Berlin Gastro Guide

Chapter 4, of another bloody gastro guide, in my current base, Berlin!

Lana-Emerald Mary Astin

Apr 05, 2024

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Hallo und Willkommen to chapter 4 of another bloody gastro guide, today, in my current base, Berlin baby!

Oh, Berlin, what can I say? You welcomed me with such open arms and many glasses of wheat beer.

If music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it, said a wise man called Shakespeare whom you might have heard of.

I didn't move to Berlin for the food, and you wouldn't come here specifically for food either. But your time in Berlin ought to be accented by some tasty treats, to accompany all of that excess right?

Traditional German food? Not today guys, as in Berlin, our tradition is not to be traditional.

So, without any more delays, let's dive into some vibrant tips on how to eat like a true Berliner, Baby!

AKA, how one may nurse your depleted soul.

Eat Turkish food that isn’t doner kebab…

Eat Turkish food in Berlin? Yes, there is a lot of Turkish food here, and that is all I feel I have the authority to tell you; it's just here, so eat it.

Picture number 4 is a liver kebab at Imren Grill, and picture number six is kidneys at Hatay Ocakbasi. Once, I made friends with the owner at Hasir Ocakbaşı for ordering Turkish tripe soup at one in the morning. (Yes, I have a thing for ordering offal, and yes, it's attempted righteousness).

Picture 5 was a cheap and cheerful set lunch at Berlin Tantumi, where I ate a bean stew that reminded me of a Spanish fabada. Don't forget to pick up a Börek (filo pastry filled with tasty things) as a snack for the morning after.

Eat a Kumpir (Turkish baked potato with toppings)

When you thought that jacket potatoes were something that only the English genuinely love, you find the Kumpir, an even more exciting Turkish version with a vast variety of toppings. It's cheap and very satisfying all around. I enjoyed one at La Femme Kreuzberg, but keep your eyes peeled.

Nurse yourself with a Turkish breakfast spread

Why not swap your usual scrambled eggs on toast for an adventure with meneman? This Turkish dish combines scrambled eggs with the sweetness of tomatoes, the freshness of parsley, and a hint of spices, sometimes sausage, all served with olives. Indulge in pastries topped with yoghurt and sumac, stuffed with spinach, and complemented by salads, fruits, cheeses with honey, and the iconic sesame seed bread, simit. It's a no-brainer.

My fave places for these kinds of delights are Lemon Feinkost (homemade deli products, excellent mezze, choice, also great coffee, trendy, outside seating), La Femme (pictures 1 and 2, more than one location, best selection, great Borek). It's a Long Story (picture 3, organic, creative, not only Turkish options, amazing smoothies, shakes, pancakes, great coffee). Don't forget a glass of Turkish tea.

Try a Gemüse Kebab

Do you think you know what a kebab is? Well, a Gemüse kebab is different, a Berlin invention altogether. It's a chicken-based kebab, plied with extra vegetables and herbaceous sauces. My favourite place for this is Nefis, but perhaps that is controversial. (I have never bothered to stand in the ridiculously long queue for Mustafas. Shoot me?)

Indulge in some Baklava

I have quite the appetite for energy-dense syrupy baklava. It somehow feels more angelic than other desserts with honey and nuts right? I love getting mine, here

Try a burger at Burgermeister

There are many locations, so google it. Just don’t do what my friend does and try to be virtuous by ordering the small burger, then gawp in so much jealousy at mine that they have to order a kebab on the way home. Just go all in, and of course, don’t forget fries and cheese dip. When being naughty, be very naughty, right?

Do I need to go there? Eat a currywurst, obviously

Into saucy chips? Well, you're in luck if you order currywurst at Curry 61, Berlin's most famous and probably the best place to tickle your thirst for currywurst (yes that rhymes if you pronounce your German correctly). I say the best because it's good, but there are also many locations so you won't need to travel far to find one (be prepared to queue). But should you be nearby, may I also point you to Ketels Curry near Kottbusser Dam, which champions regional sausages and won't have a queue. You're welcome.

Feeling fancy? go for seasonal small plates at Otto

Otto is a yesso, not a notto. Make sure to book in advance (I know I am asking a lot). But hey, it's worth it for those stylish seasonal small plates, which are so so so much more than style over substance.

Replenish yourself at thai park food market

Oh, that park- a glorious place where one can succumb to many an Asian delight to bite. It is said to be born out of the tradition of many Asians meeting with their families in the parks in Berlin to spend time together and cook dishes from their homeland; nice.

Need some more spice in your life? Wengcheng Hand-pulled noodles it

These noodles simply bang, and it’s no secret to us Berliners. It was a one-shop show, but now there are three. This is the original, but take your pick.

Booze like a Berliner

Drink at the Späti (the newsagents that never closes)

It might sound like something other than revolutionary to tell you to buy cheap booze from the newsagents and drink it. But it is revolutionary in Berlin because these shops encourage you to stay by providing tables and bottle openers at the counter, so get involved, it would be rude not to!

Drink a vodka club-mate

Believe it or not, I have a much more extensive array of what I BELIEVE to be still-life shots of oneself with a vodka mate in various festivals, clubs, streets, and taxis. I just can't seem to get enough of this Argentinian soft drink that has mysteriously been adopted by Berliners as a party drink, like a better vodka Red Bull. If you order it in a club, you will have to drink your mate from the bottle to make space for the vodka, which is fun, well I think it is.

Brush your teeth with some Berliner luft (minty liquor)

Embarrassing. As you can see, here in Berlin, we brush our teeth the right way, with a shot of Berliner luft, which can be found deliciously cold in any späti.

Drink Rotkäppchen

Well, drink Rotkäppchen (German sect/sparkling wine) if you want to look as proud of yourself as my friend Olivia, photographed having a jolly old time on May Day (a perfect time to visit Berlin for street parties). I tend to drink it just for the when-in-Berlin feelings, but I will be the first person to tell you that it is objectively quite disgusting (isn't that right, Tash).

Bounce like a Berliner