A little Japan in Best Friends Berlin

Grilled tuna with vegetables and rice.
Udon carbonara with mushrooms

If you want to add a little color to your dinner, we recommend to check out Best Friends Berlin (formerly called ‚Little Long‘, meaning Small Dragon) in Kreuzberg, a modern Japanese restaurant that combines traditional Japanese flavours with a western touch and a very colorful interior (all paintings you find in the restaurant are hand-painted by the owner). If you are only a small group, reservations are not necessary (provided that you come early; between 6pm and 7pm). We recommend to start your evening with different starters (Kimchi and Edamame are always a good idea), and proceed with one of their main dishes (the grilled tuna can be very much recommended. For the full menu see their website here). Finally, if you still have room for desert, we have to warn you: you need to be a fan of Matcha, because there is no way around it when it comes to their desert.

Where: Wiener Str. 60, 10999 Berlin
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday noon-midnight
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Take the time for some real or vegan schnitzel

SCHNITZELEI MITTE, Berlin - Mitte (Bezirk) - Restaurant Bewertungen,  Telefonnummer & Fotos - Tripadvisor
Source: https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/17/4d/18/1a/schnitzelei.jpg

One of our favourite restaurants to go to with a group of friends is the Schnitzelei. Not only do they serve the probably most delicious Schnitzel you can find in Berlin (they are huuuge), but  they also make their own Schnaps from all different kinds of fruits (Obstler). When you order the Obstler, they serve it in a big bottle that marks each 5cl.  By the end of the night, you only pay what you ended up drinking  Plus, the first round is usually on the waiter/ waitress. The best day to go is Monday – it’s their Schnitzeltag.  This means  their Schnitzels cost only 13.31 € instead of 19.50 € (and you are free to choose either potatoe salad or pan-fried potatoes on top of your order).  Additionally, you will be handed a small beer on the house upon arrival.  For all the vegetarians and vegans under us or for those who are simply not big fans of a Schnitzel, they offer a variety of vegetarian and vegan Schnitzels and loooots of other super yummy dishes. Check out their menu.

Where? Schnitzelei Charlottenburg, Röntgenstraße 7, 10587 Berlin
Opening hours: Monday – Friday 4pm – 12am and Saturday – Sunday 12pm – 11pm

or

Where? Schnitzelei Mitte, Chausseestraße 8, 10115 Berlin
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 4pm – 12am and Sunday 12pm – 10.30pm

The Cake Guide to Germany

Bienenstich

This cake translates to “bee-sting” and ironically does not contain any honey. Classic yeast dough with a lot of vanilla cream and a caramelized almond flake crust on top.

Bienenstich ohne Hefe | Rezept - eat.de
Source: https://eat.de/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/bienenstich-ohne-hefe-3513.jpg

Käsekuchen

Made with the German dairy product “quark,” German cheesecake is significantly less sweet than its American counterpart. Please don’t leave Germany without trying it at least once.

Omas Käsekuchen: Seelenwärmer Rezept | EAT SMARTER
Source: https://images.eatsmarter.de/sites/default/files/styles/max_size/public/omas-kaesekuchen-58621.jpg

Frankfurter Kranz

To commemorate the city of Frankfurt am Main as the coronation site of the German Kaiser, this “Frankfurt Wreath” is supposed to depict a crown. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s favorite cake from his hometown is basically all buttercream and almond brittle.

Klassischer Frankfurter Kranz Rezept | Dr. Oetker
Source: https://www.oetker.de/Recipe/Recipes/oetker.de/de-de/baking/image-thumb__150576__RecipeDetail/klassischer-frankfurter-kranz.jpg

Donauwelle

The “Danube wave” gets its name from the wavy layer of vanilla and chocolate cake. Topped with buttercream and a chocolate glaze.

Donauwelle nach Omas Rezept Rezept | EAT SMARTER
Source: https://images.eatsmarter.de/sites/default/files/styles/max_size/public/donauwelle-nach-omas-rezept-65217.jpg

Berliner

The rest of Germany calls them “Berliner” and Berliners call them “Pfannkuchen”. Made from yeast dough and in its most classic form filled with red fruit marmalade. Traditionally eaten on NYE  or during the carnival season (though not in Berlin!).

Berliner von CookBakery | Chefkoch
Source: https://img.chefkoch-cdn.de/rezepte/3284331487844428/bilder/993659/crop-960×720/berliner.jpg

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

The “Black Forest Cherry” Cake is probably Germany’s most famous cake. Made with “cherry water” (very much not water, actually high percentage alcohol) and – you guessed it – a lot of buttercream.

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte - das klassische Rezept
Source: https://images.lecker.de/,id=d14ce90c,b=lecker,w=610,cg=c.jpg

Suggestion for humus lovers: Yafo Berlin

There are, obviously, tons of places in Berlin where you can get yourself some real‘ good Humus (bad as well, I might add, but to find those places we leave up to you).  This being said, at Yafo Berlin you can enjoy delicious Humus AND a very cozy environment. This certainly invites for a long and extensive humus feast. Prices lie above the usual Berlin humus price, but in return you get some top-notch quality for your money. One humus plate is probably enough for two people, if each has another main course to go with it (we learned this the hard way, struggeling to finish our own). As far as the humus dish is concerned, we highly (!) recommend their „Yafo über alles“: Humus garnished with slow roasted cauliflower, matbucha, zchug and tahini.

Where? Gormannstraße 17B,10119 Berlin.
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday Noon - 3am.
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Eat through a burrito baby at Burrito Baby

This little joint in Neukölln has not been named Burrito Baby for nothing. Upon ordering one of their burritos, be ready for being handed an almost toddler sized one. Seating is scarce, which makes it especially nice during the summer months, because you can sit outside. This being said, we still recommend coming here, no matter the season, simply for the following dishes: one of their well-filled burittos or their ‚House Nachos‘. Find their full menu here.

Taco, Mexikanisches Essen, Taco Kawaii

Where? Pflügerstr.11, 12047 Berlin, Neukölln
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday 5pm-10:30am, Saturday-Sunday 3pm-10:30pm.

 

Drink your whiskey sour at Keith Bar

If you are like us and have discovered your love for whiskey pretty late in life, you hopefully have friends that quickly point you into the right direction when it comes to finding the perfect place for you new craving. If not. Listen up. Keith Bar is a rusty little bar in Neukölln, specilaizing in – and we quote „good whisky. And good music. And good food pop-ups. And good performances. And good art. And good cocktails. And good times with friends. And good beers…“. The bar is cozy and dark (the lighting mainly comes from candle light, as is common for so many bars in Berlin) with vintage wood furniture. Prices are quite reasonable and we never had to fight for a table – yet.

Where? Schillerpromenade 2, 12049 Berlin, Neukölln
Opening Hours: Sunday-Thursday 6pm-2am, Friday-Saturday 6pm-3am.
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Discover new flavors at Umami

Umami in XBerg

For us, Umami finds the perfect balance between traditional asian flavours and slightly more unusual creations. This is not only true for their food, but also for their homemade lemonade and tea offers (our tip for tea fans: order the ‚Herbstlaub‘ tea). Don’t be discouraged by the queue that is forming at peak times. Waiting time is usually not that long and well worth it (we can only speak for the Kreuzberg location though). Try the ‚Buddah Burger‘:  a sautéed seitan patty with mango-coleslaw and sweetpotatoe fries or the ‚Dragon Barbeque‘: grilled king prawns with honey, vegetables and sweetpotatoe fries on the side. For a glimpse into Umami’s menu, visit their website here. If you come with a larger group, plan ahead and try to make a reservation for the seating area where you sit – traditional asian style – on the floor.

Where? Umami XBerg, Bergmannstr. 97, 10961 Berlin
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, Noon – 11:30pm
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or

Where? Umami PBerg, Knaackstr. 16, 10405 Berlin
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, Noon – 11:30pm
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Eat with your hands at Lalibela

Lalibela in Neukölln

Lalibela is a cute little place in the heart of Neukölln that serves delicious Ethiopian food. This is the perfect place to come with a small group, not because of the place’s size (au contraire, it’s rather small, so you might want to reserve a seat, if you don’t want to wait -> reservations can be done online), but because of the fact that the typical Ethiopian dish, the injera, is the perfect meal to share. Injera is an Ethiopian flatbread (made out of teff flour) that is served flat on a big iron plate with a variety of toppings, like lentils, salads, vegetables, potatoes, stews, etc., with more injera served on the side. What might need a little getting used to at first is that you will not be served utensils, since this dish is traditionally eaten with your hands, using small pieces of injera to scoop up the toppings. This makes the injera simultaneously a food, an eating utensil and also a plate. We recommend to mix and match the combos to get the full hands on experience.

Where? Herrfurthstraße 32, 12049 Berlin
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, 2PM – Open end.
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Go to dumpling heaven at Momos in Mitte

MOMOS - ORGANIC VEGGIE DUMPLINGS, Berlin - Mitte (Bezirk) - Menü, Preise &  Restaurant Bewertungen - Tripadvisor

Dumplings – who doesn’t love these cute little wonders of dough full of delicious sweet or savory fillings? One place that does them especially well is Momos (named after the South Asian version of dumplings) in Mitte, a small restaurant that specializes in dumplings of all kinds. Here, you can choose between six kinds of dumplings (all vegetarian or vegan), such as spinach and cream cheese, pumpkin and chickpea, or broccoli, mushroom and tofu, pick your dips, and decide if you want them steamed or fried. For the indecisive ones, mix and match plates are available, which are great for sharing (or trying them all by yourself if you’re greedy like we are and don’t like to share your dumplings). And if your plate is empty and you still have room for some dessert, try the sweet momos filled with banana, cinnamon, and maple sirup! In addition to their delicious food, Momos is a business worth supporting because they only use organic ingredients, they care about sustainability (all their to-go containers are compostable and they use green electricity), and they are active in sustainability organizations.

Where? Chausseestraße 2, 10115 Berlin (U Oranienburger Tor)
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday 12PM – 10PM
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Eat yourself into a tapas food coma at Alaska

Alaska is a plant-based Spanish tapas bar that serves a number of delicious small plates of food that are perfect for sharing, as well as Spanish wine and beer. The Spanish/Catalan owners are incredibly welcoming, and make you feel like you’re visiting friends, which is underlined by the relaxed atmosphere, cozy couches and fun art on the walls. While the name does not immediately make one think of a Spanish tapas bar, the owners picked it to pay homage to Spanish singer and animal rights activist Alaska, combining two of Alaska’s central elements. The small size of the dishes makes is easy to try many different things, and our personal favorites are the Spanish tortilla and the croquetas, as well as the patatas bravas and of course, the Spanish beer. While some of the dishes are always available, you can be sure to find something new and exciting with every new visit, and prices are reasonable, starting at 3,50€ for a dish.

Every once in a while, Alaska hosts one of their legendary pintxos parades, were you can get one tapa for 1€ and eat yourself into a tapas induced food coma. While it’s their most popular event and always incredibly crowded (so wear comfy shoes because you might have to stand), it’s a great way to get into a conversation with people (and practice your terribly rusty Spanish with all the Spaniards who frequent the bar), plus having to stand at the bar just means easier access to all the food. Overall, Alaska is the perfect place to spend a nice evening with friends, share some delicious food, have a few drinks, and you’ll likely meet some incredibly friendly faces there as well.

Where? Reuterstraße 85, 12053 Berlin Neukölln
Opening Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 6PM - 12:30AM, Friday and Saturday 6PM - 3AM
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