The restaurant scene in Berlin has changed a great deal in recent years. There are now more and more top-class restaurants offering something special. Alongside the excellent Michelin-starred restaurants, you’ll also find a growing number of fine-dining establishments where creative chefs serve up delicious dishes of the highest quality.
A word of warning to all foodies before you read on: our restaurant recommendations are sure to whet your appetite.
Tip 1: Le Faubourg
“Le Faubourg” offers top-class dining at a reasonable price – a real insider’s tip for business lunches, shopping breaks or relaxed get-togethers with friends. Head chef Lukas Hackenberg and his team specialise in modern French cuisine, using mainly ingredients from the Berlin-Brandenburg region. They also place great emphasis on seasonal variety in their menu. In summer, you can enjoy lunch and dinner on the terrace.
Where: Augsburger Straße 41, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
When: Monday to Friday 12 noon to 3 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm, Saturday 6 pm to 11 pm
Tip 2: Berta
What on earth is Ceviche Dudu? Risotto Ptitim? Demiglace-Harissa? You’ll find out at Berta. Israeli celebrity chef Assaf Granit is at the helm in the kitchen. The restaurant’s name reveals where he draws his inspiration from: Grandma Berta. And so he combines Eastern European traditions with the flavours of Jerusalem. The restaurant is located in the heart of Berlin, just a few minutes’ walk from Potsdamer Platz. Ideal if you’re looking for a sophisticated bite to eat after an exciting day of sightseeing.
Where: Stresemannstraße 99, Kreuzberg
When: Dinner: Tuesday to Saturday 6pm–11pm
Tip 3: Brasserie November
A sea bream just like in Japan, yuzu fruit syrup in a glass bottle, and a natural wine to go with it: this is another way to round off a day in Berlin. The kitchen team is just as diverse as Berlin itself, with the menu drawing inspiration from Japanese cuisine. The name ‘November’ is only confusing until you know the background. It serves as a reminder that this restaurant previously served German cuisine for decades.
Where: Husemannstraße 15, Prenzlauer Berg
When: Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm–11pm
Tip 4: Oukan Dining
Here, vegan fine dining blends with innovative fermentation and an aesthetically minimalist ambience inspired by Japanese design culture. At the heart of the concept lies the aromatic complexity of the dishes. Creativity, surprise and curiosity take centre stage: the team produces ingredients such as soy sauces, flavoured oils and various vinegars themselves in their own fermentation lab in the restaurant’s cellar.
The menu is accompanied by an exquisite selection of drinks: whether hand-picked natural wines from small winemakers or a perfectly paired tea selection, curated by the in-house sommeliers.
Where: Hinterhof, Rote Tür, Ackerstraße 144, Mitte
When: Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm to 11pm
Tip 5: Kink
Kink is something special, as you can tell just by looking at the dining room with its unique lighting installation in Pfefferberg. The menu features plenty of vegetarian highlights, as well as meat and fish dishes. Everything is designed to be shared, delicious and straightforward. After your meal, you can enjoy a delicious drink at the bar. And at the weekend there’s a great brunch – now also on the terrace in summer.
Where: Schönhauser Allee 176, Prenzlauer Berg
When: Daily from 5.30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10.30 am – 3 pm
Tip 6: Buchholz Gutshof Britz
“In the city yet in the countryside” – that’s quite a bold promise right in the heart of Neukölln. But the Buchholz Gutshof Britz delivers on it. After a day in the bustling capital, you’ll find yourself in a completely different world here. In the restored and listed Schweitzer Haus, head chef Matthias Buchholz serves up fine country cuisine: pork belly, matjes herring and Frankfurt green sauce are all part of the down-to-earth menu. Those who prefer something lighter can have – subject to availability, of course. After all, only the freshest ingredients make it into the kitchen here.
Where: Alt-Britz 81, Britz
When: Thursday to Monday 12 noon – 9 pm
Tip 7: Jungbluth
This corner shop was already a traditional wine bar 100 years ago. The historic bar extends right into the kitchen, where the Jungbluth team works today. Cod, oak leaf lettuce, black salsify: most of the produce used here has travelled a short distance. The ingredients usually come from Berlin and Brandenburg. The fish comes from the German coast. The dining area exudes Berlin Gründerzeit charm, and there’s also a terrace for when the weather’s fine.
Where: Lepsiusstraße 63, Steglitz
When: Tuesday to Friday 5 pm–midnight; Saturday and Sunday 12 noon–midnight
Tip 8: 893 Ryōtei
893 Ryōtei serves Japanese cuisine of the highest standard. If you happened to pass by, you certainly wouldn’t expect to find fine dining here. The façade and windows of this unassuming restaurant are covered in graffiti; the neon sign bearing the restaurant’s name is tiny; the interior consists mainly of square wooden tables, a long bench and simple chairs. But here, it’s all about the essentials, and that’s created in the kitchen.
If you’d like to give it a try, be sure to check the booking conditions. More information is available on the equally minimalist website.
Where: Kantstraße 135/136, 10625 Charlottenburg
When: Tuesday to Saturday 6pm–11pm
Tip 9: Pars
Pars defies categorisation. That makes sampling the menu all the more enjoyable. The team knows this. And the Michelin Guide has awarded the multi-course menu a star. As if that weren’t reason enough for an evening at Pars, the meal is followed by little sweet works of art from Pars owner Kristiane Kegelmann. Her seasonally changing collection of pralines is something special: ingredients such as hops, lavender and Sicilian lemons offer you a whole new experience.
Where: Grolmanstraße 53, Charlottenburg
When: Wednesday – Saturday, 7pm – 11pm
Tip 10: Irma la Douce
Modern, French-inspired fine dining in the heart of Berlin: that’s Irma la Douce. The restaurant is situated on the bustling Potsdamer Straße in Schöneberg, amongst galleries, Turkish supermarkets and designer shops. The team led by
Francesco Contiero draws inspiration from all directions. Perhaps that’s why every dish is a little work of art. Here, quality takes precedence over quantity. The dishes are so beautiful to look at that you’ll probably spend a while admiring them first. But at some point, you should pluck up the courage to dig in. It’s well worth it!
Where: Potsdamer Str. 102, Schöneberg
When: Tuesday to Friday 12 noon – 2 pm, Tuesday to Saturday 6 pm – 11 pm
Tip 11: Mastan
Square tables with white tablecloths, simple wooden chairs, white walls: at Mastan restaurant, nothing distracts from the essentials. The menu features dishes such as braised Sucrine potatoes, tuna à la plancha or red pepper coulis. For dessert, try the cherry clafoutis.“True mastery is revealed in the simplest of dishes,”writes the kitchen team on its website – a glance at the plate shows that they have taken up the challenge and mastered it brilliantly.
Where: Gneisenaustraße 67, Kreuzberg
When: Tuesday to Thursday 6pm–10pm; Friday and Saturday 6pm–11pm
