18 Best Restaurants in Berlin, Germany

On the edge of Tempelhofer Feld, this cozy, minimalist farm-to-table restaurant has a daily changing menu featuring vegetable-focused ingredients paired in creative ways, such as chilled pea soup with cherries and almond, and gnocchi with pistachio pesto. Snag one of the few tables up-front or, better yet, try for a seat near the counter facing the open kitchen or at the communal table in the back, especially if you come with a group—you’ll likely want to order everything off the short but appealing menu so everyone can have a taste.

A cross between a craft brewery, a hip outdoor beer garden (spring through fall only), and a casual indoor restaurant inside reused shipping containers, BRLO is a quintessential Berlin spot to spend an afternoon drinking and eating. If the weather's nice, grab a striped lounge chair outside and choose from a range of modern bar snacks at the beer garden, open every day except in winter; otherwise, head indoors for a choice of vegetable-focused mains along with meats cooked in their own smoker. 

Billed as a modern take on a classic neighborhood bistro, with selections from the vinyl records lining the walls played by the friendly staff, this casual eatery serves up seasonal small plates along with tasty drinks. Don't skip the daily house-made sourdough bread before nibbling on vegetable-forward dishes like Borlotti beans with cockles and turnips, and Bresse chicken with pippara peppers and chanterelles alongside Berlin’s black-clad foodies.

This eatery makes culinary art from the Japanese snack, kushiage, breaded and fried skewers of meat, fish, and vegetables, accompanied by an array of colorful dipping sauces. The Kushinoya team uses a special cooking process to deep-fry the doughy exteriors of the skewered ingredients without letting them get oily, and offers at least 30 different skewers daily, using fresh, local ingredients. There's an interesting selection of beer and sake to go with your meal. Make sure to save room for the Japanese desserts, too.

Inside an atmospheric 19th-century women’s prison, this vegetable-centric small plates restaurant focuses on ingredients from the surrounding Brandenburg region. Chef Sophia Rudolph offers four- to six-course tasting menus (also in vegetarian versions) that change seasonally and may include such dishes as crispy corn pudding with tomatillo and beurre blanc; à la carte options are also available.

Owner and chocolate maker Kristiane Kegelmann also works as a sculptor, which accounts for the minimalist gallery-like look of this modern Austrian-German restaurant close to bustling Savignyplatz. Dishes tend toward locally sourced ingredients from small producers, best sampled in the seven-course or smaller four-course tasting menus (vegetarian versions available, as well as à la carte options), ideally combined with their fabulous natural wine pairings.

Although far from Alsatian France and the Mosel and Saar regions of Germany's southwest that inspire the hearty fare here, a visit to this busy but homey Kollwitzplatz restaurant will leave you pleasantly surprised at the authenticity of the food. The raclette is the best you're likely to get this side of the Rhine, and classic choucroute comes with Blutwurst (blood sausage); though the menu is meat-centric, vegetarians will also find some tempting choices.

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.

The front bar area and a cozy dining room are usually filled with chattering locals and the occasional dog peeking out from under the table (pets are allowed in unexpected places in Berlin, including many restaurants). The house specialties include Viennese classics like Wiener schnitzel and apple strudel, along with a few \"modern\" Austrian dishes, but look for surprises, too, on the seasonal weekly menu, which is full of interesting ingredients and unusual combinations.

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.

Tucked into a courtyard in the Tiergarten district near galleries and cool boutiques, Oh, Panama (named after a popular German children's book) has a contemporary, artsy decor that perfectly matches its eclectic international cuisine—think small, shareable plates or more substantial mains, with a fine selection of fish, meat, and veggie options. Hip Berliners and in-the-know tourists enjoy expertly mixed seasonal cocktails or a glass of natural wine with their meal.

Russian treats such as dumplings, borscht, blini (Russian pancakes), and much more are the mainstays at this casually refined restaurant with a lovely outdoor terrace for when the weather is nice. There are several set menus available for lunch and dinner, and the breakfast selection is second to none, with a wide range of set menus and egg dishes (including delicious shakshuka) alongside standards like pancakes and French toast.

if you come for the weekend brunch you can try just about all of the delicious dishes, as well as dessert, in an extensive buffet.

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.

For a taste of Potsdam’s finer side, enjoy a meal at Hotel am Jägertor’s restaurant. Chef Rene Tinz highlights regional products and local recipes in creative dishes like rabbit liver with wasabi foam or a deconstructed Waldorf salad with apple gel and walnut oil. A summer terrace offers views of the nearby Jägertor (Hunter’s Gate) while the ritzy dining rooms include gilded accents and baroque decor.

On an industrial Kreuzberg street, Richard isn't relying on foot traffic to bring in customers; but everyone who knows about it raves. The unassuming facade hides an elegant white interior with stained-glass windows, an intricate, carved wood ceiling, and modern paintings. The food, which is French influenced, is equally elegant: try the appetizer of clams, mussels, and octopus, a simple but perfectly prepared dish of polenta with mushrooms and black truffles, and excellent mains like venison or roast suckling pig. You can order à la carte or choose one of the prix-fixe options.

Spicy, flavorful curries are front and center on the menu at this upscale Thai restaurant, excellently complemented by salads and raw fish starters that play with some of the freshest ingredients around. Save room for the "deconstructed" yuzu cheesecake dessert, and make sure to sample the cocktails, which also pay homage to Southeast Asia with ingredients like chili, ginger, mango, and sesame oil. If you're here on a Tuesday, take advantage of Dim Sum Dienstag, which allows you to try several small dishes at a reasonable price.

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.\"