Unusual restaurants in Berlin

Dessert bar, vertical farming or data kitchen

Dessert bar, hors d’œuvre bistro, vertical farming or data kitchen: Come and discover the extraordinary variety that the Berlin gastronomy scene has to offer.

Berlin never stands still. The metropolis is a lively melting pot that attracts an international and open-minded public. The capital attracts creative people above all others. In comparatively cheap Berlin, you will find more than enough room to let off steam and try out the craziest ideas. That´s why the culinary range is just as unusual and diverse as the artistic and cultural points of interest. Imaginative restaurateurs and newcomers from all over the globe provide the capital with new flavours and innovative restaurant concepts. In Berlin, barely a week goes by without new restaurants or cafés springing up somewhere and amazing their guests every now and then.

Curious meets culinary in Berlin

One of them is the popular brunch temple Benedict - where, believe it or not, you can get breakfast 24 hours a day! The culinary export hit from Tel Aviv chose Berlin as its first branch outside of Israel. The menu includes Israeli specialities as well as international brunch classics. Even an original Berlin speciality made it on to the menu with the Eisbein Stulle (knuckle of pork sandwich). You can enjoy the smell of freshly baked bread rolls around the clock: What might seem a bit crazy at first glance, is actually just a matter of logic. Because what could possibly fit better in a city with a buzzing night life that never sleeps?

Here you will only find one thing: Cocktails! And to go with it: Dessert! It is in Berlin´s colourful district of Neukölln where Michelin-starred patissier René Frank, together with Oliver Bischoff, opened Germany's first dessert bar. In Coda you can enjoy the artistically prepared dessert creations on their own or as a light six-course menu in the modern, elegant surroundings. Coda has the right drink to accompany every course. No need to worry about a sugar overdose though! The adventurous sounding menu of the avant-garde patisserie not only plays with sweet flavours, but also salty, fermented, hot and cold. How about a dessert made from pepper, peach and buffalo milk accompanied by a drink of vanilla, lemon and ginger?

Gastronomic sharing concepts take the capital by storm

Whereas everything at Coda revolves around Michelin-star quality desserts, the French restaurant Bricole in Prenzlauer Berg will set appetizer fans´ hearts racing. In the charming “Bar Hors d’œuvre”, you will find select wines and craft beers to complement sophisticated dishes in starter portions. Choose between a four-course tasting menu or simply order a few of the small delicacies for the whole table - because at Bricole, the dishes taste better when shared with your companions.

At the moment, “sharing” concepts are more popular than ever in Berlin. Fine-quality dining but as though you are at home in a friendly, familiar ambience.This transforms a visit to a restaurant in the capital into a communal experience. The new German restaurant PeterPaul in Berlin-Mitte is where you can also share and jointly devour classic local dishes. Tapas-sized fragrant Königsberger meatballs, sauerbraten or Himmel und Erde (Heaven/sky and earth) are served in the cosy, rustic rooms and emerge as modern culinary delights.

It is not only German cuisine, even the German beer garden is experiencing a modern transformation in the capital. In the urban BRLO Brwhouse, home-brewed beer flows from the beer taps. The range on offer extends from liquid delights from their own brewery to international craft beer such as pale ale and seasonal brew. You can also savour the modern, exciting dishes against the industrial setting of the large indoor container hall. The focus is on fresh vegetables such as celery from the smoker or wild broccoli with fermented radishes. In summer, you will be enticed by the connected beer garden with its own exquisite, fresh menu.

The extraordinary fast food creations of the capital

In any case, fast food is not just fast food in adventurous Berlin. Besides döner, Currywurst (curried sausage) and burgers, you will also find fast, unusual and often healthy delicatessen on every corner. How about a portion of gold-coloured delicacies from Goldies, arguably the most extraordinary chips stand in Berlin? The young operators, Kajo Hiesl and Vladislav Gachyn, had previously worked together at the three-star restaurant Aqua in Wolfsburg and turned their backs on gourmet food to focus on their passion for fried potato sticks. Crazy? Crazily tasty! This is also due to the unconventional toppings. Why not try your chips in Alsatian style, with sautéed bacon and onion, crème fraîche and parsley. Or with Sicilian caponata made from braised aubergines, almonds and buffalo mozzarella. A true paradise for gourmands!

In Berlin, the future of gastronomy is already under way

When tempted with so many culinary delights, those preferring to see the ingredients grow rather than their waistline should pay a visit to Good Bank in Berlin-Mitte. In the first “Vertical Farm to Table” restaurant, the majority of the salads and vegetable varieties used there are grown in vertical patches in full view of guests. The crunchy, green futuristic climbing gardens are a feast for the eyes. The indoor farm also avoids using a lot of water and long transport routes. That is sustainable and also keeps the food particularly fresh.

At Ernst, too, the focus is on a conscious approach to dealing with resources as well as the extremely fresh ingredients. There is no vertical bed of plants in the mere 12-seat classy minimalistic restaurant in the lively district of Wedding. Instead, the Canadian culinary prodigy, Dylan Watson, works exclusively with local farmers from the surrounding regions. In Ernst, all dishes on the menu, which spans up to 25 courses, make do with a maximum of two ingredients. The result is astonishing. Even a simple stick of carrot creates an explosion of taste. That is because great importance is attached to the unmistakeable flavour of each product here.

You can look forward to unforgettable culinary experiences in the capital

Respect is also a main priority at Shiori which serves only ten guests per evening. All guests are served at the same time, a standard “omakase” menu is cooked according to the Japanese principle of courtesy. In the Shiori, the lovingly prepared meals are to be consciously enjoyed and valued as much as the other guests, the time and the special venue for the get-together. This ensures that a visit to Shiori - just as in other extraordinary Berlin restaurants - remains a unique and unforgettable experience.

An overview of the exceptional restaurants in the metropolis:

Benedict, Uhlandstraße 49, 10719 Berlin
Coda Dessert Bar, Friedelstraße 47, 12047 Berlin
Bricole - Bar Hors D’Oeuvre, Senefelderstraße 30, 10437 Berlin
PeterPaul, Torstraße 99, 10119 Berlin
BRLO Brwhouse, Schöneberger Straße 16, 10963 Berlin
Goldies, Oranienstr. 6, 10997 Berlin
Good Bank, Invalidenstraße 65, 10557 Berlin
Ernst Restaurant, Gerichtstraße 54, 13347 Berlin
Shiori, Max-Beer-Straße 13, 10119 Berlin
MARS, Gerichtstraße 35, 13347 Berlin
Sardinen.Bar, Grunewaldstraße 79, 10823 Berlin