Everything is new in May ... in Berlin, too, of course: look forward to culinary highlights, balmy summer evenings with mussels and wine at the Fish Klub on Maybachufer or be transported to Far Eastern realms with tart-sweet lemonades at the Dongnam Coffee Lab. The new Samurai Museum invites Japan fans on a journey into this exciting cultural world. There is a lot to discover, here are our top 11 new openings in May.
Tip 1: Frederick's at the Sony Center
Since the end of April, Berlin has a dazzling new location, Frederick's, right on Potsdamer Platz. In the Kaisersaal of the former luxury hotel Grand Hotel Esplanade, you can not only dine and brunch elegantly, but also experience a show or two. The design remains true to the cultural heritage of Belle Époque architecture, but combines it with modern elements, such as Berlin street art. In addition to the restaurant, there are two bars, a cosy lounge and a deli. And there is also something for every taste on the menu.
Where: Bellevue Straße 1, Mitte
When:
Restaurant: Wednesday to Friday 6 p.m. - 11 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Bar: Wednesday to Thursday 6 - 1 p.m., Friday 6 - 1.30 p.m., Saturday 11 - 1.30 a.m., Sunday 11 - 4.30 p.m.
Gallery Bar: Friday and Saturday 6 - 1.30 p.m.
Deli: Monday - Friday 11 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
Tip 2: Samurai Museum
With more than 1,000 original exhibits and numerous multimedia features, the new Samurai Museum offers an exciting insight into the culture and history of the samurai. In addition to weapons and armour, the collection naturally also presents other works of Japanese craftsmanship. An interactive installation teaches you the basics of samurai culture, from the code of the battlefield to the rite of the tea ceremony. But modern Japanese culture is not neglected either: in changing exhibitions you can see the works of contemporary Japanese artists, including films, anime and computer games.
Where: Auguststraße 68, Mitte
When: Monday to Sunday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Tip 3: Restaurant Berta
After Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, London and Paris, Michelin-starred chef Assaf Granit is also bringing his culinary skills to Berlin. The restaurant Berta, which opens in June this year, is named after the grandmother of the star chef, whose cuisine Granit grew up with in Jerusalem. In Berlin, too, his homeland, Israel, will be the biggest source of inspiration for the gastronomic offering, refined with a modern twist - and served in style.
Where: Stresemannstraße 99, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg
When: June 2022 - or probably not until September
Tip 4: Pop Kudamm
Pop Kudamm, located directly between the boutiques and shops on Kurfürstendamm, is now also a place for culture and creative exchange. Themes of the project space and temporary cultural venue, in which the TU Berlin and the University of the Arts, among others, are involved, are design and fashion, art, music, sustainability, architecture and urban development. At the Creative Mornings you will experience TEDx speakers and other exciting speakers. But the most important part of the concept is, of course, you. So come along, join in and get involved.
Where: Kurfürstendamm 229, Charlottenburg
When: various events
Tip 5: Filmrauschpalast
After an 18-month break, it's film time again at the Moabit Filmrauschpalast. Under the motto "Best of Rausch", the best indie films from the 1960s to today are on screen again since the end of April - since the renovation with a modern ventilation system and more seats for cinema fans. There are special programme highlights in 2022 for Black History Month. A show of works by Helke Sander, the pioneer of feminist cinema, is also planned.
Where: Lehrter Straße 35, Moabit
When: Since 28 April
Tip 6: Dongnam Coffee Lab
Sit outside in the sunshine with one of the homemade iced teas and transport yourself far away - the sweet and tangy blends of cinnamon and hibiscus or yuzu lemongrass or jujube-goji berry-longan will take your senses on a journey to Far Eastern lands and create wonderful taste explosions on your tongue. If it's raining, you can indulge yourself indoors between bamboo furniture and jungle plants with wonderfully colourful cake creations - and of course a coffee from the in-house roastery.
Where: Kurfürstendamm 105, Charlottenburg
When: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. - 7.30 p.m., Saturday, Sunday & public holidays 10 a.m. - 7.30 p.m.
Tip 7: Popup Fish Klub
The Fish Club invites you to seafood & wine at its summer residence near the Maybachufer from May to July. With its stand in Kreuzberg's Markthalle Neun and a restaurant in the Wilma Markthalle in Charlottenburg, the Fish Club has long since established itself as a specialist for oysters and fish. Most of the fresh seafood comes from the French Atlantic, and the Fish Club works exclusively with local oystermen, fishermen and fishmongers who value sustainability. Enjoy a piece of Brittany in Berlin this summer.
When: 4 May to 31 July, Wednesday to Friday 6 - 10 p.m., Saturday 2 - 10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: Manitiusstraße 23 - 24, Neukölln
Tip 8: Oona
From now on, you can also enjoy delicious drinks in the rooms of the independent Neukölln radio station Oona. Right in the entrance area, the studio bar welcomes you with a chic chrome counter. Signature drinks are the organic wines or the vegan whiskey sour. In addition to the bar in the front, you'll also find a few cosy seating areas in the back and of course you can also look into the studio and admire the recording booth. From here, Refuge Worldwide broadcasts a colourful mix of music from Afrofunk to Electronica. Workshops, concerts and spoken word events complete the programme.
Where: Weserstraße 166, Neukölln
When: Tuesday to Thursday 1 p.m. - midnight, Friday & Saturday 1 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Tip 9: Goldadelux
Goldadelux has finally found a permanent home. After several pop-up stands, where some of you may have already enjoyed the Israeli street food classic, there is now the location in Berlin for Sabich. That is, a pita bread filled with aubergines, potatoes, onions, cucumbers, egg, parsley, salsa, tahini, curry and lemon. Now that's a tasty alternative to kebabs and curry sausages.
Where: Erkelenzdamm 45, Kreuzberg
When: Friday to Monday 12 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Tip 10: FREA Bakery
The FREA restaurant has been proving for years that sustainability does not necessarily have to mean doing without. Here, delicious vegan food is prepared, sustainable farming is practised and leftover food is composted and used as fertiliser at the supplier farms. Following this concept, the founding team has now established the first vegan zero-waste bakery in Berlin. And here, too, you don't have to do without anything. The vegan bread and pastries are delicious. Whether it's savoury sourdough bread, brioche with a creamy cocoa butter-oat milk filling or croissants, it tastes simply delicious. And every remaining crumb is composted.
Where: Gartenstraße 9, Mitte
When: Wednesday to Sunday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tip 11: Seaphony
Immerse yourself in this underwater world and let yourself be carried away by whale songs and the sound of waves into the deep spheres of the ocean. The Seaphony exhibition aims to raise visitors' awareness of this largely unexplored habitat. You glide on thick felt slippers over a reflective metal surface into the exhibition space, where you can meditate between blue light columns and immerse yourself in the sound collage. You can also use VR glasses to ponder with a salmon what it means to live in the wild or to grow up in a farm. A listening station with elaborately produced radio plays about the history of man and the sea completes the new exhibition in the Alte Münze.
Where: Molkenmarkt 2, Mitte
When: Monday, Thursday and Friday 2 - 10 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 12 - 10 p.m.
