6 Best Restaurants in Germany

Within view (and earshot) of the elevated U1 line, Café Morgenland is a relatively unremarkable neighborhood haunt on weekdays but on weekends it devotes an entire room to the extremely popular brunch buffet, which means table space can be scarce. The Turkish-inspired dishes (an ode to the home country of many a Kreuzberg native) are a delicious alternative to the more traditional brunches served elsewhere in Berlin.

The atmosphere is right out of One Thousand and One Nights at this restaurant near the train station, with belly dancers perform every Saturday night and urge patrons to join in. The Middle Eastern menu is largely vegetarian and heavy on garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Save room for dessert, either baklava, flaky pastry layered with honey and nuts, or amar eilden, apricot pudding dotted with raisins. Those who are so inclined can retire to the lounge and smoke flavored tobacco from a water pipe.

A variety of affordable Middle Eastern sandwiches and plates, including falafel (considered one of the best versions in the city), shawarma, and hummus, are available to go.

On the edge of a canal and beneath the arches of the elegant Alster arcade, this popular Syrian meze restaurant enjoys superb views of Hamburg’s town hall. While it specializes in lamb, including homemade lamb sausages, Saliba’s menu also caters to vegetarian and vegan diners with offerings of falafel and eggplant dishes.

This tiny outpost just off the main square reflects the growing popularity throughout Germany of Middle Eastern food, alongside popular home-grown staples like currywurst but also American staples like burgers and chicken nuggets. There are a few tables inside and a few more on the narrow sidewalk outside, so this is also popular for take-away for visitors in nearby hotels.  

In this bright-pink half-timbered building dating to the 1500s, three generations of the Scheiner family have run wine bars named for a classic German song, \"Die Fischerin vom Bodensee\" (\"The Fisherwoman From the Bodensee\"). It's a cozy place to pair well-curated wines from local producers with shareable dishes such as an impressive opener of white beans with chili oil and hummus with focaccia. This version is a gallery, too, with attractive art lining the wooden walls of a small dining area just below street level.