Berlin

Berlin’s cuisine scene is as exciting, diverse and adventurous as the city itself.

Bold young chefs have been busy modernising classic German dishes, making them lighter, healthier, more creative and, frankly, more interesting, earning ten of them Michelin stars. At the same time, an increasingly international potpourri of restaurants is bringing the world’s food, from Austrian to Zambian, to the city. Better still, while the quality is high, the prices are low.  Reservations are a good idea for most of the restaurants listed below, especially at dinnertime. Note that - for now - smoking is permitted nearly everywhere. 

Price Guide: Three-course dinner per head (food only): € under €20 / €€ - €20-35 / €€€ - €35-50 / €€€€ - over €50

Restaurants

CAFE WINTERGARTEN IM LITERATURHAUS

Fasanenstrasse 23, Charlottenburg / 882 5414

This gem inside a stately 19th-century villa on an elegant, quiet side street off roaring Kurfürstendamm is in no danger of ever going out of style. Its two stucco-ornamented rooms exude Old Berlin flair, although in summertime the idyllic garden is ideal for lingering over breakfast, a light meal or afternoon coffee and cake. Open 9.30am-1am. €-€€ MAP

ENGELBECKEN

Witzlebenstrasse 31, Charlottenburg / 615 2810 / engelbecken.de

Don’t let the scrubbed wooden tables and simple décor fool you - Engelbecken is one of the city’s top German restaurants. Carefully sourced organic ingredients find their destiny in such robust dishes as classic pork roast, mushroom-encrusted venison and duck drizzled with honey sauce. Swift, friendly service and a non-smoking policy are welcome bonuses. Close to the trade fair grounds and Charlottenburg Palace. Dinner daily, lunch Sun. €€ MAP

EPOQUE

Knesebeckstrasse 76, Charlottenburg / 8867 7388 / restaurant-epoque.de

At this hanky-sized restaurant you’ll feel as though you’re attending a private dinner party with a host who’s both a gourmet chef and a rebel in the kitchen. Carsten Rosener is all about breaking the rules despite – or perhaps because of - his classic French training. Lamb with liquorice, scallops with sauerkraut, monkfish with Serrano ham – the daily changing menu is full of such flavour experiments, mostly with convincing results. Dinner Wed-Sun. €€€ MAP

E.T.A. HOFFMANN

Yorckstrasse 83, Kreuzberg / 7809 8809 / www.restaurant-e-t-a-hoffmann.de

The folks at Michelin recently confirmed with a ‘bib gourmand’ what loyal locals have long known: Thomas Kurt‘s cuisine is both top notch and spectacularly good value. First-timers should try his signature dish, a rich duck foie gras terrine laced with spiced chocolate. Giving classic French dishes an exciting new twist is Kurt’s hallmark and a main reason this gastronomic jewel is often booked solid. Dinner Wed-Mon. €€€ MAP

FACIL

Potsdamer Strasse 3, Mitte / 590 051 234 / www.facil-berlin.de

Ensconced in a fabulously sleek glass palace on the 5th floor of the Mandala Hotel, Facil delivers haute cuisine without the attitude. Patrons clad in jeans or Armani enjoy the same unobtrusive service and top-notch concoctions of culinary wunderkind Michael Kempf. Already decorated with a Michelin star, Kempf gets creative with classics without excessive flights of fancy. Lobster-stuffed sole or scallops with lemon risotto are typical indulgences. Lunch and dinner Mon-Fri. €€€€ MAP.

I DUE FORNI

Schönhauser Allee 12, Prenzlauer Berg / 4401 7373

In this hectic hall run by a crew of Italian punks, the pizza is king, not you. Service can be slow and rude, but scenesters, families and couples are not deterred: the pies are just that good. With its scribbled walls and pseudo-revolutionary décor, this place is quintessential Berlin. Make reservations if you hope to get fed after 8pm. Open noon-midnight. € MAP

ISHIN MITTE

Mittelstrasse 24, Mitte / 2067 4829 / www.ishin.de

Freshness reigns supreme at this big sushi parlour which often gets mobbed despite its bland cafeteria looks. The platters offer the best value, especially since the chefs usually sneak in an extra piece or two. If raw piscine treats aren’t your thing, try one of their generously topped rice bowls. Complimentary green tea. Open 11am-8pm Mon-Sat. € MAP

JOLESCH

Muskauer Strasse 1, Kreuzberg / 612 3581 / www.jolesch.de

‘Schnitzel with noodles’ and ‘warm apple strudels’ are among the perennial bestsellers at this convivial Austrian restaurant with a citywide following. Come early for a quiet breakfast (served until 4pm) or at lunchtime when gourmets on a tight budget can gobble up three courses for a mere e\uro8.50. The extensive wine list is heavy on Austrian vintages. Big selection of international magazines. Open 10am-1am. €€ MAP

MAO THAI

Wörther Strasse 30, Prenzlauer Berg / 441 92 61 / maothai.de

At this Thai stalwart, authenticity and quality matter more than high turnover. A haze of tantalizing aromas envelops you as you step inside the elegant dining room, subtly accented with imported art and antiques. We think it’s impossible to tire of the crispy duck or the intricately spiced curries, although the menu features plenty of other favourites. The creative garnishes - radish swans, carrot roses, etc – are edible works of art. Lunch and dinner daily. €€ MAP

MR HAI & FRIENDS

Savignyplatz 1, Charlottenburg / 3759 1200 / www.mrhai.de

Vietnamese restaurants are a dime a dozen in Berlin, but few of them match this wildly popular papaya-green contender. In the glass-encased show kitchen flavours are woven together like tapestry resulting in light soups and spring rolls, grilled sate\’s, colourful wok dishes and refreshing salads. The location on buzzy Savignyplatz makes this place an excellent launch pad for a night on the razzle. Open 11am-1am. €€ MAP

ODERQUELLE

Oderberger Strasse 27, Prenzlauer Berg / 4400 8080 / www.oderquelle.de

Empty tables are a rare sight at this unfussy restaurant which is as beloved by clued-in hipsters as by beer-bellied old timers. The kitchen staff really knows how to turn market-fresh ingredients into German dishes that are hearty without being heavy. Seasonal offerings include asparagus gratin in springtime and rosemary-scented suckling pig in winter. The pizza-like Flammekuche, though, makes for a tasty treat year-round. Dinner daily, €-€€. MAP

RUTZ

Chausseestrasse 8 / 2462 8760 / www.rutz-weinbar.de

Conversation flows as freely as the wine in this cosily furnished bar cum restaurant where Marco Müller deftly blends ingredients and aromas from around the world. His avant-garde compositions, including Iberian pork with black-bean squid cassoulet and rucola macciato,  already have critics whispering Michelin star. Exquisite selection of wines by the glass, including a 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape. Dinner Mon-Sat €€€€ MAP

SHIRO I SHIRO

Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 11, Mitte / 9700 4790 / www.shiroishiro.com

Your tastebuds will do cartwheels at the ‘White Castle’, Berlin’s sizzling-hot culinary shrine with its signature banquet-style table and much-coveted private niches. The kitchen is famous for pushing the culinary envelope with an ever-changing roster of flavour pairings for progressive palates. Think monkfish with black pudding or asparagus ice cream. Somehow it all works. Great desserts, too. Breakfast, lunch, dinner daily. €€€€ MAP

SPINDLER & KLATT

Köpenicker Strasse 16/17, Kreuzberg  / 6956 6775 / www.spindlerklatt.com

The industrial chic of a former bread factory forms the backdrop of this ubertrendy club-restaurant overlooking the Spree River. There’s conventional table seating but for a change consider booking one of the large tatami-style platform beds to enjoy your supper in repose. The menu is fusion at its finest with Asian, French and German tastes all making appearances. On weekends, tables disappear after dinner and shiny happy people keep the dance floor hopping ‘til sunrise. Dinner Wed-Sat, club Fri & Sat. €€€ MAP

SUSURU

Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 17, Mitte / 2111 182 / susuru.de

With its uncluttered décor and menu, this postmodern noodle bar gets minimalism right. Everything tastes clean, fresh, light and delicious, starting with such creative appetizers as octopus carpaccio and crispy rock shrimp. The stars of the show, though, are the succulently flavoured soups, including our favourite called zumire nabe, which teems with morels and ginger-infused pork dumplings. Slurping (susuru in Japanese) allowed, smoking not. Lunch and dinner. € MAP

VINO E LIBRI

Torstrasse 99, Mitte / 4405 8471

This family-run ristorante dazzles with class not glitz, which is just one reason it’s practically always packed. Others include the smart service and easy-going ambience where it’s perfectly fine to grab a book from the front-room library to leaf through before dinner. The thin-crust pizzas are killer but to truly sample chef Bruno’s talents, order one of the daily specials. Many dishes have an earthy touch, reflecting the family’s Sardinian roots. Dinner daily. €€ MAP

WEILANDS WELLFOOD

Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1, Mitte / 2589 9717 / www.weilands-wellfood.de

Tucked into a quiet corner of the bustling Potsdamer Platz quarter, this cheerful bistro is a great stop for a guilt-free midday meal. Not only waist-watchers crave the carb-reduced whole-wheat pastas, crisp salads and delicious sandwiches, all packed with flavour and vitamins. Avoid the lunchtime rush. Free wifi. Open 9.30am-9.30pm daily. € MAP

Cafés, Breakfast & Afternoon Tea

DADA FALAFEL

Linienstrasse 132, Mitte / 2759 6927

This eccentric hole in the wall is perfect for satisfying your falafel cravings. Lines can be long, especially post-midnight when clubbers stop by to fuel up for the long night ahead. Open 10am-2am. MAP

RNBS

Oranienburger Strasse 27, Mitte / 2804 7711 / www.rnbs.de

It’s a tight squeeze at this hip and colourful counter kitchen serving ‘feel-good fast food’. This translates into soups, spring rolls and noodles dishes, all freshly made before your eyes and using only natural ingredients. On a wintry Berlin day, the Energy Soup with omega3-laced dumplings, sprouts and fresh herbs may well be the perfect sniffles prevention. Open noon-midnight daily. MAP

TADSCHIKISCHE TEESTUBE Am Festungsgraben 1, Mitte / 204 1112 This authentic Tajik teahouse inside an 18th-century town palace feels like it was plucked from an Arabian Nights fairytale. Students, old hippies and curious tourists lounge on thick oriental carpets drinking steaming teas poured from silvery samovars. The exotic room was given to the East German leadership by the Soviets in the 1970s. Shoes and smoking not permitted. Open 5pm-midnight Mon-Fri, 3pm-midnight Sat. MAP

W-IMBISS

Kastanienallee 49, Mitte / 4849 2657 / www.agentur103.de/imbiss/imbiss.html

The upside-down golden arches on the window should tip you off that this is no ordinary fast food joint. Surrounded by tiki-inspired décor, its eccentric chef Gordon W rules a hanky-sized kitchen, feeding naan bread into his tandoor oven, tossing veggies around a flame-licked wok and assembling toothsome rice bowls. The spirulina-laced apple juice is a great hangover cure. Lunch and dinner daily. MAP