Favorite Berlin Restaurants
Jan 4th, 2004 | 09:57 AM
#2
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,801
Likes: 0
houdi,
I hope this is not too late. I had noticed your thread a few days ago but hesitated to post as I would not consider myself a real expert on Berlin.
However, as you have not gotten any feedback at all, and I indeeed have been to Berlin a few times, here are my recommendations, which in part I had already posted a few months ago on a different thread.
Right in Mitte District, I would recommend Lindenlife on Unter den Linden. International cuisine that is getting good reviews everywhere, reasonable prices and good wines. The ambiance is very cool for my taste, though.
Also in Mitte, there is Borchardt right behind Gendarmenmarkt. The cuisine is German to French and its quality is mixed depending on the day you go there. Still, it is part of Berlin's social life and about everybody goes there. Sometimes local to national celebrities can be spotted.
Lutter und Wegner is another classic in Mitte on Gendarmenmarkt: Austrian cuisine with also a mixed quality, but quite good overall. Nice setting. They also have a wine store so you can find some good varieties on the menu.
Right across the street from Lutter & Wegener there is Newton Bar, one of the hipper bars of Berlin sporting photographs by Helmut Newton.
A little bit further away (it might already rate as Prenzlauer Berg) there is Gugelhof, specializing in Alsatian (if that indicates coming from the French/German area of Alsace) food. Also a place that rates high with the in- scene but has quite reasonable prices and a nice setting.
Finally there's Diekmann im Weinhaus Huth on Alte Leipziger Strasse close to Potsdamer Platz. Cool ambiance, but good quality cuisine again at reasonable prices.
A short cab ride from Mitte District, there is Ständige Vertretung- a German Pub/ Restaurant with a Rhine- Theme and food from the region of Cologne. It caters to a crowd of public servants in Berlin exile after the move of the government from Bonn to Berlin. But there is a local crowd, too. It sometimes can get noisy, but what the heck- get yourself some beer (and some more) and be merry!
One more very serious suggestion: If you are in town for more than two days, you might consider to buy a restaurant guide called "Marcellino's". It will set you back approx. € 10.- but you get ratings on a huge number of restaurants with reference to food, service, drinks and ambiance. All based on reports of people like you and me and verified by professional testers.
If you understand some German, they are fun to read, if not, stick to the catgegories indicated (a numeric system from 1 to 10 points) or the rankings depending on the price category (from cheap to reasonable, up- market and cream of the crop), or one of the other charts depending on whether you want Lebanese, Indian, Italian or whatever sort of food.
Another, cheaper, option (retailing at € 3.- and available at kiosks or in your hotel) would be a copy of the new kid on the block of guides: Berlin in your pocket. It even comes in English language and provides a condensed overview and rating of hotels and restaurants of all sorts and also features helpful information on the city sights with addresses and phone numbers. They are also on the web at:
http://www.inyourpocket.com/germany/berlin/en/
I have not yet used the Berlin guide but their guides became a sort of bible when I was working in the Baltic states.
Enjoy Berlin
hsv
I hope this is not too late. I had noticed your thread a few days ago but hesitated to post as I would not consider myself a real expert on Berlin.
However, as you have not gotten any feedback at all, and I indeeed have been to Berlin a few times, here are my recommendations, which in part I had already posted a few months ago on a different thread.
Right in Mitte District, I would recommend Lindenlife on Unter den Linden. International cuisine that is getting good reviews everywhere, reasonable prices and good wines. The ambiance is very cool for my taste, though.
Also in Mitte, there is Borchardt right behind Gendarmenmarkt. The cuisine is German to French and its quality is mixed depending on the day you go there. Still, it is part of Berlin's social life and about everybody goes there. Sometimes local to national celebrities can be spotted.
Lutter und Wegner is another classic in Mitte on Gendarmenmarkt: Austrian cuisine with also a mixed quality, but quite good overall. Nice setting. They also have a wine store so you can find some good varieties on the menu.
Right across the street from Lutter & Wegener there is Newton Bar, one of the hipper bars of Berlin sporting photographs by Helmut Newton.
A little bit further away (it might already rate as Prenzlauer Berg) there is Gugelhof, specializing in Alsatian (if that indicates coming from the French/German area of Alsace) food. Also a place that rates high with the in- scene but has quite reasonable prices and a nice setting.
Finally there's Diekmann im Weinhaus Huth on Alte Leipziger Strasse close to Potsdamer Platz. Cool ambiance, but good quality cuisine again at reasonable prices.
A short cab ride from Mitte District, there is Ständige Vertretung- a German Pub/ Restaurant with a Rhine- Theme and food from the region of Cologne. It caters to a crowd of public servants in Berlin exile after the move of the government from Bonn to Berlin. But there is a local crowd, too. It sometimes can get noisy, but what the heck- get yourself some beer (and some more) and be merry!
One more very serious suggestion: If you are in town for more than two days, you might consider to buy a restaurant guide called "Marcellino's". It will set you back approx. € 10.- but you get ratings on a huge number of restaurants with reference to food, service, drinks and ambiance. All based on reports of people like you and me and verified by professional testers.
If you understand some German, they are fun to read, if not, stick to the catgegories indicated (a numeric system from 1 to 10 points) or the rankings depending on the price category (from cheap to reasonable, up- market and cream of the crop), or one of the other charts depending on whether you want Lebanese, Indian, Italian or whatever sort of food.
Another, cheaper, option (retailing at € 3.- and available at kiosks or in your hotel) would be a copy of the new kid on the block of guides: Berlin in your pocket. It even comes in English language and provides a condensed overview and rating of hotels and restaurants of all sorts and also features helpful information on the city sights with addresses and phone numbers. They are also on the web at:
http://www.inyourpocket.com/germany/berlin/en/
I have not yet used the Berlin guide but their guides became a sort of bible when I was working in the Baltic states.
Enjoy Berlin
hsv
Jan 4th, 2004 | 10:10 AM
#3
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
For me, too, the label Berlin) "expert" is not even vaguely appropriate; it's been 11 years since I was there.
But in addition to the respurces listed above, you could also check out www.timeout.com - - they list Berlin, including selections for Greek, Thai, and many more ethnic cuisines.
Best wishes,
Rex
But in addition to the respurces listed above, you could also check out www.timeout.com - - they list Berlin, including selections for Greek, Thai, and many more ethnic cuisines.
Best wishes,
Rex
