Where to eat in Berlin: from 'currywurst' to kebab through caviar ice cream

BerlinBerlin is a city that the more you visit it, the more you fall in love with it. It is diverse and open-minded. Full of nooks and crannies where it reveals its character, making it a kind of bubble in the middle of Germany. That is why it has been the chosen place for people coming from much more conservative regions to build a home. The chef René Frank, chef at the renowned restaurant Coda, explains it to me. A restaurant "that could only be in Berlin". Thanks to his knowledge of the city and that of the people who are part of the Coda team, we are about to visit places to subsequently make a list of the most recommendable. From cafes, cocktail bars, pastry shops and, of course, where to eat a good René Frank, chef at the renowned restaurant Coda. A restaurant "that could only be in Berlin". Thanks to his knowledge of the city and that of the people who are part of the Coda team, we are about to visit places to subsequently make a list of the most recommendable. From cafes, cocktail bars, pastry shops and, of course, where to eat a good currywurst or a kebab, two of the most representative and popular dishes.

'Currywurst', a rather unrefined delicacy

Let's start with the currywurst. It's a sausage that will be served to you cut into pieces. They will ask you if you want it with skin or without. I don't know for what reason someone would give up the crunchy part of the skin. On top, quite crudely, they put a tomato sauce and curry powder. We visit Curry Baude, at the exit of the Gesundbrunnen metro station. I go with Julia Leitner, head chef at Coda and originally from Austria. She says the origin of this very Berlin dish is explained by the war. In Germany they had sausages, American soldiers brought ketchup and the British brought curry that they knew from the colonies. A relevant point: if you are going to eat a very unhealthy but very succulent currywurst you should know that in most places they will only accept cash. You also need to know the term Pfand. When you buy a drink with a glass bottle, there's a small amount of the price that they'll give you back if you recycle it. If you order a beer, for example, you'll see the amount the Pfand represents on the price list. Return it empty and you'll be reimbursed. Julia explains to me that often there are people who leave empty bottles next to bins, so that people without resources can collect them and get a few cents from them.

We continue with places to eat the classic sausage. I ask an institution of the city like Duc Ngo to tell me more. He suggests two more: Curry 61 and Curry 36. Everyone has their own places. And many point out that the difference in many cases comes from the tomato sauce and whether it's more homemade or industrial.

King of Kantstrasse

I meet Duc Ngo in one of his restaurants. He is a restaurateur and chef who has a multitude of restaurants in the German capital. In fact, he is known as the King of Kantstrasse. The reason? He has a multitude of establishments on this street. But not only here. He wears many hats. He was born in Vietnam and arrived as a refugee in Germany when he was five years old. Son of a Vietnamese mother and a Chinese father, a minority that suffered strong discrimination in Vietnam. For this reason, they left and ended up in a Berlin that welcomed them with open arms. He remembers all the people who welcomed and integrated them. Those were different times. When they arrived, they were surprised to see cars and a walkman. Now he is a celebrity who appears on television, people ask him for photographs, and he has a knack for creating successful restaurants. I visit two of them. One dedicated to Japanese cuisine, called 893, which is a restaurant with an entrance specifically designed so you can't see what's inside. Dark windows painted with graffiti, and only a neon light to inform you that you have arrived. It's a place that young Berlin couples really like. But his most recent opening is nothing Asian. He has opened a brasserie called Manon. Well-executed French orthodoxy in an affluent neighborhood. As we said, he has a knack for projects.

The kebab, a matter of state

We return to popular food, and it's time to eat kebab. I visit Hasir with René Frank. They have several locations in the city and have been serving authentic Turkish cuisine since 1970. We order a very generous döner kebab. They make the bread themselves and the meat looks excellent. We accompany it with ayran, the salty yogurt with mint to drink. The restaurant is a hive of activity at lunchtime, proof of its popularity. Let's remember that the price increase of kebab became a state issue and a weapon of political confrontation last year in Germany. This food is that important to Berliners. Other places where we can eat it? Pamfilya, at Leopoldplatz, in the Wedding District, is very well-known. But it's elsewhere in the city, in the Neukölln district, where you can find a quality representation. It's a multicultural neighborhood that is beginning to suffer the effects of gentrification. Good examples are Adana Grillhaus or the memorable sandwiches of GelGör. By the way, in Berlin they invented the vöner, a vegetarian version in which they replace the meat with a type of cereal and vegetable burger.

There is always room for dessert

If you are tired of savory and want sweet, there is a whole network of pastry shops and cafes. I visit Sofi Bakery. It is a pleasant Scandinavian-style bakery-cafe, located in a courtyard. You can have breakfast and snack there, buy quality bread, and purchase gourmet products made in Berlin, such as kombucha or miso from the artisan brand Mimi. Another option in the same style is Albatross Bakery. They also make savory sandwiches that you can take away and will save you on a day of tourism when you don't have much time for stops. Finally, if you are a fan of French sweet éclaire, the place you need to go is Canal. They really make works of goldsmithing, and they also offer other pastries and ice creams. Their Instagram makes your mouth water. They have more than one location, one of which is inside one of those delightful galleries that appear out of nowhere and are dotted with charming shops.

The coffee to finish the job

If you are picky about coffee, your place is Bonanza. Roasters who have made a very welcoming industrial space made of brick. It is a space that allows you to taste the various coffees they have. In fact, they have the option of "tasting" directly on the menu. If not, you have a coffee and a pastry and it's a good place to take a break. Now, if what you want is quality coffee, but also a good bite to eat, in that case your place is Stromcafe. Coffee shop, restaurant and a place to have a drink in the evening. They do it all and it's a pleasant place to drop by.

If what you want is to have a drink

The cocktail bar you should definitely go to is Velvet. They create many seasonal cocktails based on plants and flowers that they use depending on the time of year. Some are totally original. A place worth discovering and being surprised by. The service is a ten, too. Here they combine some of the creations by Friemeister Killectiv. If you're into distillation, Friemeister Killectiv's workshop is a must-visit in Berlin. They have an incredible project with which they have collaborated worldwide. They have tried to move away from the most iconic drinks and try more out-of-this-world ones. Some with overwhelming success. If you are interested in the magic that happens inside the alembic and want to go, they will always attend to you. However, I would contact them beforehand to ensure they have time to show you the project.

Coda, the queen of the crown

I wouldn't have known all these places if it weren't for the Coda team helping me with all their knowledge. If budget is not an issue, Coda also deserves a visit because it is a genuine place. It is at the high end of the restaurant scene, what is called fine dining, in other words, it has two Michelin stars for a reason. In fact, René Frank has received a lot of recognition. The restaurant is small but very well organized. The lighting is wonderful. The menu they offer is fun and delicious. And indeed, as the chef says, it fits perfectly with the city we are in. Diversity, the desire not to be pigeonholed, and a sense of humor. Like the idea of ​​bringing champagne in a cooler like those on airplanes or the creation of a utensil for serving wine. In the food we find dishes that have been very successful, such as a childhood ice cream in a savory version with caviar or a waffle turned into a more refined item without giving up the pleasure of eating with your hands. For a long time, it was said of Coda that a menu consisting of "desserts" was served. Frank is, in fact, a pastry chef by training. However, that is no longer quite the case. He likes to serve dishes that are neither sweet nor savory. "Non-binary" dishes, he calls them. In his kitchen, by the way, there is not a single gram of refined sugar.

Other restaurants

If we want traditional German restaurants, you can visit the Alt-Berliner Wirtshaus Henne, where they practically only serve half a chicken, the house specialty, and beer. Or Clärchens Ballhaus, a traditional German cuisine place that has been there since 1913. As they say, they have survived two world wars, five regime changes, and six different currencies. You will find sausages, an original steak tartare shaped like a hedgehog, fried mushrooms, schnitzel or woodruff jelly (a plant known by other names such as sweetscented bedstraw or seven-sawn herb) with vanilla sauce.

If you are looking for refined cuisine, but in an informal setting, some more suggestions made to me by Berlin chefs: Barra, seasonal produce, good food and good wines; Ita, bistro style, with a good grill; Otto, for lovers of fermentation, where they produce their own koji or garums, and, finally, Merold, the restaurant of a former Coda employee who has dared to have his more informal personal project. Enjoy Berlin.