Restaurants in Berlin
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Burgermeister
It's green, ornate, a century old and… it used to be a toilet. Now it's a burger joint on a traffic island beneath the elevated U-Bahn tracks. Don’t fret, don’t shudder: the plump all-beef patties are top-notch and best paired with fries and home-made dips such as peanut and mango curry.
reviewed
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Zwölf Apostel
A pleasant pit stop between museums, this place beneath the railway arches has over-the-top religious decor and tasty thin-crust pizzas named after the 12 apostles.
reviewed
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Dada Falafel
'Eating is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art'. This quote by a 17th-century French author François de La Rochefoucauld is the motto of this teensy exotic takeaway with attached gallery. One bite of Dada's freshly prepared felafel doused with a tangy homemade sauce and you too will understand why there's always a queue of local loyalists, despite usually perfunctory service.
reviewed
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Dolores
Dolores is a bastion of California-style burritos – fresh, authentic and priced to help you stay on budget. Select your preferred combo of marinated meats (the lime cilantro chicken is yummy) or tofu, rice, beans, veggies, cheese and salsa and the cheerful staff will build it on the spot. Great homemade lemonade, too.
reviewed
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Schwarzwaldstuben
In the mood for a Hansel and Gretel moment? Then join the other 'lost kids' in this send-up of the Black Forest complete with plastic pines and baseball-capped Bambi heads. We can’t get enough of the 'geschmelzte Maultaschen’ (sautéed ravioli-like pasta) and the giant schnitzel. Everything goes down well with a glass of Rothaus Tannenzäpfle beer, straight from the Black Forest.
reviewed
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Cafe Jacques
A favourite with off-duty chefs and local foodies, Jacques infallibly charms with flattering candlelight, warm decor and fantastic wine. It’s the perfect date spot but, quite frankly, you only have to be in love with good food to appreciate the French- and North African-inspired blackboard menu. Charismatic owner Ahmad or his staff will happily recommend the perfect matching wine. Reservations essential.
reviewed
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Jules Verne
Jules Verne was a well-travelled man, so it’s only fitting that a cafe bearing his name would feature a globetrotting menu. French oysters, Austrian schnitzel and Moroccan couscous are all perennial bestsellers. It’s also a great ‘greet-the-day’ spot with substantial breakfasts named after Verne’s books served until 3pm and an entire quality buffet at weekends.
reviewed
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Rosenthaler Grill- und Schlemmerbuffet
One of the best doner kebabs in town. Enough said.
reviewed
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Curry 36
Day after day, night after night, a motley crowd of tattooed scenesters, office jockeys, noisy school kids and savvy tourists wait their turn at this top-ranked Currywurst purveyor that's been frying 'em up since 1981.
reviewed
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Maultaschen Manufaktur
If ravioli and dumplings had kids, they would look something like Maultaschen, a traditional dish from southern Germany. At this unfussy joint they’re made fresh daily and served fried and smothered in sauce or cheese and paired with potato salad or noodles. The herbivore versions are stuffed either with spinach and mozzarella or tomato and feta.
reviewed
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Kasbah
Take your tastebuds on a magic carpet ride at this exotic salon where owner Driss welcomes each guest with a big smile. Eating here is a sensory immersion that starts with rinsing your hands in rosewater before digging into such tasty treats as flaky b'stilla (chicken-stuffed filo) or tangy tagine (stew). The Moroccan wine is excellent too.
reviewed
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Morgenland
This eastern Kreuzberg multiculti café is a breakfast institution, especially on Sunday when everyone from red-eyed night owls to scarf-draped Turkish beauties invade for the table-bending brunch (reservations a must!). At other times it’s a relaxed café with pan-European food – pasta to lamb to fried fish.
reviewed
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Schleusenkrug
Sitting pretty on the edge of the Tiergarten, next to a Landwehrkanal lock, Schleusenkrug truly comes into its own in summer when the beer garden kicks into full swing. People from all walks of life hunker over mugs of foamy beer and satisfying comfort food, from grilled sausages to Flammkuche (Alsatian pizza) and weekly changing specials. Breakfast is served until 3pm.
reviewed
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Seerose
This been-here-forever cafe tempts taste buds with fresh, creative and completely animal-free pastas, casseroles, soups, salads and other healthy nosh. Order at the buffet-style counter, then start salivating at a pavement table or inside amid antique furniture and plenty of plants.
reviewed
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Monsieur Vuong
Berlin’s ‘godfather’ of upbeat Indochina nosh-stops, Monsieur has been copied many times – the concept is just that good. Pick from a compact menu of flavour-packed soups and two or three oft-changing mains, then sit back and enjoy your leftover money. Amazingly, the quality hasn’t come down despite the never-ending queue. Come in the afternoon to avoid the frenzy.
reviewed
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Hisar
It’s a bit off the beaten track, but tried-and-true Hisar makes, beyond doubt, one of the best döner in town. For the full gamut of Turkish cuisine, grab a table in the two-storey restaurant behind the takeaway where grilled meats are a speciality.
reviewed
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Grill Royal
A platinum card is a handy accessory at this ‘look-at-me’ temple where A-listers, power politicians, pouty models and ‘trust-afarians’ can be seen slurping oysters and tucking into their prime cuts, including superb regionally raised organic Angus cattle. No complaints about the food quality, the sensibly sensuous decor or the people-watching potential. Service, alas, can be snooty. Riverside tables beckon in fine weather.
reviewed
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W- der Imbiss
The love child of Italian and Indian cooking, W's signature naan pizza is freshly baked in the tandoor oven and mouthwateringly topped with everything from goat cheese to smoked salmon to guacamole. The wok curries and tortilla wraps are tasty too, while the spirulina-laced apple juice keeps hangovers at bay.
reviewed
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Sasaya
Whatever you order at this minimalist space has perfect pitch – sushi to salads, tempura to fish. Tables fill quickly with Japanese expats and plugged-in locals, so it’s best to make reservations several days ahead.
reviewed
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Zur Letzten Instanz
Oozing folksy Old Berlin charm, this rustic eatery has been an enduring hit since 1621 and has fed everyone from Napoleon to Beethoven to Angela Merkel. Although now tourist-geared, food quality is still pretty high when it comes to such local rib-stickers as Grillhaxe (grilled pork knuckle) and Bouletten (meat patties).
reviewed
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Habibi
Habibi means ‘my beloved’ and the object of obsession in this popular snack place is soul-sustaining felafel best paired with a freshly pressed carrot juice. Great for restoring brain balance after a night on the razzle.
reviewed
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Bird
New York meets Berlin at this buzzy, boozy gastro-pub whose steaks, burgers and fries justify the hype. Sink your teeth into a dripping half-pounder made from freshly-ground dry-aged Angus beef trapped between a toasted English muffin (yes, it’s messy – that’s what the kitchen roll is for!) Sauces, dressings and even the cheesecake are all made from scratch.
reviewed
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Ratskeller Köpenick
Restaurants with the word ‘Ratskeller’ in their name usually turn out to be overpriced tourist traps not worthy of our – and your – attention. The Köpenick contender, though, is a happy exception. If you’re lusting after rib-sticking German food, descend into this vaulted, olde-worlde cellar below the historic town hall where a certain ‘Hauptmann’ once pulled a masterful stunt on the local authorities. Reservations advised for the Friday and Saturday live jazz nights.
reviewed
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W
Korea Haus
If you’re a Korean food virgin, this tiny hut in an unlikely Wedding location is a fine place to lose your innocence. The native owner-chef takes on the roles of greeter, seater, server, sommelier and cook in what amounts to a Peter Sellers–worthy performance. The menu is extensive, but we highly recommend the bulgogi: slices or chunks of beef or pork, cooked on a gas barbecue at your table and served with a handful of panchan (side dishes). Delicious and authentic.
reviewed
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Bräustübl
Wrap up a day at the Müggelsee on the lakeside terrace or inside this rambling brew-pub that oozes 1920s Berlin charisma from every nook and cranny. There are two menus: one featuring hearty, old-timey German classics that wash down well with the Berliner Bürgerbräu brewed on-site, and a smaller one with – get this! – light and healthy Ayurvedic dishes calibrated to blood type. Concerts, readings and cabaret take over the little stage at weekends.
reviewed