24 Best Restaurants in Berlin, Germany

Opened in 1913, this former club has a new life as a trendy restaurant serving well-prepared German classics; dine inside amidst the soaring ceilings and peeling walls, or when the weather's nice, outdoors in the lovely courtyard. Try a three-course seasonal menu or opt for tasty flammkuchen, potato rösti, or schnitzel, washed down with a well-mixed signature cocktail such as a Clärchens (tequila, currant, lemon, sugar, and mint).

The 100-plus-year-old Kreuzberg stalwart has managed to stick around thanks in part to its most famous dish, which is still just about all it serves: a crispy, fried half chicken. The rest of the menu is short: coleslaw, potato salad, a few boulette (meat patty) options, and several beers on tap; for "dessert," look to the impressive selection of locally sourced brandies and fruit schnapps.

In a clean and modern Scandinavian-styled space done up in woods and light colors, chef Silvio Pfeufer combines local German dishes with global influences (think pike perch served with finger limes and veal tongue with black truffle and parmesan) on his six-course tasting menus; there's also a separate menu for vegetarians. Pair your meal with a fine selection of wines from Austria, France, Italy, and Spain, or opt for their house-made non-alcoholic drink accompaniments.

Under the tracks of the elevated U2 subway line is Berlin's most beloved sausage stand. Konnopke's is a family business that's been around since 1930 and, though there are several options on the menu, this place is famous for its currywurst, which is served on a paper tray with a plastic prong that can be used to spear the sauce-covered sausage slices; with French fries and a pilsner, this is one of the quintessential Berlin meals.

The locavore obsession is taken seriously at this trendy spot that uses only the most local ingredients in the simple but sublime preparations that come from the open kitchen and are served at a long, shared counter. One 10-course menu is served each evening (dietary restrictions can usually be accommodated) and everything—from the bread and butter through several vegetable, meat, and fish courses—is gorgeously presented and delicious.

The perfectly crafted and creative haute cuisine at the Michelin-starred Reinstoff, prepared by renowned chef Daniel Achilles, focuses on both rare and traditional German ingredients but gives them an avant-garde twist and often playful presentations. Diners choose either five-, six-, seven-, eight-, or nine-course menus (à la carte is only by special request), either with or without wine pairings, and the relaxed but professional service and quietly refined atmosphere make this one of the most enjoyable dining experiences in the city. It's expensive but worth it. The wine selection is heavy on European wines.

The narrow, unassuming facade of the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, tucked away on a sleepy stretch of Chausseestrasse, belies the elegant interior and stellar food you'll find inside. "Inspiration" tasting menus of six or eight courses make the most of ingredients like lobster, trout, or veal and combine unusual items like black radishes and mushrooms, or asparagus and wild violets; you can find more casual and heartier fare at the Weinbar downstairs.

In a gorgeous restored 1914 villa facing Heligensee lake, renowned chef Tim Raue updates classic Brandenburg dishes. Choose from the seven-course tasting menu, or order dishes such as beef tongue salad with onion and caper mayonnaise or perch meunière with parsley, spinach, and lemon à la carte; ask the helpful sommelier for the best pairings from their extensive German wine list.

By day, this is a quiet café reminiscent of a classic Viennese coffeehouse (the name means "Old Europe"), with shabby but trendy decor, and fashionable Mitte-ites chatting and paging through newspapers and magazines. At night, it turns into a comfortable but bustling neighborhood pub serving classic Berlin dishes, just crowded enough to look like a scene but never too packed.

The menu changes daily at this celebrity meeting place—the location near Gendarmenmarkt makes it a popular power lunch spot for politicians and influential people, though the food and service are not what you'd expect from the high prices. The setting is wonderful, though, with high ceilings, plush maroon benches, marble columns, and an Art Nouveau mosaic that was discovered during renovations. The cuisine is French-German and there are generally several fish dishes and oyster choices on the menu, as well as carnivore classics like veal schnitzel or beef fillet. The courtyard garden is lively in warm weather

Located in a small courtyard off the busy Karl-Marx-Strasse in Neukölln, Cafe Rix is a quiet oasis with a golden ceiling—a remnant from the building's heyday as a dance hall. The café is popular for its extensive menu all day long; on a nice day, stop by for a "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake) to enjoy on their outdoor terrace.

The beer coasters are trading cards of the Wittelsbach dynasty at this relaxed neighborhood restaurant facing a park on Lake Lietzensee that focuses on food from Bavaria and the Alps. Excellent renditions of classics like Wiener schnitzel and grilled saddle steak use organic meats and vegetables, and the selection of beer—by the bottle and on tap—is small but includes a range of varieties and regions.

The menu is all about meat, of course, with several beef cuts available from the grill---tenderloin, rib eye, or entrecote---along with lamb chops, chicken, and sometimes a Berlin-style calves' liver (with apple, onion, and potato puree). The burgers are popular, too. Service can be slow and sometimes brusque.

Under the arches of the S-bahn tracks connecting Friedrichstrasse with Hauptbahnhof, Habel am Reichstag seems unassuming from outside, but inside you'll find old Berlin elegance melded with industrial chic: leather banquettes, crystal chandeliers dangling from the arched brick ceilings, and rumbling trains overhead. The no-nonsense waiters serve local classics, like lamb, Wiener schnitzel, weisser Spargel (asparagus), and Knödel (dumplings) with mushrooms and ham. There's a huge wine selection.

This beautiful, wood-paneled restaurant is spacious but almost always crowded. It's located right in the middle of the action at bustling Hackesche Höfe, and a solid place to eat German food while doing some excellent people-watching. The clientele is a fun mix of tourists and locals, which gives the place a vibrant, lively atmosphere; when the weather is good there are tables outside in the courtyard, too.

This popular restaurant, located on the corner of one of Berlin's prettiest streets, serves locally sourced dishes like Brandenburg wild boar, lake trout, or venison on stylish long wooden tables to an equally stylish crowd. The unfussy German standards are favorites with local gallerists and shop owners, and on warm weekend nights the place opens up to the street, beckoning passersby with the cozy sound of clinking glasses and the low hum of conversation.

Named after the famous Berlin film director Ernst Lubitsch, this sophisticated restaurant attracts an equally refined crowd with its hearty local fare (and lighter international options) that's hard to find these days. Dishes like Königsberger Klopse (German meatballs in a creamy caper sauce), baked eggs in mustard sauce, and Wiener schnitzel are examples of the home-style German cooking, plus there are frequently rotating seasonal specials.

At the tip of the Neuer Garten, Meierei brewery serves classic German beer and local cuisine, with hearty dishes like schnitzel and roast pork knuckle. The outdoor terrace has great views of the lake and boats during the warm weather; the indoor tavern seating has rustic charm.

Black-and-white photographs by the German landscape photographer Albert Renger-Patzsch, the restaurant's namesake, decorate the dark-wood-paneled dining room at this beloved local gathering place that focuses on top-notch ingredients, respecting the classics while also reinventing them. The menu changes daily but might feature blood sausage with lentils or perhaps venison with choucroute, along with lighter bites like a selection of Flammkuchen (Alsatian flatbread tarts) that are perfect for sharing.

Along the Landwehr Canal, this charming half-timber former customs house turned Rutz restaurant’s little sister has a cozy interior with arched windows inside and an expansive outdoor terrace in summer. Chef Florian Mennicken, who trained at Michelin-starred Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer and Facil, prepares hearty German classics, accompanied by a wonderful selection of wines from both Germany and across Europe.

Forget the fast-food options at Zoo Station. Instead, follow the train tracks to the back of the taxi and bus queues, where you'll enter Tiergarten and within 100 yards come upon the best hideaway in the area: Schleusenkrug. In warmer weather you can order at the window and sit in the beer garden or on the back patio, watching pleasure ships go through the lock. Inside is a casual restaurant with a changing daily menu.

Berlin's oldest restaurant (established in 1621) is half-hidden in a maze of medieval streets, though it's welcomed some illustrious diners over the centuries: Napoléon is said to have sat by the tile stove, and Mikhail Gorbachev sipped a beer here in 1989. The small, well-priced menu focuses on some of Berlin's most traditional specialties, including Eisbein (pork knuckle), and takes its whimsical dish titles from classic legal jargon—the national courthouse is around the corner, and the restaurant's name is a rough equivalent of the term "at the 11th hour."