Berlin Restaurants

[Winot]

Off to Berlin on the w/e of 4-6 July and couldn't find any recs on the board. We're looking for a funky restaurant to take our friend who's staying there -- nothing to formal but good food and drink.

Thanks.

[alithea]

Some places I've gone to and liked:

abendmahl- muskauer str 9, berlin-kreuzberg. I guess you could call it "funky", a mostly vegetarian spot.

hasir- oranienburger str 4, berlin-mitte. Wonderful Turkish food in a too-hip part of the city.

salumeria culinario - tucholskystr. 34, berlin-mitte. Small cafe/restaurant/salumeria, low-key, inexpensive, very good value.

cafe einstein- kurfuerstenstr. 58, berlin-tiergarten. On a summer day, eating outside here is so splendid. Viennese cafe by day and fairly pricey restaurant by night- so if you want to save money go for breakfast or lunch.

monsieur vuong- alte schönhauser str. 46, berlin-mitte. Everyone comes to m. vuong for vietnamese. There are about 3 things on the menu to choose from, but they cost about 6 Euro each and are fresh and well-prepared. Everyone in Mitte is eating here or at Cibo Matto down the street.

Have a good time in Berlin!

[cinghiale]

I used to go quite often to Golgotha in Kreuzberg. It's a huge, open-air kneipe/cafe up on top of, well, a hill.

Paris Bar in Charlottenburg in the Kantstraße was always pretty funky, though a bit pricey.

And I don't think it exists anymore, but I used to love to go to a chicken joint called Hühner Hugo, hard up against the wall near Checkpoint Charlie. The place was always packed. Their two claims to fame: (i) due to their secret preparation, you could eat the entire chicken, bones and all, and (ii) JFK allegedly stopped by in 1963 . [bTW: day after tomorrow is 40th anniversary () of Ich bin ein Berliner.]

[elyse]

Poor Kennedy.

I know this is off topic, but go to the Check Point Charlie Museum. It's fascinating.

Edited June 24, 2003 by elyse (log)

[Winot]

Many thanks to all -- sounds like there are lots of good options.

Shall give the Checkpoint Charlie museum a go if we have the time -- also looking forward to returning to the Liebeskind Jewish Museum (went there when it was empty and will be interested to see what's it's like now full).

W.

[alithea]

I never liked the Paris Bar - I thought it was a terrible value and the service was cool and distanced. It would be one thing if it were still 1988 and Savignyplatz was the fashionable part of town, but there are better places to go.

And speaking of open-air Kneipen... the Prater Biergarten should be open! It is one of the most central Biergärten in the city, and in a young part neighborhood, Prenzlauer Berg. Prater is a whole complex, a restaurant, Biergarten, small performance space, and bar.

[Winot]

Well we're back, and had a grreat time. Wish they'd left the basement of the Judisches Museum empty though.

Eats included:

Hasir -- great spicy lamb kebab on the first night in the original restaurant on Oranienstrasse.

Eintopf (sausage and lentil version and beef and potatoes version) in a trendy place off Auguststrasse. Filling/compfort food but nothing special.

Evening meal on Saturday at Gugelhof (where Schroeder took Clinton). Excellent courgette soup with pumpkin pesto; choucroute with their famous blood sausage and cheese with an 1989 Gewurztraminer. Good competent regional stuff; very friendly service; good wine list.

Absinthe sour cocktails in a post-apocalyptic Cuban bar with sand on the floor. Neither big nor clever.

Breakfast on sunday at the Freischwimmer. Average all-you-can-eat buffet but cool location.

Kaffee und kuchen at the Fernsehturm. Average food but what a view! What fantastic design!

Thanks for all the rec,

Winot

[wgallois]

Need some help locating a restaurant in Berlin. Had a mid-January reservation for Gugelhof but unfortunately they are closing for redecorations at that time. I am looking for somewhere that serves good German food with plenty of options for vegetarians, with a definite preference for somewhere traditional/cosy over somewhere modern and sleek. Any thoughts?

[wgallois]

One real find and one dud on our short visit:

The find - Nona weinrestaurant, Grunewaldstr. 10, Schoeneberg. A very good neighbourhood restaurant with, as its name suggests, a real emphasis on wine. We began with a wine soup (unusual and satisfying) and a kind of Provencal bake of sheep's cheese, tomatoes, onion and thyme (not unlike eating the topping from a pizza, and none the worse for that). We both had cheese-stuffed dumplings as a main. These were surrounded by piles of fried onions and definitely satisfied our need for hearty and tasty Mitteleuropean fare. We had a satisfying Riesling from the extensive wine list and, with a couple of Berliner Pilseners to start the evening off, the bill (with tip) was a very reasonable 50 Euros.

The dud: Opernpalais on Unter den Linden. This flash cafe complex comes much recommended by many guides, though this may have more to do with its location and past than the service it actually offers today. We may have ordered badly but I was distinctly unimpressed with our food, the low point of which was a mozzarella and tomato panini which was very cold in the middle (could it really have come from a freezer?!) The cakes look nice but the nusstorte and the marzipantorte we shared were not that great, and my overriding impression was that the whole place was more about style than substance. The service was poor.

[aliénor]

i am heading out to berlin on wednesday. we are going to be there for 10 days. anyone have any good and interesting recommendation for places to eat. we haven't been in berlin for six years so we look forward to seeing all the changes.

aliénor

[annadev]

We had dinner at Gugel Hof in the Kathe kOLLWITZ Platz last night, and thought the food was very good. Servers were helpful. Ambience is quite casual, which is nice.

[Peter B Wolf]

Found on the web through American Airlines

Gugelhof ,Knaackstraße 37 ,Berlin 10435

+49 30 442 92 29 +49 30 44 35 95 40

www.gugelhof.com

gugelhof@t-online.de

Senefelderplatz: U2 (Subway)

Located on Kollwitzplatz, Berlin's trendy gastronomic and nightlife hotspot, Gugelhof shot to fame when German Chancellor Schröder took US President Clinton out to dinner here. Although it has only been around since the mid 1990's, it is one of the most popular culinary institutions in town. The hot and hearty meals make this a particularly good place to come in the winter, but it is not recommended for calorie-counters. The summer terrace is perfect for a relaxing brunch. The evening menu includes classic dishes from the Swiss-French-German border region. Prices range from EUR3-EUR8 for breakfast to EUR15-EUR30 for a main course.

Average Cost: 20., Booking Is Advisable.

10am-1am daily; hot food served until 11:30pm

[scallopeater]

visiting Berlin in November and looking for great places to eat! Including somwhere for a long Sunday lunch before Wagner at the Staatsoper!

[scallopeater]

Berlin restaurant ideas anyone? Gugelhof is one I was thinking of - any other ideas?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Berlin restaurants and following the links provided will give you a very beginning place to start ...

excellent links from Fodor

[anzu]

I suspect I'm the only Berlin resident on eGullet, and I'm afraid my tips wouldn't be overly helpful as I tend to avoid eating in restaurants as much as possible. The massive clouds of smoke in German restaurants repel me.

I might be able to find some information based on reviews and such like, but it would help if you said what type of price range you are looking at and what type of cuisine you would prefer.

Re your earlier query about lunch followed by the opera: what is your mode of transport? Would a restaurant close to the opera or on the same subway line be ideal, or is it unimportant? Are you looking for a 'proper meal' on that occasion, or would a more informal brunch arrangement be acceptable too? (I'm asking as these are especially popular on Sundays).

My bank is right next to the Deutsche Oper, and I'm going there tomorrow, so I'll have a look and see if any of the restaurants near there look suitable (or are even open on Sundays!). However, knowing that you would prefer, say, Swabian specialties, would make this easier.

[scallopeater]

Anzu - thank you very much for your helpful response. I realise I didn't give much information - anyway, I don't think type of restaurant or expense is the issue - as long as it's German rather than say Italian - but I'm worried about your comment about smoke!! Can't stand it! Proximity to the Staatsoper would be good but by no means essential I'm sure we can cope with a U Bahn trip! I suppose quality/price ratio is important plus atmosphere - so if that heps, would really appreciate your views!!

[scallopeater]

Gifted gourmet - thanks for the links - a helpful set of places for me to check!

[kerriar]

One strong recommendation has to be Rutz http://www.weinbar-rutz.de which is a combination of shop, winebar and restaurant. The wine list is one of the best you will find anywhere and the restaurant prices are a modest mark-up on the shop prices. Even if you don't go to Berlin, the list itself is a marvellous read - the website is in German but a click on "weinkarte" will bring you there. There are plenty of moderate priced bottles but if your credit card is robust there are many interesting things higher up the scale. A rare 1983 Coulée de Serrant from Nicolas Joly can be had in the shop for €119 or alternatively €134 at your table - it's a lot to spend on a bottle of wine but compared with what you might pay for the same wine in a London or New York restaurant, this is a bargain.

The staff are enthusiastic, professional and helpful - they speak French and English if your German is not up to the task. Food is imaginative, light and the menu is flexible enough to allow you to concentrate on wine drinking.

[scallopeater]

thank you kerriar - both menu and wine list look very appealing!

[thenextmeal]

I was in Berlin last year just about this time, and enjoyed both Lutter & Wegner 1811 and Paris Bar. L&W was trad German, PB a trad Paris Bistro (including lamb I remarked was the best quality meat I had in Germany which the waiter quiclky advised it was the best lamb in Germany because it was brought in from France!)

Nothing innovative, needless to say, but top notch if yopu enjoy this kind of dining. Both, apparently, see and be seen spots. L&W mostly politicos and assorted tycoons, PB more hipsters/showbiz/media types.

Great city for street food, BTW. One day I had a smoked pork chop with (of course) kraut and a beer in the plaza in front of Kaiser Wilhelm church (major landmark/tourist spot) that was as good as it gets. And the best wursts are everywhere!

By the way, Berlin is an absolutely fascinating place. I went only because I had to be in Germany on business and thought I might as well go to see Berlin, had no idea how interesting it would be. Museums, memorials, architecture etc. 3 or 4 opera houses. Jazz clubs. And the Berlin Phil is one of the world's great halls if you can hear something there.

[anzu]

Finally getting back to you. As I stated before, I haven't actually eaten in any of these apart from the Tadschikische Teestube.

Aigner at Französischer Strasse (Gendarmenmarkt) is supposed to be good, though I find their web page a bit irritating.

Fridericus, at Opernpalais, Unter den Linden. Allegedly 'Modern German with a French touch'

Operncafe also at Openpalais, Unter den Linden. Not sure if their offerings go beyond cakes, but I'm tempted to try this place out.

This is more a vague guideline than an actual reccomendation. However, the area near Gugelhof that you are thinking of (i.e. Kollwitzstrasse, Knaackstrasse) is pretty much one restaurant after another. If you can live with uncertainty, it might be worthwhile just taking a wander through the area and going with what looks good. The area - like a lot of Prenzlauer Berg - is also an interesting juxtaposition between up-and-coming renovated trendiness and unrenovated and run-down East German era shabbiness.

Cafe Einstein. This is (obviously) more a cafe than a restaurant, though it also serves food. It has two locations: one at Unter den Linden 42, the other on Kurfurstenstrasse 58 (in Tiergarten). My husband has had the coffee there and recommends it. The Unter den Linden location is allegedly a favorite spot for German politicians to hang out in.

Altberlin. No idea what this restaurant is like, but my eye was caught by the menu offerings on their blackboard yesterday. It had specialties such as mashed potato with linseed oil, which is I believe a specialty of the Spreewald area about 2 hours by train away from Berlin. This was on Nurnberger Strasse, just off Kurfurstendamm - close to the Kaiser Wilhelm church.

Not German cuisine, but if you're in the mood for something different and feel like having tea in the afternoon, you might want to consider the Tadschikische Teestube (Tajik Teehouse). This is an extremely well hidden place on the second floor of the Palais am Festungsgraben - find the Neue Wache on Unter den Linden, go to the building behind it - fortunately that at least is labelled - up one flight of stairs, turn left and then left again, then walk more or less straight on till you find it on your right (if you're lucky they may have put up a portable sign on this floor pointing to the place, but don't bet on it). It's open from 3 pm (?) onwards, and serves mostly tea (don't believe what you might read in guidebooks about them serving Tajik dishes as well - I haven't ever seen that happen), including one samovar deal (the one I would most recommend) that is easily enough for 4 people. The samovar comes with a whole set of things for flavoring your servings of tea - a couple of types of jelly, fondant, raisins soaked in alcohol, preserved citrus peel, a few very uninspiring cookies, and vodka.

Don't try to get into this place on a weekend without a booking, you won't get in. Weekdays you might have more luck.

Even if not intending to eat or drink there, it's worth a look, as it is a genuine Tadjiki teahouse which was dismantled and brought to Berlin as part of a temporary exhibition, and which turned out to be so popular that they decided to leave it. The entire interior is made of carved wood, and the tea is drunk from low tables while one sits on cushions on the floor (yes, you need to remove your shoes).

Finally, two anti-recommendations, because thenextmeal recommended street food. Yes, street food here can be good, but there are also plenty of places which fry food in quite disgustly rancid oil. Try standing downwind from a place first and smelling for rancid oil before handing over your money. I've learnt this the hard way, and other people standing in line for something and walking away eating it with apparent satisfaction is not necessarily an indication that the food is actually okay.

The other street food to avoid, IMO, is Currywurst. Unless, that is, you like the idea of a sausage doused in huge amounts of ketchup which is then sprinkled with uncooked curry powder. I know some people here on eGullet have said they actually like the stuff, but I think it's utterliy vile and that a warning about the stuff is in order. This way, if you do order it, you at least have some idea of what to expect.

[albiston]

The other street food to avoid, IMO, is Currywurst. Unless, that is, you like the idea of a sausage doused in huge amounts of ketchup which is then sprinkled with uncooked curry powder. I know some people here on eGullet have said they actually like the stuff, but I think it's utterliy vile and that a warning about the stuff is in order. This way, if you do order it, you at least have some idea of what to expect.

←

Currywurst is exactly as you describe, though it does fill the "one night stand" food niche: something you'll turn to when you've had way too much to drink and something you'll probably regret in the morning. To me it's the equivalent of the British late night Doner Kebab.

The Doner Kebabs in Berlin, on the other hand are well worth a try. Hasir in Kreuzberg is a good address.

[Schneier]

I had a great meal at Vau last week. Good dishes, and good wine pairings.

[scallopeater]

thanks - yes i 've heard vau is good...