Best restaurants in Berlin

Best places to eat and drink in Berlin

Bonvivant – for Michelin-starred vegetarian

Where else but Berlin? Bonvivant is one of the city’s first vegetarian-leaning Michelin-starred restaurant and proof that fine dining doesn’t need meat to blow minds. It offers a five- or six-course set menu, pairing hyper-seasonal veggies with bold techniques and even bolder cocktails. Most ingredients are sourced from local farms and producers – even the “pausenbrot” between courses comes from the neighbourhood bakery next door. bonvivant.berlin

Bistro Spumante – for a buzzy outdoor terrace

A local favourite for kick-starting a long Berlin night. Spumante keeps things easy: sparkling drinks on tap, laid-back vibes and snacks that channel a quick trip to the Mediterranean. The famous Maggi-Ei, lacing eggs with Germany’s renowned umami-rich Maggi sauce, brings it back to Berlin in the best way. It’s always buzzing here, especially once the terrace fills up with neighbours toasting to life. bistro-spumante.org

Fabrik 23

This Wedding neighbourhood gem hosts exclusive Italian fine dining events blending with Berlin’s industrial charm. Housed in a former factory, its design loft atmosphere is a unique space for fun gatherings over Italian dishes such as organic orecchiette with cime di rapa or octopus with creamy burrata and candied tomatoes paired with expert wine selections. Be quick, as these events sell out fast. fabrik23.com

Buya Ramen Factory – for ramen

Tucked inside a courtyard and easily missed (unless you’re in the know), Buya serves some of Berlin’s best ramen. This is a staple for locals craving comfort food with a modern twist, with highlights including vegan tonkotsu ramen, rich chāshū pork ramen or cold tantan noodles. It’s an ideal low-key weekday lunch. buyarestaurants.com

Atelier Dough – for doughnuts

This neighbourhood café is known for fluffy, cloud-like doughnuts with brûléed sugar crusts, tangy lemon curd and gooey apple cinnamon glaze. Watch the French pastry finesse happen through large windows while waiting. Locals know to come early – these beauties sell out fast. atelierdough.com

Mikrokosmos – for boundary-pushing vegan cuisine

Mikrokosmos pushes boundaries with its insect-based cuisine. It’s a neighbourhood gem for future-forward food: mostly vegan and vegetarian, focussed on sustainability and regional produce from Brandenburg. The Peruvian chef adds bold, soulful flavours to create the likes of kohlrabi apple ceviche in spicy habanero tiger milk and grasshoppers. And the plant-forward ‘normal’ menu still makes it a date-night darling. Natural and low-intervention wine list? A+. mikrokosmosberlin.com

Smooches – for breakfast sandwiches

Locals come here again and again for sourdough muffins and crusty breakfast sandwiches packed with fluffy eggs, sausages and melting cheese. It’s small, it’s no frills and that’s exactly why the queue outside on weekends never lies. smooches.berlin

Bar Basta – for seasonal small plates

Laid-back, a little fancy and open all day. Bar Basta is the new kid in town located inside Hotel Casa Camper. Mornings here start with comforting specials like french toast and meatball sandwiches, served with mimosas and bloody marys flowing from carafes. Come evening, the vibe shifts to seasonal plates – Beelitzer asparagus with sauce hollandaise, spinach with sunflower tahini or langós with wild garlic pesto – and classic cocktails with a twist. @basta.berlin

Zeit für Brot – for a great bakery

Artisan baker Zeit für Brot has three locations across the city, each with more than two dozen varieties of sourdough bread for sale. Classic stulle sandwiches (think deli meats and cheeses between thick slices of sourdough) are another draw, but it’s the bakery’s cinnamon buns that get people queueing round the block. zeitfuerbrot.com

Markthalle Neun – for a food hall

The beating heart of Berlin’s food scene is the magnificent Markthalle Neun. Here you’ll find some of the city’s best food vendors and produce – don’t miss the traditional German meats and brilliant burgers at innovative butcher Kumpel & Keule. markthalleneun.de; kumpelundkeule.de

Madame Ngo – for Vietnamese food

For the best pho in town, head to Madame Ngo, a Vietnamese spot in Charlottenburg. Here, bone broths are cooked all day to give an intense and authentic flavour. Order the rare-beef version, made with tender German steak. madame-ngo.de

Nobelhart & Schmutzig – for fine dining

The pioneers of Berlin’s brutal lokal (brutally local) movement are Billy Wagner and Micha Schäfer, who run the kitchen at Nobelhart & Schmutzig with such strict adherence to the ethos that you’ll find no lemons, pepper, olive oil or chocolate on the menu. Typical dishes include porcini mushrooms in a thyme and buckwheat ferment, and wild hops with dried raspberries and white beer ice cream. nobelhartundschmutzig.com

Adana Grillhaus – for Turkish food

For the most delicious barbecued meats head to Kreuzberg’s Adana Grillhaus and order a meze to share, along with a choice of grilled lamb and chicken (skewers, chops, ribs, meatballs and more). adanagrillhaus.de

BRŁO – for craft beer

At craft brewery BRŁO’s unique location, inside 38 shipping containers, you’ll find some of the city’s best beers. Join one of the weekly tours or head straight to the bar for a glass of berliner weisse, the local, pleasingly sour, white beer. There’s also an on-site restaurant. brlo.de

Damaskus Konditorei – for Syrian pastries

No trip to Berlin would be complete without sampling the Syrian sweets at Damaskus Konditorei, with three locations across the city. Owner Tamem al-Sakka’s considerable range of expertly crafted pastries includes baklava and halawet el jibn (rolls of semolina dough filled with white cheese and rosewater). @Konditorei.Damaskus

Long March Canteen – for dumplings

Dive into the world of a Chinese eating house at the Long March Canteen. Specialising in both hot and cold dim sum, its most impressive feature is the dumpling station, the steam rising from it glowing under a red light. Try the tuna sashimi with beetroot. longmarchcanteen.com

Skykitchen – for Michelin-starred dining

Michelin-starred restaurant Skykitchen is set on the 11th floor of Andel’s Hotel Berlin, so diners get to enjoy breathtaking views of the city’s skyline as well as dishes like pikeperch with black pudding, pickled cabbage, pear and pearl onion. skykitchen.berlin

JaJa – for natural wine

Berlin’s drinkers were early champions of the natural wine movement. Head to wine bar and shop JaJa for some of the city’s best bottles, accompanied by innovative seasonal tapas plates, as well as monthly events with growers and producers. jajaberlin.com

Not Only Riesling – for a wine bar

When the sun hits, there’s nothing better than sitting outside wine bar Not Only Riesling with a glass of something chosen with care, direct from German and European wineries. Order a Riesling Quickie (three 0.1l glasses of German wine) or a Small Wine Tasting, (six 0.1l glasses from further afield plus a cheese board). notonlyriesling.de

Café am Literaturhaus – for brunch

Not everything in Berlin is fast-changing and modern. Head to Café am Literaturhaus, a literature-focused exhibition space in a Wilhelminian-style villa, for a breakfast of ham and eggs, or a coffee and a strawberry tart; grab an outdoor table to enjoy the beautiful gardens. literaturhaus-berlin.de

Burgeramt – for burgers

The Berlin burger scene is huge and the standard high, but Burgeramt is the best for brisk but friendly service and a wide selection. If you’re overwhelmed by choice go for the teriyaki burger. burgeramt.com

The Barn Roastery – for coffee

Owner of The Barn Roastery, Ralf Müller, has been a slow-brew pioneer in Berlin so expect a sensational coffee here, accompanied by a Berliner stulle (sandwich). The coffee is roasted at the back of the shop and is available to buy if you want to take some home. thebarn.de

Best food shops and classes in Berlin

KaDeWe – for food shopping

Iconic department store KaDeWe has a seriously impressive food court: try traditional mettwurst and kohlwurst cooked à la minute at the sausage counter, with piles of potato salad and mustard. kadewe.de

Mimi Ferments – for Japanese cooking classes

Artisanal Japanese soy sauces, miso, koji, tempeh and natto are what Markus Shimizu specialises in, and they’re sworn by at Berlin’s most discerning restaurants. At his factory, Mimi Ferments, you can join a tasting or sign up for a workshop to learn how to make your own. mimiferments.com

Eat Berlin

If you’re after an edible souvenir to take home, head to Eat Berlin for delicious local delicacies. You’ll be spoilt for choice among its selection of chutneys, sauces, pestos, spices, teas and spreads, all made by small food companies. eat-berlin.de

Goldhahn & Sampson

A paradise for gourmets, Goldhahn & Sampson sells fine food, exceptional drinks, artisan chocolates and pastries as well as a variety of cookbooks. It also hosts regular cookery classes, some of them in English. goldhahnundsampson.de

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