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Barcomi's Deli
Freshly roasted coffee perfumes the air at this intensely popular refuelling stop that draws families, American expats and artsy types with deli-style sandwiches, mouthwatering cakes and a nonsmoking policy.
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Borchardt
Named after a caterer to the Prussian court, this Mitte institution is on the speed dial of politicians, actors and other power crowd types. This generally makes for top-notch people-watching in the open dining room, with ceilings as lofty as the chef's ambitions. The Wiener schnitzel - thin, juicy and huge - is reputedly among the best in town.
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Buddha Haus
A haze of good smells greets you the moment you step into this cheerful eatery, with its natural brick walls, lampion-style lights and soothing music. The menu is a spectrum of flavours packaged into healthfully prepared stews, soups, sautés, momos (stuffed breads), curries and other appetising dishes. Vegetarians will be happy here as well.
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Café 100wasser
On Sundays, this all-purpose café gets mobbed until well into the afternoon when they dish up one of the best brunch buffets in an area teeming with competition.
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Café Wintergarten im Literaturhaus
Everyone from bookworms to artists gather at this lovely Art Nouveau villa. When the weather plays along, the idyllic garden is ideal for a light lunch or a leisurely afternoon of coffee, cake and chat. Or come early to prepare for your shopping spree with breakfast, under the graceful stucco-ornamented ceilings.
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Curry 36
Don't let the prosaic name deter you: this imbiss (snackbar) makes some of the best currywurst in town and has the around-the-clock queues to prove it. Service is swift and friendly, and the sausage has a nicely spiced bite to it.
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Epoque
This teensy place may look stuffy but don't be fooled: chef Carsten Rosener will take your taste buds on a wild ride. Though trained in classic French cooking, his rebellious imagination produces dishes that defy pigeonholing. Lamb with liquorice anyone? Smoked scallops with sauerkraut? Usually it works, on rare occasions it doesn't.
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Eta Hoffmann
Thomas Kurt likes to see full tables, which is why he cooks up ingredient-inspired top cuisine at prices kind to average pay checks: any three courses cost a mere around €29 - a steal considering the quality, skill and ingenuity he brings to each dish. His duck foie gras terrine is a classic. Book ahead.
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Facil
With its sleek Donghia chairs, alabaster lamps and honey-hued natural stone, this glass palace inside the Mandala Hotel is one of the city's most breathtaking dining rooms. Michael Kempf's Michelin-starred fare is deliciously devoid of needless flights of fancy. Budget gourmets should come for lunch.
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Fellas
This café-bar fits as comfortably as an old glove and has a chef destined for fancier places. The huge salads are the best thing on the regular menu but the most creativity goes into the big-flavoured specials. Recent options included bacon and pear risotto, octopus carpaccio , and baked cauliflower with basil couscous. Free wi-fi.
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Good Time
Take a trip to Thailand without packing your bags at this convivial restaurant with its winning mix of traditional yet tantalising food, decor that invites dreams of faraway places and unobtrusive yet efficient staff. Some dishes have Indonesian inflections (satay chicken and the like) but it's the fragrant coconut-based curries that steal the show.
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Habibi
Habibi means 'my beloved', and the object of obsession in this popular snack place is the humble falafel. It's made with just the right creamy, crunchy composition and goes well with a freshly pressed carrot juice.
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Hartmanns
Stefan Hartmann studied with star chefs in Hollywood and Berlin before opening his romantic basement restaurant in early 2007. Amid vaulted ceilings, original art and a lusty fireplace, he's now building his own fan base with a dual menu pairing sophisticated German home cooking and international gourmet concoctions.
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Hasir
The flagship branch of this small, family-run chain is a glamorous bazaar tucked into a courtyard around the corner from the Hackesche Höfe. The kitchen produces a firework of flavours, from feta-filled artichoke hearts to clay-pot braised leg of lamb and loaves of kuver , a sesame flat bread served piping hot from the oven.
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Heat
Inside the Radisson SAS Hotel, this contemporary haunt has a global menu catering to just about every imaginable diet, craving or taste. Views of the Berliner Dom compete with chefs fussing at open food stations over such dishes as chicken tikka, bouillabaisse, pizzas or Berlin-style calf's liver.
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I Due Forni
Decked out with pseudo-revolutionary décor, this hectic pizza parlour is run by a crew of Italian punks with attitude. Service sucks but the pies are awesome, so relax like you're one of the boho regulars. Tables fill quickly in this huge hall, so make reservations if you want to eat after .
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Jolesch
This cosy green salon enjoys a fiercely loyal following and gives you the choice of sticking with Austrian basics - schnitzel, goulash - or going haute with lobster carpaccio , red-beet tagliatelle or other internationally flavoured dishes. The three-course lunches are a steal at around €9.50 , but portions could be bigger.
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Kakao
If the Aztecs considered chocolate the elixir of the gods, then this mocha-hued café-lounge must be heaven. Cocoa addicts will have no problem satisfying their cravings with the homemade cakes, mousse au chocolat , hot drinking chocolate and chocolate-flavoured rum and whisky. Sunday afternoons, it's usually packed.
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Kasbah
The tantalising melange of cumin, coriander and cinnamon wafting through this exotic salon will perk up even the most jaded palate. Eating here is a sensory ritual: rinse your hands with rose water before digging into tagine (a stew), b'stilla (stuffed filo) or other traditional North African dishes, then cap it all off with a palate-cleansing mint tea.
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Kollwitzplatzmarkt
Berlin's poshest organic-produce market has everything you need to put together a gourmet picnic or meal. Velvety Gorgonzolas, juniper-berry-smoked ham, crusty sourdough bread and homemade pestos are among the exquisite morsels scooped up by well-heeled locals. Lines can be long, so pack some patience.
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Lei e Lui
The Italian name conjures visions of pasta and polenta, but owner-chef Karen Kaiser's repertory travels far beyond Italy to the cuisines of Morocco, the Caribbean, Spain and Thailand. The lively decor is an equally eclectic proposition and being located off the tourist track keeps quality high and prices reasonable.
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Mao Thai
If you love Thai food, your taste buds will do cartwheels at this sophisticated Siam outpost. The menu is huge but they swear everything is freshly prepared just for you, including the crispy duck, their signature dish. The garnishes - radish swans, carrot roses - are edible works of art.
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Maoa
The name stands for Modern Art of Asia but you won't find this high-concept spin on the Mongolian grill anywhere east of the Ural Mountains. Put together your meal from a big buffet of vegetables, spices, noodles and meats (including kangaroo and crocodile), then have it all cooked up with your choice of sauce, such as fennel garlic or blackberry sake.
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Mar y Sol
Mar y Sol beautifully captures the sultry mood of Andalusia. On balmy nights, tables on the fountain-studded tiled patio are a hot commodity, while in winter the rustically elegant dining room is popular. Either way, you'll be happy munching on manchego (sheep's milk cheese), bacon-wrapped dates, Serrano ham and garlic prawns.
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Margaux
It took culinary wunderkind Michael Hoffman only a year to wow the Michelin testers with his cuisine avantgarde classique . What may sound like an oxymoron actually translates into first-rate ingredients, refined flavours and artistic presentation. And somehow, the divine dishes taste better still against those lush, back-lit onyx walls.
