Restaurant tips around Berlin sights
Enjoy the culinary side of Berlin
Whether Potsdamer Platz, the TV Tower, Brandenburg Gate, and Kurfürstendamm, Berlin has many highlights to offer. The city also attracts many a gourmet. Sometimes it can be hard to find a truly good restaurant near the major attractions in a city. After all, they aren’t always self-evident at first sight. We have compiled recommendations for great restaurants near major attractions around the city.
Potsdamer Platz: Delights hidden near at Berlin’s busy hub
There’s a lot going on at Potsdamer Platz, but there are good restaurants and cafés nearby, albeit a bit hidden! Such as Facil. This Michelin two-star temple headed by Chef Michael Kempf is located in the Mandala Hotel next to the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden. Once you get there, you’ll dine like the gods in France! How about a sugo of Poltinger lamb served with yellow beet, miso, and Mumbai-style curry?
The historic Weinhaus Huth, meanwhile, is home to a branch of the Lutter & Wegner group, offering a restaurant, wine shop, and fine foods emporium in one. You’ll have a proper feast of good local cuisine with Austrian influences in the cosy atmosphere. It is also worth visiting the Rausch Schokoladenhaus at the Stadtmitte underground station, which offers you not only chocolate, but also coffee shop products and lunch offers.
Fresh and healthy are the treats on offer at Schiller Backstube, somewhat hidden between the chic office buildings in the Beisheim Center on Potsdamer Platz. Bagels with delicious topping and probably the best coffee on Potsdamer Platz await.
Alexanderplatz & TV Tower: the culinary highlights await
Our recommendations for restaurants around Alexanderplatz and TV Tower are not quite as hidden as those around Potsdamer Platz, but may require a little detour that will most definitely be worthwhile.
Head down Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, where you’ll find not one, but two gastronomic highlights both behind the doors to the Soho House: the high-end boutique The Store is also impressive thanks to the in-house deli. Enjoy a wide range of salads, full-bodied smoothies, and delicious cinnamon rolls at The Store Kitchen. Or how about a oven-fresh pizza or homemade pasta to go with a fruity aperitivo? Across the way, the elegant Cecconi’s will tempt you with its menu of Italian delights. An attractive interior with pen kitchen and comfortable red leather sofas make your stay even more enjoyable.
Meanwhile, Shiori on Max-Beer-Straße whisks you away (almost) to the streets of Tokyo. In the middle of the trendy shopping area around Münzstraße and Alte Schönhauser Straße, you’ll find this temple to Japanese culinary culture. But it’s also incredibly intimate, since it only seats ten guests. But the hospitality is amazing. The delicious “omakase” menu is something you will remember for a long time!
And, if you’d like to a bit further afield, it’s well worthwhile heading to the historic Nikolaiviertel, just a few minutes to the south. The perfect way to link some sightseeing with a visit to Mutter Hoppe. This rustic inn pampers you with hearty regional specialities such as fried veal liver on apple and onion rings or potted herring.
BEAST-Berlin No steak - no life!
The team at the new creative Steak House conjures up smoky steak cuts and grilled burgers with classic or extravagant side dishes. Vegetarians and vegans are also catered for with great attention to detail.
Brandenburg Gate: many pleasures for every palate
There is quite a variety of dining options in the area around the Brandenburg Gate. From inexpensive delis to exclusive gourmet temples, there is something here for every taste.
A casual Asian option is available at lively Ishin on Mittelstraße. There’s always something going on here. It’s no wonder: the Japanese deli with several branches around the city has been supplying Berlin with sashimi, sushi, and other specialities for 20 years. Meanwhile, a popular gastronomic destination open all day is Einstein Unter den Linden. Thanks to its central location, you may well meet politicians, celebrities, and visitors to Berlin. And since the quaint café and restaurant with Austrian cuisine was taken over by Berlin-based catering firm Grill Royal, there are some unexpected surprises to be enjoyed here.
Meanwhile, Chef Stephan Hentschel offers “something different” at Cookies Cream. The menu at this upscale, industrial chic restaurant exclusively features creative vegetarian dishes. Particularly popular are ever-changing variations on Parmesan dumplings, sometimes with coriander carrots or maybe an artichoke cream. The trendy night club which you can reach via the rear courtyard at the Westin Grand Hotel is located in the premises of the former Cookies disco. Its legendary operator Heinz “Cookie” Gindullis is also responsible for the trendy Crackers club. Once you step through the heavy door directly next to the Ampelmann-Shop on Friedrichstraße, you’ll be offered sophisticated food from around the world in this stylish bar setting. Meat and fish are also on the Crackers menu and DJs spin the tunes Friday and Saturday nights, old-school style.
If you’re looking for a more intimate dining experience in the city centre, give Weingalerie and Café NÖ! a try. The cosy, ivy-lined restaurant offers a selection of exquisite wines and an ever-changing daily menu, although the delicious Flammkuchen (onion tart) is always a fixture. This is the perfect spot for a short break at midday or to say cheers after a long day of sightseeing.
Kurfürstendamm: shopping and delights for all your senses
Planning a trip to Kurfürstendamm, Berlin’s longest landmark? In addition to classy boutiques and large department stores, the iconic shopping mile also offers plenty to make the gourmet’s heart race. KaDeWe is such a temple to food, with delicacies from all over the world covering not just one, but two stories of the historic department store. On the sixth floor at KaDeWe, bars and restaurants provide gourmets with sparkling champagne, sweet delicacies, and hearty specialities. A level higher, you can choose to dine at Le Buffet in the light-flooded conservatory. It also offers wonderful views of Berlin!
As you can imagine, Tommi’s Burger Joint is all about the juicy hamburgers. Not a few Berliners consider these creations made with organic Black Angus Beef and the homemade burger buns the best in the city. Another Charlottenburg foodie favourites is What do you Fancy Love? This hip deli with the English name stands for healthy juices, freshly brewed coffee, and delicious bagels. And it all tastes even better in the modern dining rooms, decorated with fashion photographs.
It has since opened a branch in Berlin’s Mitte district. The other way around is the case with the trendy restaurant Dudu, which has now opened a new space on Kurfürstendamm at Dudu 31. The minimalist restaurant with dark violet walls promises traditional Vietnamese cuisine, interpreted through European eyes. If you would like to enjoy the view over the city while taking an excursion into the variety of Berlin's culinary worlds, the Monkey Bar is the right place for you. Take the elevator to the tenth floor of the Hotel 25hours/Bikini Berlin, turn right into the bar, left into the Restaurant Neni.
