejoyable (long) night out. Try the reliable “Negron” (Mezcal Negroni) or the surprising “Yasso Lassi” (Ouzo, Vanilla Ayran Yogurt and Honey).

Photo from Night Kitchen Berlin’s Facebook Feed.

Night Kitchen Berlin is backed up by two outstanding restauranteurs. Gilad Hiemann, who created and successfully implemented a similar concept in Tel-Aviv. And Shaul Margulies, the prolific mastermind behind Zenkichi and House of Small Wonder.

To get to Night Kitchen Berlin, take either the S-Bahn to Oranienburger Strasse Station or the U-Bahn (U6) to Oranienburger Tor. Walk about 3-5 minutes and you are there. The courtyards (Heckmann Höfe) are located right by the stunning golden-domed Neue Synagoge, one of Berlin’s prettiest sights.

For more atmospheric dining options, check out our article about Berlin Restaurants in hidden courtyards!

Address: Oranienburgerst. 32

Email: contact@nightkitchenberlin.com

Phone: 030 235 75075

Night Kitchen’s Website

Night Kitchen Berlin
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The question isn’t what can you do at the Kulturbrauerei, the question is what can’t you do at the Kulturbrauerei! This famous landmark, located in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg neighbourhood is steeped in history and bursting at the seams with things to keep you busy.

By Kaspar Metz – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=620666

Before we divulge what exactly is contained within those red-brick walls though, let us first go back to its humble beginnings and how this striking building came to be.

Going alllllll the way back to the early 1800s it started off as a small brewing operation, with ownership changing many hands along the way. New developments in technology meant new products could be developed and further growth allowed for expansions to be made. Bigger premises meant other ventures came along, such as stables, office space and accommodation up until the second world war.  

After the war, the complex was relatively unscathed and so it was business as usual. The late 1900s saw even more developments pop up, including the introduction of a casino and bowling alley. It stopped operating as a brewery in 1967 due to wear and tear of the plant. However a hip new nightclub came along instead and it was THE place to be for Berliners. Due to its unique architecture, the complex was declared a protected monument in 1974.

In the late 90s, a revival of the area began bringing with it a theatre and a thriving music scene and thus, the name Kulturbrauerei was born.

You can read more about its extensive history here.

Nowadays, the complex is a whopping 25,000 m², boasting six courtyards and over 20 different buildings. It is (according to Wikipedia) “one of the few well-preserved examples of industrial architecture in Berlin dating from the end of the 19th century”, including the original inscriptions on the building walls to show you what they were used for. Its big open-plan space means you can stroll around freely inside and take it all in.

Photo from Street Food Auf Achse’s Facebook Feed.

So, what IS going on inside, we hear you ask! Well, you’ll find many things to have a nose at during the daytime or some great ways to entertain yourself in the evenings – whatever the weather. During the day or night. There’s a concert hall (and general event location), nightclub, a museum about life in the GDR, dance schools, a snooker hall, restaurants, shops, a cinema and even a REWE supermarket (you know, just in case you need a pint of milk on the way home) and no corner of Berlin would be complete without its very own photoautomat. There’s much more on offer, which you can check out on their website however the best way to find out would be to hop on down there yourself. Also check this out! A cool map of the complex.

You can also enjoy a lively food market every Sunday, where a wide variety of food trucks rock up and serve delicious treats including yummy pulled pork and falafel. Find out more about the “Streetfood auf Achse” (Streetfood on the move) here. The Kulturbrauerei even has you covered during those cold winter months! They host a beautiful Christmas Market, with a variety of stalls to do your Christmas shopping (or just enjoy the Glüwein) at. It’s really cosy and sure to get you in the holiday spirit. This place has it all and then some.

Photo from Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt’s Website

Don’t just take our word for it though – go check it out for yourself! Whenever you’re in the area, pop in and discover what’s on, or keep an eye out for any events they have – it’s definitely worth making a trip out there. 

Here you will find more ideas on how to explore this wonderful neighborhood and a guide to exploring one of Berlin’s most exciting Sunday activities at Mauerpark.

Entrances:

Knaackstraße 97

Sredzkistraße 1

Schönhauser Allee 36

How to get there:

U-Bahn: U2 Eberswalder Straße or Senefelderplatz

S-Bahn: Ringbahn S42, S4 and S8

Tram M12, M1, M10 (stop: Eberswalder Straße)

*This article was written by Natalie Lunt and edited by Tulio Edreira.

Kulturbrauerei
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Some more impressions:

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Caramels, fondants, bubblegums, marshmallows, toffees, lollipops… You don’t need to wait for Halloween and say “Trick or treat?” to enjoy the (guilty) pleasure of a sweet self-indulgence. All year round, Berlin offers great sweet and chocolate shops to help you knock down every sugar craving.

Our selection of best sweet and chocolate shops in Berlin is sure to keep that sweet tooth under control!

Photo from Herr Nilsson Godis’ website.

Thanks to its kids’ affluence, Prenzlauer Berg gathers some of the nicest candy shops in Berlin. Herr Nilsson Godis offers Scandinavian sweets to please everyone. There are gelatin-free, gluten-free, lactose-free, nut-free and vegan options. Do it like the Vikings: in a self-service system, where all the varieties have the same price. Take a paper bag to create your own mix of candies and weigh it at the end of your sweet picking experience. PS: They also have a shop in Friedrichshain.

Photo from Zuckerberg’s Website.

Within walking distance from one another, Prenzlauerberg offers three more sweet shops. Zuckerberg is an American candy shop, with fruits, chocolate, licorice and even sugar-free (!) treats. On Schönhauser Allee (and on three more locations in Berlin), Bärenland is a German chain specialized in gummy bears. On Kopenhagener Strasse,Sugafari makes children (and some adults!) go crazy with their wide range of sweets from all over the world. In fact, this is the perfect shop to explore if you are craving that special sweet from back home…wherever that may be, this shop is your best bet at finding it!

Photo from Wald Königsberger Marzipan’s Website.

Marzipan lovers have their haven in Charlottenburg. For more than 100 years, the family-run business Wald Königsberger Marzipan keeps their handmade recipes in secrecy. Expect countless variations of Marzipanbrot (marzipan “bread”), Marzipankartoffel (marzipan balls) and their lovely Marzipanschweinchen, the pink marzipan pigs, which, according to the German tradition, are supposed to bring happiness and are normally consumed during New Year’s festivities.

Photo from Süßramdealer’s Website.

Next to the S-Bahn station Bundesplatz, Sußkramdealer is a gem in the classy Friedenau neighborhood. Preserving the original oak and mahogany furnishings of a former cigar shop, the shop offers delicious pralines, chocolates and caramels, from world renowned classics as Caffarel, Dolfin and Venchi. They also sell chocolate bars from regional manufacturers like the Gmeiner Confiserie at the Café König in Baden-Baden, with exquisite flavors such as macadamia and fleur-de-sel or white chocolate and raspberry crisps.

Don’t miss the lovely giftshop nextdoor, with a nice selection of kitchenware and baking books, and the terrace, where you can have a cup of coffee and enjoy the charming Varziner Platz.

Erich Hamann is another deep dive in West Berlin. The shop, luckily not destroyed during the Second World War, remains the same since its opening in 1928. Located on the ground floor of a Bauhaus style building, where the products are also manufactured, their chocolate still follows the original recipes of its founder.

The focus is on dark and bitter varieties of chocolate, with little sugar added. Like the shop interiors, also in a Bauhaus style, the packaging design has remained unchanged since the 1920’s. The chocolate bark, their most famous product, is just amazing!

Photo from Winterfeld’s Website.

In a former pharmacy, Winterfeldt Schokoladen has a plethora of pralines, nougats, toffees and chocolate bars on their shelves and are able to heal every sugar need you may have! They offer French, Italian and the Berliner bitter master Erich Hamann varieties, as well vegan and gluten free cakes. Perfect for the wintertime, their hot chocolate is to die for!

We can not talk about sweets without mentioning the sweets-corner on the 6th floor of KaDeWe. Here you can find all sorts of American style candies, like jelly beans, chocolates from the most famous makers of the world and other worldwide renowned specialities, like Spanish torrone, Italian liquorice, French calissons and German marzipan.

Photo from Rausch’s Website.

In Mitte, Rausch is a Berliner institution. Producing finest chocolates since 1918, the family-run business opened their chocolaterie at Gendarmenmarkt in 1999. The main attraction of the spacious shop are the chocolate sculptures of monuments, like the Brandenburger Tor. They offer a huge variety of pralines (the Sanddorn and orange one is perfect to warm you up on a cold winter day), chocolate bars and nuts, plus coffee beans covered in milk, dark or white chocolate. Upstairs, the café and chocolate restaurant, from where you can enjoy a nice view to Gendarmenmarkt, offers dishes prepared with different kinds of cocoa beans.

Bonbonmacherei, located on the charming Heckmann-Höfe, is a darling sweets manufacturer and shop. There you can watch how pure sugar turns into delicious sweets. Just the way they used to be produced 100 years ago!

La Cure Gourmande is a French sweets shop chain that sells all sort of biscuits, chocolates, fondants, nougats and marshmallows in old-style packagings. They are conveniently located around Alexanderplatz.

Kadó. Photo by Domingos Lepores

Liquorice fans find happiness at Kadó, a beautiful shop on Graefestrasse, in the Kreuzberg neighborhood. They have liquorice covered in chocolate, sugar coated, as rolls, filled, in black canes, pulverized… All products, from Iceland to Sicily, are displayed in eye-catching glass jars. One of our favorites, for sure! Another option for liquorice enthusiasts is Schwarzes Gold.  A fine shop that offers more than 250 varieties of the “black gold”. It’s enough to please your taste buds all year long!

*Article written by Domingos Lepores and edited by Tulio Edreira.

Best chocolate and sweet shops in Berlin
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The transition from the shining Summer sun to the grey skies of Winter marks the end of the outdoor fun. But not in Berlin! Even though the temperature cools down quite a bit and the days get shorter, in Autumn, the warm colors of the changing season invite everybody to go outside and enjoy the melancholic yet beautiful atmosphere.

Do not go on hibernation mode just yet, we selected some of the best things to do in Berlin this Fall!

Stroll around in one of Berlin’s wonderful parks:

Berlin has hundreds of parks and gardens (check our top 10 here) spread all over the city. For a Fall outdoor walk and foliage color enjoyment, we especially love Tiergarten, Schlosspark Charlottenburg, the surroundings of the Landwehrkanal and the off of the beaten path Schöneberger Südgelande.

Eat seasonally:

Autumn is the harvest season and brings apples, quinces, pumpkins, chanterelles and the recently fashionable Grünkohl (kale) to the table. Most of the cafés and restaurants in town will add pumpkin soup and apple pie to their menus. But if you want to play the masterchef, head to one of the weekend markets. Kollwitzplatz in Prenzlauerberg, Winterfeldtplatz in Schöneberg, Maybachufer in Kreuzberg and Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain (which is also a flea market on Sundays), are considered the best in town. At these farmers markets, you can find seasonal produce, like fresh fruits and vegetables, cheese, marmalades and apple cider. The city’s market halls also hold special Fall events with seasonal goodies! Vendors also sell Turkish, Thai, French and German dishes.

Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg.

Pick mushrooms in Grunewald:

Photo By pixagraphic under CC BY-ND 2.0

Not only for children, picking mushrooms is one of the nicest Fall activities and the Green Forest is the best place for it in Berlin. Warning: don’t forget to download a mushroom idenfification app (Yes, there is such a thing!) or take a book to identify the edible ones and dismiss the poisonous ones!

Enjoy oysters and champagne:

Even though the bivalves are available all year, avoid to eat them during the warmer months (the months that do not contain an “R”). In the colder months, the oysters are bigger, since they use their energy to reproduce during the Summer.

And the best way to enjoy them is with a glass (or two) of “bubblies”. We strongly recommend the oyster bar on the 6th floor of the classic department store KaDeWe. Besides the traditional species, they offer a special oyster of the month option.

Spend a rainy afternoon in the Museum Island:

Autumn in Berlin can be very rainy, especially in November. With almost 200 museums, Berlin is said to have more museums than rainy days. And the Museum Island is defnitely the crown jewel of Berlin museum complexes! 5 of the most amazing ones you will ever visit. Find out more here.

For more rainy days tips, check our Rainy days in Berlin – What to do? guide.

Fly a kite:

Autumn also brings strong winds – and the particularly piercing Siberian kiss from Eastern Europe -, making it the perfect season to play outside with your homemade kite. There are even festivals for the “dragons”, as Germans call them, the Drachenfest. The deactivated airport Tempelhof is the obvious destination for the kite lovers, but the hills next to the abandoned spying/listening station at Teufelsberg, in Grunewald, are also very windy and offer great views over Berlin!

Photo from https://gruen-berlin.de/tempelhofer-feld/veranstaltungen

Take a bike ride along the former Berlin Wall:

The former death strip along the area where the Berlin wall once stood is today a 160 Km bike path called Mauerweg. Besides being a great way to observe how the city has been changing since the fall of Wall, some of its stretches have amazing cherry and chestnut tree lines that are nice spots to watch the Autumn foliage. Check the area below the S-Bahn station Bornholmer Strasse, the surroundings of the Landwehr Canal, alongside Lohmühlenstrasse, and the 2 Km long cherry tree row in the Lichterfelde district, in the southwestern Berlin.

Take a spa day:

After some boosy excess during summertime, spending a day relaxing in a spa is a good bet to boost your body energy and get ready for the colder months to come. Vabali, Liquidrom, Ono Spa at the Mandala Hotel and the spa at the Hotel de Rome are among the best options in Berlin for a sauna and massage combo.

Neues Tempodrom Berlin. Photo from Tempodrom’s Website.

Autumn festivals:

With the arrival of the Fall, the theatre and opera season starts again. It’s time to attend classic pieces at Deutsches Theater, avant-garde experiments at Volksbühne and celebrate the reopening of the stunning Staatsoper on Unter den Linden. There is simply no shortage of topnotch classical music venues: here is a cool list of options.

Photo from Philharmonie’s website.

On the artistic side, Ars Eletronica is a world renowned multimedia festival that presents artworks focused on the new challenges of the contemporary society and Interfilm Berlin International Short Film Festival takes place in November, bringing the neglected short film format to a wider audience.

On October 3rd, Germany celebrates its reunification with a national holiday called Tag der Deutschen Einheit, the German Unity Day. There are concerts, fireworks and – of course – politicians speeches. In Berlin, the main celebration happens around the Brandenburger Tor, symbol of the German reunification.

October is also Oktoberfest time. While Munich gathers thousands of people, Berlin offers mini Oktoberfests all over the city. Choose one here to enjoy the company of girls in Dirndln and boys in Lederhosen, all of them drinking huge beers!

Days get shorter in Fall and the early dark evenings are perfect for light shows. Berlin has two light festivals happening in October. The main one is the Festival of Lights, illuminating some of the most iconic monuments and sights in the city center, like the Berliner Dom and the Brandenburger Tor. On its turn, Berlin Leuchtet focuses on less known architectural spots, like the Bundesrat (Senate) building near Potsdamer Platz and the deactivate Gasometer in Schöneberg.

For a more – let’s say – eco-friendly experience, the Indian embassy promotes the Diwali lightning lamps festival. Expect a blast of colors and lights, blended with typical dances.

Food lovers should not complain during the Fall season in Berlin. On the third week of October, the Berlin Food Week takes over the Kaufhaus Jandorf in Mitte to showcase the last culinary trends.

On the first weekend of October, the Berlin Harvest Festival takes place at the Domäne Dahlem. Take your basket and fill it with fresh potatoes and pumpkins. You can not go for more locally produced than this!

The northern part of Berlin has also its harvest celebration. On the first Sunday of October, the Botanical Garden in Pankow opens for the traditional Autumn festival, offering the possibility to pick up carrots and potatoes. The event is very children-oriented, with fairytale walks, nature games and honey tasting.

We can not talk about Autumn without mentioning Halloween. Halloween celebrations has gained popularity in Germany in the recent years, with shops offering some treats to the good kids, and even the stern Kino International cinema promotes a Halloween party! Our friends from Berlin.de came up with a fun Halloween party list.

And finally, we saved the best for last: on the 21st of November, Christmas markets start popping up all over Berlin. It’s time to heat up the body temperature with Glühwein (mulled wine) and give it the most delicious German comfort food! Here are our favorite ones!

*Article written by Domingos Lepores and edited by Tulio Edreira.

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Brunnenstrasse can be considered the b-side of Torstrasse and, together with this main boulevard, is one of the coolest areas in Mitte. The 2.3 Km long road begins at Rosenthaler Platz and ends at the S- and U-Bahn station Gesundbrunnen, from where the street got its name. We love it so much that we decided it was time for a comprehensive Brunnenstrasse guide through our eyes. We hope you enjoy it. Tip: Avoid Sundays and early mornings as most businesses are closed. For specific opening hours, make sure to visit the establishments’ websites. 

This interesting street connects the hip Mitte with the popular Wedding district. The metro line U8 runs along the entire length of Brunnenstraße, passing by Bernauer Strasse and Voltastrasse stations.

Until the Second World War, Brunnenstrasse was a popular shopping street with many boutiques, cinemas and pubs, including the former department store Jandorf. In fact it was called, along with Friedrichstrasse, the “Ku’damm of the North”.

The construction of the Berlin Wall, during the Cold War years, separated two parts of Berlin – and of Brunnenstrasse. The Wall used to stand alongside Bernauer Strasse, making both ends of the crossing roads dead end streets. Today this spot is marked by a double row of paving stones and it is also a section of Berlin Wall Memorial.

Photo from the Wall Memorial’s Website

Curiosity: The metro station Bernauer Strasse was closed and became a ghost station, through which the trains ran without a stop from West to West Berlin, directly from Moritzplatz to Voltastrasse.

The perpendicular Bernauer Strasse was also the scene of many escape attempts  from the residential buildings on the south side. Many people simply jumped from the windows and died. The sewage canals and self-excavated tunnels in the clayey subsoil of Bernauer Strasse were also used to flee to West Berlin. Many of the stories are reported on the information columns of the Berlin Wall Memorial. There is even a guided tour promoted by the Berliner Unterwelten association.

Walking Brunnenstrasse all the way up from Rosenthaler Platz to Gesundbrunnen you will notice how the different sides divided by the former Wall present different architecture, street lamps, shops and cafés.

Even though the Wall has fallen in 1989, there is still an imaginary wall, that separates two different populations. The western section of Brunnenstrasse, from Bernauer Strasse to S- and U-Bahn Gesundbrunnen, is the address of truly examples of ugly German architecture and their indefectible satellite dishes. However, it has some points of interest.

The first one is the big red building complex of the former industrial site of the electric supplies company AEG. The factory buildings, constructed at the end of the 19th century, are partially protected and you can walk into the former facilities area.

Volkspark Humboldthain is a large green getaway in a very grey neighborhood. Don’t miss the beautiful Rosengarten and the nice view over Wedding from the top of the Flakturm (Above-ground anti-aircraft gun blockhouse towers constructed by the Nazi Germany). The flak towers are also one of our favorite sunset spots in Berlin.

For the foodies, every third Sunday of the month, the street food market Brunnenmarkt takes place between Bernauer Strasse and Stralsunder Strasse, gathering specialities from the four corners of the world. Volta is a gastropub that serves a tasty gourmet burger, in a very sophisticated ambiance.

Let us focus now on the former eastern section of Brunnenstrasse, from Rosenthaler Platz to Bernauer Strasse. This neighborhood is characterized by its mix of decadent façades and brand new refurbished ones, updated with the latest minimalist architecture trends. It makes a charming contrast with the courtyards full of grafitti, stencil and stickers and the remaining businesses like the watch-workshop Uhrenwerkstatt and the GDR-style Kneipe Zum Bier-michel.

Around Rosenthaler Platz, you will find hotels, Spätis and a plethora of fast food options, like pizza, kebab, burgers, burritos, Currywurst and Asian mix food, that are perfect for midnight cravings. Weinbergspark is one of our favorite summer hang outs. Grab a beer from one of the Spätis nearby and find a free spot to chill on the (often) crowded hilly lawn. A true Berlin experience.

This corner is also the address of the former department store Warenhaus Jandorf, in operation until 1945. It then served as the Institute of Fashion Design during the GDR times. The building, yet to be renovated, is used for exhibitions, art projects and temporary events location like the Berlin Fashion Week  these days. From here, you can also play “peek-a-boo” with our beloved TV Tower.

Photo from Kaufhaus Jandorf’s Website

In order to help you explore the variety of interesting places Brunnenstrasse offers, we divided its attractions in art galleries, wellness spaces, shops, cafés/restaurants and bars:

Art galleries:

KOW and Zagreus Projekt are two of the most newsworthy galleries on Brunnentrasse. Besides their always fascinating exhibitions, the building used by KOW is a delight: the translucent façade of the concrete box changes its colors according to the intensity of the sun-rays! Zagreus Projekt is a gallery and gastronomic space. The chef, gallery owner and curator Ulrich Krauss organizes exhibitions in relation to food or gastronomic concepts, with a different menu for every new exhibition. Kind of wacky…very Berlin.

Photo from Zagreu’s Website

Next to both galleries, you can not miss the building with a façade celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. It reads: “This house used to be in another country”.

Volume, Galerie Axel Obiger, the architecture office and exhibition space Nord Studio, Art von Frei and Neue Schule für Photographie are also galleries that merit a visit.

Wellness spaces:

Brunnenstrasse seems to be the address for yoga lovers. There are at least three yoga studios: the well known Jivamukti Yoga Berlin, that also has a yummy vegan canteen, the yoga center and small organic grocery shop Vielfalter and the yoga school Ashtanga Yoga Berlin. To make your heart beat faster and healthier, Becycle offers indoor cycling and HITT classes. Next to it, at My Goodness, you can recharge your batteries with a healthy and plant based whole food.

Shops:

Shopping maniacs will not be disappointed by a stroll along Brunnenstrasse. Some of the most interesting boutiques in Berlin have their address here.

Bridal clothing and accessories can be found at Kaviar Gauche Vintage (limited edition items and press samples from the successful German fashion label). The girls can find more German womenswear at Hannes Roether and local designed and made bijoux at Nuts & Pearls Jewelry.

Civilist is the garments provider for the Berliner cool kids, with its always amazingly curated streetwear collections. It is where you can cope capsule collections items from adidas/Palace and from upcoming brands like Dime and Bronze 56K. The next door space is dedicated do Nike SB and Vans Syndicate sneakers.

Ben Weide offers menswear collections focused on functionality, with hints of minimalism and sportswear. The clothes are almost only locally produced (they are made in a 300 Km radius around Berlin).

Handmade in Germany, Elena Mancu “makes clothing for women who seek to refine their style without being obsessed by fashion”. Expect clear cuts and hidden details on her pieces. More made in Germany can be found at DRESP. The brand creates and sells high-end women sportswear that can also be your outfit for a Sunday afternoon at Berghain, after your crossfit training session. ; – )

Argot Life Store and Studio 183 are the two concept-stores of Brunnenstrasse. On the first one, you can find selected magazines, coffee cups, sunglasses and made in France tricots. Studio 183 “integrates high quality design, fashion and art and offers a platform for young designers and entrepeneurs to sell their products in a curated retail context”. Located on the ground floor of a building that once was a house art project.

For the vintage lovers, Ghata Berlin displays a selection of clothes, bags and shoes from the 20th century and Cafe Irma offers not only coffee, but also GDR memorabilia, like plastic chicken-shaped boiled eggs holders.

Bookworms can be fed by the second-hand books at Handbestand. They have a lovely terrace which is perfect for a coffee and cake combo to accompany a reading session. Ocelot is “not just another bookstore”. The cosy oak interiors invite you to read over coffee. The space also hosts talks, exhibitions and small concerts. If their book selection can’t provide what you are looking for, the Phillip Schaefer public library is located on the courtyard of the building!

Photo from Ocelot’s Website

Brunnenstrasse also offers options of furniture and design shops: finest Scandinavian pieces of Wohnkultur 66, houseware supplier Objets Trouvés Berlin, contemporary design at Brunnen 190, bedding store Polkra, upclycling boutique Nutz&Zier, exquisite stone fashion, tech-accessories of Roxxlyn and urban design of S.Wert, a good place to find a souvenir from Berlin to take home.

Cafés/restaurants:

Besides the fast food options at Rosenthaler Platz, along Brunnenstrasse you can find many other places that serve nice and tasty food.

Following a successful Kreuzberger/Neuköllner café style, Hermann Eicke, whose name pays homage to the creator of the first coffee machine, has good fresh bagels and sandwiches, and Joris makes yummy baked potato topped with creative ingredients and decent salads.

Photo from Joris’ Website

For the Polish street food fans, Schmeckerei/Pierogi serves pierogi and soups and Tak Tak Polish Deli proposes organic “handmade Polish comfort food”, including meat free pierogi and bigos.

On the corner of Bernauer Strasse, Central Café Bar is a good vegetarian option during a visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial. Next door, L’Épicerie Brunnenstrasse is a grocery shop with a nice cheese and wine selection. Across the street, the main attraction of Ost-West Café is the very photographable East German Trabant police car, parked outside.

Almost on the corner of Invalindenstrasse, Unicorn.Berlin offers coworking spaces, healthy food, meeting rooms and an event space.

Photo from Unicorn’s Website

Asian food can be found at the Chinese noodle house The Tree and at the Japanese grillhouse Aiko, with their lovely  – and symmetric displayed – paper lanterns.

Sweet tooths will be delighted with the french pastries of Du Bonheur and with the original ice cream flavors of Die Eisfabrik.

If it is not enough yet, try the delicious Austrian food at the deli Feinkost Minutillo and the greasy burgers of Rosenburger.

Bars:

Either to start or finish your evening, bar options do not lack on Brunnenstrasse. Kim Bar is open from Tuesday to Saturday and is a good choice for music and drinks.

Bar Milano needs no further introduction. It is our favorite spot for a Negroni night opener! Tarantino’s is a cocktail bar dedicated to the universe of the American filmmaker.

Bar Milano

Buck and Breck is a somehow secret doorway speakeasy and it was elected one of the best bars in Europe. In one only intimate and dark room, the cocktail bar, that is also a Champagne house, has a black communal table, in front of which the bartender mixes your drink. Reservation is mandatory.

Sharlie Cheen is a more affordable cocktail bar option and has a very “instragramable” ceiling, with its hexagonal lamps.

Open 24 hours, Mein Haus am See is a café/bar/club with a mix crowd and a small stage for live concerts.

As you can see, you can basically spend quite some time just exploring Brunnenstrasse and the areas around it. Make sure to also check our guide to Torstrasse and if you are in the mood for something more Kreuzberg, explore our guide to Graefestrasse.

*This article was written by Domingos Lepores and edited by Tulio Edreira.

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Behind its rough, grizzled exterior, Berlin is really a city of students and book nerds at heart. As the weather gets colder and it gets time to move inside from the parks and spaeti benches, check out our recommendations for the best bookstore/café combinations in Berlin.

Handbestand

This unpretentious café in Prenzlauer Berg is just a short walk from Bernauer Strasse, serving up the usual Milchkaffee and assorted pastries (although you can get sandwiches, too!) The real treat is the atmosphere – it’s the kind of bookstore/café where no one is worried about how long you’re hanging around, making it the perfect place for a meeting with your tandem language partner or Tinder date. Some of my latest finds in their used book section – German classics (written in beginner German if you still need to practice) and a whole shelf of Portuguese and Spanish novels.

Brunnenstraße 42

Photo by Olea Morris.

Shakespeare & Sons

Shakespeare & Sons is known by bookworms and non-bookworms alike for for one thing: amazing bagels. The heavily curated selection of books – everything from Bulgakov to Anthony Bourdain, German film to Japanese manga classics – feels a bit like checking out the bookshelves at a party in a trendy New York apartment. Love it or hate it, Shakespeare & Sons keeps it all about the books and good old fashioned conversation by limiting WiFi to specific hours and keeping the back room laptop free – finally, an excuse to get some reading done!

Warschauer Str. 74

Photo by Olea Morris.

Café Tasso

With warm walls, mismatched chairs, and location just around the corner from Frankfurter Tor, café Tasso feels like a relic from the days before Friedrichshain was filled to the brim with hip cafés. The back rooms are packed with used books, with a room in the basement dedicated to English language books, all for only €1.50 (recently up from just €1 a book), so it’s impossible to leave empty-handed (and if you’re like me, maybe with a stack of books about Berlin history and pre-war photographs). Bonus: go with a fellow book lover on a lazy weekend morning and grab the Tasso breakfast for two – you’ll get in some great people watching on Karl-Marx-Allee and get all the energy you need to explore every shelf.

Frankfurter Allee 11

Photo from Café Tasso’s Facebook Feed

Ocelot

If you’re into minimalist style, strong espresso, and Moleskine notebooks, Ocelot (“Not just another bookstore!”) might be more up your alley. Just down the street from Handbestand, it’s a great spot for some post-Mauerpark caffeination. Their selection of books is infinitely hip and design-centric, with a heavy selection of glossy art and architecture books. Ocelot’s advantage? Tons of books in other languages (from Greek, Spanish, Turkish, Polish, and more) as well as language coursebooks, means you’ll be sure to find something to practice your language skills apart from DuoLingo. For more on what to do around here, check out Neighborhood guide to Brunnenstrasse.

Brunnenstraße 181

Photo from Ocelot’s Facebook Feed.

Antiquariat Mackensen & Niemann

Maybe you’ve been around the block, and the suggestions above aren’t news to you. Antiquariat Mackensen & Niemann, in between Seestrasse and Nauener Platz, is a true hidden gem and the perfect place to spend a rainy day. This place is filled with antique books, surprising vintage finds, and unlike the places above, has a true local following. If you’re an art lover, this is the place for you – you’ll find huge photography books and exhibition retrospectives for a fraction of the price. OK, so it’s not technically a bookstore/café combination, but it might as well be – Schrader’s, a Wedding institution and one of the most popular neighborhood cafés – is just across the street. Here are some more ideas on things to do in Berlin Wedding.

Malplaquetstr. 13-13a

Photo from Schrader’s Facebook Page.

Dussmann

If you feel like a more “corporate” and super bookstore/café combination, then Dussmann in Mitte is the place to go. This bookstore has, for the longest time, been the reference in Berlin for all sorts of book needs. Browse through the many floors before finding a perfect spot at their downstairs café, right by a most wonderful green wall! Yes, given its lcoation and fame, this bookstore might feel a bit too mainstream. The café, however, will transport you to somewhat of a hidden urban oasis. Trust.

Friedrichstraße 90

Photo from Dussmann’s website.

Do you have a favorite bookstore or café in the city? Tell us in the comments below!

*Article written by Olea Morris and edited by Tulio Edreira.

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Boxhagener Platz (aka Boxi) is a fairly large square that has become the heart of Friedrichshain, due to the many shops, restaurants, and cafés around it. It also helps that it has a wonderful food market every Wednesday and Saturday, as well as a nice flea market every Sunday. Lots of people live in the area, so it can, at times,  feel very busy for Berlin standards.

Photo from www.boxhagenerplatz.org

Due to the large number of people (including some “in-the-know” tourists), there are also many traps in the area. Yes, it is nice to stroll along Simon Dach Straße illuminated at night. That said, I am comfident that most of the places you’ll find along this strip are below average with above average prices. So I came up with this guide is to help you explore the area and avoid some traps by selecting the best in the Kiez.

What to do

If the weather is nice, you are bound to find lots of people sitting on the grass, drinking beer and eating some takeaway burger in the middle of the square. The small playground, which is separate from the adult, beer-consumption area, will also be full of kids and chatty parents. It is a diverse area, with people of different backgrounds and styles. This is definitely a good place to hang out on a sunny day and, in summer, people stay there well beyond sunset. The food options around here are plentiful and diverse enough to make everyone happy – and you can still find a decent takeaway meal  for less than 5€.

Photo from www.boxhagenerplatz.org

On market days, even though most of the stands are selling uncooked food, it is possible to try out artisanal sausages or Italian street food delicacies, as well as cakes, coffee and more. It is worth coming here, even if you are not planning on cooking. If homeccooking is your thing, though, this is a must!  You’ll find very fresh vegetables, hand-made pasta and quite a few locally sourced food items to inspire you.

On flea market days you will find the the square in its most crowded state. Even when it is bitter cold and snowing. From vintage/old furniture to handmade cut-out greeting cards, one can find charming items here – and, let’s be honest,  some not so extraordinary items as well. But it is easy to make a Sunday outing out of it. Stroll around the flea market, have brunch or lunch nearby, then enjoy the local coffee scene, which is very well represented here.

Here are some shops, cafés, restaurants and bars I recommend you try while exploring Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain.

Photo from Victoria met Albert’s Facebook Feed.

Shops

• Victoria met Albert: a mix of clothes, household articles, shoes and funny random designerish articles makes this shop a dream for those who like pretty things. Watch out, as the prices can be quite hefty!
• Lesen und lessen lassen: beautiful books, cards, and notebooks. A small, friendly bookshop delivers that neighborhood feel.
• Schwesterherz: a bit farther away from the square, but totally worth the stroll. This shop offers design objects, be it for the kitchen, personal use, or decoration of the home. Very much in the similar direction as Victoria met Albert, but with a less hipster approach.
• Boxi Kiosk: the best späti for beer lovers, end of story. With a very wide selection of local craft beers and international classics, there’s no better späti in this area. Very conveniently located on one of the square corners.

Cafés

• Cozys (Gabriel-Max-Straße 15A, 10245 Berlin): this newly renovated café offers a very friendly and cozy atmosphere without compromising in style. Delicious coffee, very friendly service, and no attitude! Breakfast and brunch are also highly recommended here, as well as their delicious smoothies.

  Photo from Cozy’s Facebook Feed.

• Neumanns Café (Gabriel-Max-Straße 18, 10245 Berlin): a relatively newcomer, it offers good coffee and a typically minimalistic space that, although not memorable, feels comfortable on a rainy day.
• KuchenRausch (Simon-Dach-Straße 1, 10245 Berlin): the most Berliner of the cafés in the area, with a vast, daily-changing selection of homemade cakes, as well as a complete menu. Not the friendliest or fastest of services, but definitely a more local experience than the Scandinavian-inspired cafés above.

Restaurants

• Mamman (Gabriel-Max-Straße 2, 10245 Berlin): Vietnamese quick and dirty, but also delicious and inexpensive.
• Il Ritrovo (Gabriel-Max-Straße 2, 10245 Berlin): Pizza with an attitude.
• Datscha (Gabriel-Max-Straße 1, 10245 Berlin): Russian dumplings and brunch buffet on Sundays.
• Burgeramt (Krossener Str. 21-22, 10245 Berlin): Nice burgers, friendly service.

  Photo by Helena Nacinovic.

• Lisboa bar (Krossener Str. 20, 10245 Berlin): Delicious Portuguese tapas, and slow, but extremely friendly service.
• Sanabel Imbiß (Gabriel-Max-Straße 16, 10245 Berlin): The best falafel plate in the area, just a tiny door with two outside tables.
• priMaria (Gärtnerstraße 12, 10245 Berlin): Bulgarian goodness, very nice atmosphere, and a bit more upscale service.
• Hot Dog Soup (Grünberger Str. 69, 10245 Berlin): hot dogs and soup, as the name says! Very nice for a quick meal near the square.

Bars

• Dachkammer (Simon-Dach-Straße 39, 10245 Berlin): Skip the front of the shop, which looks more like a café, and go to the first floor for some nice cocktails and a cozy atmosphere, with several rooms full of comfy sofas.
• Szimpla (Gärtnerstraße 15, 10245 Berlin): a Hungarian café which offers draft craft beers and a wider bottle selection. One of the few bars in the area to separate smokers from non-smokers, as they serve food as well.

  Photo from Szimpla’s Facebook Feed.

• Feuermelder (Krossener Str. 24, 10245 Berlin): a Berliner left-wing bar, with cheap drinks and a smoky atmosphere. Perfect and friendly!

If you love this neighborhood and its vibes, make sure to read “A perfect day in Friedrichshain“! For other fun neighborhood tips in Berlin, click here.

*Article written by Helena Nacinovic and edited by Tulio Edreira.

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Südblock is undoubtedly one of the most important queer spaces in Berlin. Right at Kottbusser Tor (Kotti for the locals), this café, bar and party venue is a real Kreuzberg experience, with all the diversity that makes this Berliner neighborhood so unique and exciting.

Quizz night at Südblock. Photo from Südblock’s Facebook Feed.

We dare say that the main attraction of Südblock is their public: everyone is welcome, excepted those who can not respect the cultural mix of Kotti. Thus, homophobes, transphobes, queerphobes and any other -phobe or heteronormative inclined people will not find their place there.

Together with the Gayhane party at S036, Möbel Olfe and Café Kotti, Südblock forms the Kreuzberg “queer quartet”. In the past 10 years, this “Kreuzberg institution” caters to the local community, including LGBTQ+ crowds and open-minded visitors. Südblock is a place where you are bound to share one of the communal tables with women wearing headscarves, an international drag queen and a young refugee trying to learn German!

Photo from Südblock’s Facebook Feed.

Anytime of the day, from 10 a.m., the venue opens for breakfast, lunch and afternoon cake and turns into a bar/party space in the evening, with a program as varied as its crowd.

Located in a small square, just on the southwestern corner of our beloved Kotti d’Azur, at the foot of a social housing complex, the outdoor seating area, in hot summer days, is converted into a Biergarten, with a view to one of U-Bahn station entrances.

On Sundays, the “pay what you want” brunch is a must. The open-buffet has vegetarian and vegan options, including German breakfast staples, like eggs in all its variations and pancakes. At the end of your meal, you decide to pay between € 7.50 and 14.50, excluded drinks, depending on how much you consider you had. It can be very busy on the peak hours, so it is highly recommended to book a table if you go in a group.

The alternative club nights include parties, concerts, karaoke, drag shows, readings, pub quizzes, art performances…

There are regular events, like the Salom Salam, on Mondays, from 6 to 9 p.m., offering haircuts and eyebrows plucking, spiced up with tarot readings, the Hartzer Roller, on Tuesdays, a social counseling service, the weekly Sprachklub aquarium, where everyone interested in learning German is invited to practice the language in an open public chat, and the successful brunch on Sundays.

The “trashy but happy” CherrYO!-kie, the karaoke dance party, happens 4 times a year and it is certainly one of the funniest nights you can have in Berlin! Another hilarious night is the always sparkling Pub Quiz, hosted by the DJs Tama Sumo, Prosumer and special guests.

Photo from Südblock’s Facebook Feed.

Südblock also promotes soli refugees parties and political discussions about discrimination faced by minorities. Be sure to check their extensive agenda, like their Facebook page or to subscribe to their newsletter to get updates about their special events.

And finally, a bonus for cig-free people: at Südblock, smoking is allowed only in a separate room!

*Article written by Domingos Lepores and edited by Tulio Edreira.

Südblock ‘s Website

Address: Admiralstraße 1-2, 10999

Phone: 030 60941853

Südblock queer bar
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We love Berlin’s unique neighbourhoods – there are so many interesting streets to explore across the city. One of our favourites is Rykestraße, a wide, tree-lined street in Berlin’s Prenzlauer district. Not only is this street FULL of things to keep you busy should you find yourself hungry or wanting to do a bit of shopping, it also has two very notable sights: the Wasserturm Prenzlauer Berg, and the Rykestraße Synagogue.

Photo by Natalie Lunt.

Rykestraße runs from the Wasserturm on the corner of Knaackstraße to Danziger Straße. It’s not a particularly long street for Berlin, but there’s more than enough to see and do.

The synagogue is Germany’s largest and the second biggest Jewish place of worship in Europe. The building has been around since 1904, surviving the Second World War relatively undamaged. Today it can hold up to 2000 worshippers inside. It’s worth taking a look at its beautiful interior and tours are available during the week in both English and German.

Photo from Jüdische Gemeinde zu Berlin’s Website.

The Wasserturm is Berlin’s oldest water tower, and was in use until 1952. An adjacent machine hall was actually the first concentration camp in Nazi Germany, though this building was demolished in 1935. Nowadays it is full of very sought-after apartments and is surrounded by a very pretty park area.

Now let’s talk about what else is available on Rykestraße:

Café’s & Restaurants

There are quite a few places to eat on this street. Some are quite small (and popular) which means seating can sometimes be tricky, of course it’s easier in the summer when there are more options to sit outside, but in the colder months you might have to wait for a table. Some of our favourite spots are No Fire No Glory, which serves really great coffee & cake, ABC (Allans Breakfast Club) who do a very tasty avocado toast and general yummy brunches, there’s also Si An specialising in very tasty Vietnamese cuisine, and set in a beautifully-designed space. There are also a couple of ice cream shops on the street, one in particular we like is Tribeca Ice Cream, serving delicious vegan ice cream in some amazing flavours.

Photo by Natalie Lunt.

Shops

The shops are mostly small, independent stores selling unique items and cool designs. We really like ting, a shop selling everything from jewellery to stationery – you can pick up some one-of-a-kind pieces here. Go to Funi Shop for bright, colourfully-designed products such as wrapping paper and cards. And when you want to spruce up your apartment (or your wardrobe) head to Schones aus Skandinavien whose pretty patterns cover scarves, mugs and handbags.

Photo by Natalie Lunt.

Bars & Pubs

After all that shopping, you’ll need to stop for a drink or two! And of course, Rykestraße has no shortage of bars, either. For delicious cocktails (and a smoke-free bar) head to BRYK – they even produce their own brand of gin. The bar has a very trendy industrial style and friendly staff. Haus Bar is a nice, small, cosy bar to relax in that plays good music and makes good drinks. There’s also a small terrace for when the weather is nice. Yard is your typical small pub/kneipe experience, that also has a pool table inside (which we don’t see many of these days). It’s dark, cosy, cheap and plays good rock music.

Bryk Bar

You’ll also find a spa, a wine shop, even a vet on Rykestraße – there’s just too many places to mention, so it’s best you go take a look yourself!

Find more ideas on what to do in Prenzlauer Berg HERE. You may also enjoy these other street guides we wrote: Torstrasse, Brunnenstrasse, Gräfestrasse. Do you have any favourite streets in Berlin? Let us know.

*Article written by Natalie Lunt and edited by Tulio Edreira.

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