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$ | Mitte |
In the renovated Ehemalige Jüdische Mädchenschule (Old Jewish Girls' School), this deli-style café serves delicious versions of Jewish deli standards along with regularly changing vegetable-based salads and mains. The space, with wood floors and tables and low, deep purple banquettes, is trendier than any traditional deli.
Auguststr. 11–13, Berlin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
Known For
- New York–style deli sandwiches, like Reubens and pastrami on rye
- Chicken liver brûlée with grilled challah
- New York cheesecake
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$$$$ | Prenzlauer Berg |
Intimate and effortlessly cool, this pint-size modern restaurant specializes in prix fixe menus showcasing creative plates using both local and European ingredients with an Asian touch, served alongside expertly mixed cocktails or inspired wine choices. Snag one of the tables if you’ve come with a group, but it’s most fun to sit on a bar stool near the kitchen where you can chat with the friendly staff and feel like a part of the action.
Pappelallee 29, Berlin, Berlin, 10437, Germany
Known For
- Small plates that change with the seasons
- Unusual ingredient combinations
- Relaxed, fun atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed. No lunch Thurs., Fri., and Sat.
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$$$$ | Mitte |
The locavore obsession is taken seriously at this trendy spot that uses only the most local ingredients in the simple but sublime preparations that come from the open kitchen and are served at a long, shared counter. One 10-course menu is served each evening (dietary restrictions can usually be accommodated) and everything—from the bread and butter through several vegetable, meat, and fish courses—is gorgeously presented and delicious.
Friedrichstr. 218, Berlin, Berlin, 10969, Germany
Known For
- One nightly 10-course tasting menu (slightly cheaper on Tues. and Wed.)
- All-natural wines, best experienced when paired with each dish
- Friendly servers who share the stories behind every plate
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Mitte | German
The perfectly crafted and creative haute cuisine at the Michelin-starred Reinstoff, prepared by renowned chef Daniel Achilles, focuses on both rare and traditional German ingredients but gives them an avant-garde twist and often playful presentations. Diners choose either five-, six-, seven-, eight-, or nine-course menus (à la carte is only by special request), either with or without wine pairings, and the relaxed but professional service and quietly refined atmosphere make this one of the most enjoyable dining experiences in the city. It's expensive but worth it. The wine selection is heavy on European wines.
Schlegelstr. 26c, in Edison Höfe, Berlin, Berlin, 10115, Germany
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Kreuzberg |
The conservative decor belies the artistry on offer at this Michelin-starred restaurant from Germany's most famous celebrity chef. Upscale Asian-influenced cuisine, combining Japanese, Thai, and Chinese flavors and techniques, can be sampled in either classic or seasonal seven-course tasting menus for dinner or four- to eight-course tasting menus for lunch; pair your food with splendid wines from one of the most comprehensive lists in Berlin.
Rudi-Dutschke-Str. 26, Berlin, Berlin, 10969, Germany
Known For
- Peking duck "TR" (duck three ways)
- Langoustine with wasabi Cantonese-style
- More than 800 wine choices
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch Tues.–Thurs.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$$$ | Mitte |
The narrow, unassuming facade of the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in Berlin, tucked away on a sleepy stretch of Chausseestrasse, belies the elegant interior and stellar food you'll find inside. "Inspiration" tasting menus of six or eight courses make the most of ingredients like lobster, trout, or veal and combine unusual items like black radishes and mushrooms, or asparagus and wild violets; you can find more casual and heartier fare at the Weinbar downstairs.
Chausseestr. 8, Berlin, Berlin, 10115, Germany
Known For
- One of the most extensive wine lists in Berlin
- Mostly adventurous tasting menus using mainly local ingredients
- Prices on the high side
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
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$$$$ | Mitte |
Sparsely decorated, with a collection of handmade bowls behind the counter, the focus at this Japanese izakaya is solely on the food; there are just 10 seats around a small counter where you can watch chef Shiori Arai at work. The 11 to 13 exquisitely presented seasonal courses fuse local German ingredients with Japanese technique and can be paired with a small but smart selection of sake for some of the most authentic Japanese cuisine in town.
Max-Beer-Str. 13, Berlin, Berlin, 10119, Germany
Known For
- Wide-ranging selection of seasonal Japanese dishes, from soup to sashimi to tofu
- Lovely ceramics to hold the food
- Cozy atmosphere where diners feel like part of the experience
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch
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$ | Charlottenburg |
Every weekend from spring to autumn, in decent weather, the main lawn at Preussenpark in Wilmersdorf fills up with Southeast Asian families (mostly Thai, but some Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Indonesian) who set up cooking equipment and prepare authentic delicacies like beef noodle soup, skewered fried meat, and spicy green-papaya salad. Come with a picnic blanket, cash, and a lot of napkins, and stay for the afternoon. Sundays in summer are especially popular.
Brandenburgische Str., Berlin, Berlin, 10707, Germany
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Weekends in warm weather, No credit cards, Runs Apr.--Nov.
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$ | Mitte |
One of Berlin's original third-wave coffee joints, this tiny café in the heart of Mitte’s gallery district serves up superlative hand-brewed coffees (always served black) and espresso drinks with trendy add-ons like oat milk, alongside a small but tasty selection of baked goods and sandwiches. There's limited indoor seating and laptops are banned, so this is a better place to sit outside when the weather's nice or to get your coffee to go.
Auguststr. 58, Berlin, Berlin, 10119, Germany
Known For
- Top-notch filtered coffee
- Sustainable, single-origin beans roasted in-house
- Delicious daily changing pastries
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$$$$ | Kreuzberg |
Tucked onto a charming, leafy street, this quirky Michelin-starred restaurant decked out in green jungle wallpaper and wood floral details, with a cozy outdoor terrace, focuses on the "experience" of their food, serving up beautiful and interesting dishes using unusual ingredient combinations. Diners can choose from a six- to eight-course tasting menu, and vivacious co-owner Ilona Scholl will happily suggest (and encourage) whimsical international wine pairings to match.
Fichtestr. 24, Berlin, Berlin, 10967, Germany
Known For
- Relaxed, fun service
- Only six- or eight-course tasting menus
- Large selection of nonstandard wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch
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$$$$ | |
In a gorgeous restored 1914 villa facing Heligensee lake, renowned chef Tim Raue updates classic Brandenburg dishes. Choose from the seven-course tasting menu, or order dishes such as beef tongue salad with onion and caper mayonnaise or perch meunière with parsley, spinach, and lemon à la carte; ask the helpful sommelier for the best pairings from their extensive German wine list.
Mangerstr. 34, Potsdam, Brandenburg, 14467, Germany
Known For
- Königsberger Klopse (meatballs with beetroot and mashed potatoes)
- Fine choice of German wines
- Terrace dining with lake views
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No lunch weekdays
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$$$$ | Tiergarten |
Catalan chef Paco Pérez, a disciple of Ferran Adrià of Spain's legendary elBulli, offers two tasting menus of colorful and playful food, highlighting the maximum flavor of each ingredient and containing some fun surprises; you can also order à la carte. If you are curious and want something less dear, try a less expensive sampling of the chef's food next door at The Casual. The contemporary interior stands in stark contrast to Berlin’s vintage-obsessed establishments: walls mix slick tile with dark wood, and the ceiling is hung with a jumble of bronze pots, pans, and jugs.
Drakestr. 1, Berlin, Berlin, 10787, Germany
Known For
- High-end Spanish-style molecular gastronomy
- Good selection of Spanish wines
- Cheaper, simpler options at The Casual next door
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon. No lunch, Reservations essential
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$ | Mitte |
By day, this is a quiet café reminiscent of a classic Viennese coffeehouse (the name means "Old Europe"), with shabby but trendy decor, and fashionable Mitte-ites chatting and paging through newspapers and magazines. At night, it turns into a comfortable but bustling neighborhood pub serving classic Berlin dishes, just crowded enough to look like a scene but never too packed.
Gipsstr. 11, Berlin, Berlin, 10119, Germany
Known For
- Traditional Berlin dishes like meatballs, schnitzel, and spätzle
- Daily changing seasonal dishes
- Being a locals' hangout
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$$$$ | Mitte |
This tiny and hip 20-seat eatery serves inspired French cuisine in rotating seven-course menus (with two optional additions) celebrating a mix of seasonal regional and international ingredients. If you can't get a reservation here, try the sister restaurant next door: the larger and slightly more casual 3 Minutes Sur Mer.
Torstr. 167, Berlin, Berlin, 10115, Germany
Known For
- Cozy industrial setting
- Creative interpretations of French cooking
- Well-selected wine pairings
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch
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$ | Kreuzberg |
Anchored by an indoor vertical garden filled with vegetables and herbs used in many of its dishes, this casual eatery inside the Gropius Bau museum focuses on ancient Jewish recipes from around the world. Choose from a selection of organic vegetable-forward mezzes including labneh (strained yogurt) with challah bread, cauliflower with herbed tahini, and zucchini latkes, finished off with tasty cakes baked by renowned Berlin pâtissière Cynthia Barcomi.
Niederkirchnerstr. 7, Berlin, Berlin, 10963, Germany
Known For
- Inexpensive nibbles and more substantial plates
- Freshly made vegetarian dishes
- Herbal lemonade
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$ | Prenzlauer Berg |
The name isn't an exaggeration: Bonanza really was one of the first "coffee heroes" to champion artisanal roasting and brewing methods in the German capital. From its tiny home next to Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg, Bonanza roasts its own beans, runs a catering business, offers their beans wholesale to customers all over the city, and serves some of the smoothest, tastiest coffee in town; sometimes there are croissants, pain au chocolat, or cookies to enjoy as well, but not always. There's a second outpost in Kreuzberg, at Adalbertstrasse 70, and another in Gendarmenmarkt in Mitte.
Oderbergerstr. 35, Berlin, Berlin, 10435, Germany
Known For
- Friendly service
- Queues out the door
- Delicious hot chocolate and baked goods
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$$ | Mitte |
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
Französischestr. 47, Berlin, Berlin, 10117, Germany
Known For
- Elegant decor
- Distinguished clientele
- Classic cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential, Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Friedrichshain |
In the grand Berlin tradition of reinventing historical spaces, this lovely wine bar and Italian restaurant has taken over a former stamp shop (“Briefmarken” means “stamps” in German) on beautiful Karl-Marx-Allee; you can pick a regional Italian wine off the shelves (also preserved from the stamp-selling days) or leaf through the extensive list. Accompany your choice with antipasti like fresh mozzarella with speck, broccoli rabe, and marinated artichokes, or one of the daily menu of fresh pastas.
Karl-Marx-Allee 99, Berlin, Berlin, 10243, Germany
Known For
- Italian wine list
- Authentic antipasti
- Homey vibe
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No lunch weekdays
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$$ | Schöneberg |
On a small winding street in an area between Kreuzberg and Schöneberg known as Rote Insel (Red Island) because of its location between two S-bahn tracks and its socialist, working-class history, this neighborhood institution was an early advocate of the slow-food movement. The food is Italian and focuses on high quality, locally sourced ingredients and everything—whether it's an innovative preparation of artichokes or beef fillet with green peppercorns—is tasty.
Hochkirchstr. 8, Berlin, Berlin, 10829, Germany
Known For
- Popular brunch with Italian delicacies
- Slow-food principles using seasonal ingredients
- Large choice of pastas and pizzas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No lunch weekdays
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$$$ | Prenzlauer Berg |
Billed as a classic all-day hangout, with selections from the vinyl records lining the walls played by the friendly staff, this more casual offshoot of neighborhood favorite Mrs. Robinson’s serves up coffee, drinks, and French bistro-inspired meals from morning till night. Opt for freshly baked goods—including sourdough bread, made daily—at any time of day, or nibble on retro dishes like Oysters Rockefeller or oeuf à la mayo along with Berlin’s black-clad foodies.
Lychener St. 37, Berlin, Berlin, 10437, Germany
Known For
- Wide selection of vermouth
- Soft serve made from raw milk
- Seasonal ingredients from local producers
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
