From Turkish spreads to Michelin-starred dining, Berlin has something to suit every taste
Photograph: Barra
If you thought Berlin was only for German food, prepare to be amazed. Berlin has become as well known for its Italian, Japanese and Turkish joints as it is for those side-of-the-road sausages. It even holds the title of the city that created Döner kebabs.
The food scene here is second-to-none, and it’s only getting better. Our local writers have tried everything from the spots with two Michelin stars to the best currywurst in the city, to bring you this delicious list. Here are the best restaurants in Berlin right now.
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This guide was recently updated by Berlin-based writer Kate Bettes. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
You only live once, right? Well in your one short life, you should really make it your mission to go to Tim Raue, a high-end, blowout, once-in-a-lifetime meal in Berlin. This tiny restaurant looks like it keeps things pretty low-key, but your tasting menu will take Japanese cuisine to a fine dining extreme (it’s been awarded two Michelin stars). The set menu might feature imperial caviar and wagyu beef, and bursts of sichuan and kimchi, but it will all be delicious.
Price: Blowout
There are plenty of great burgers found in Berlin, but none are quite as iconic as Burgermeister’s. This joint first opened in a former public toilet outside the Schlesisches Tor U-Bahn station and, as a testament to its success, has now expanded to eight locations across the city. The menu is refreshingly simple, the cheesy fries as comforting as comfort food gets, and the mouth-watering vegan burger nothing like your token veggie option.
Price: Bargain
People flock from all over the city to sample Azzam’s hummus, made fresh throughout the day. The grilled minced lamb is perfectly seasoned, and the falafel is a crunchy, sesame-speckled delight. You get a lot for your money, too: each dish comes with raw veg, bitter olives, garlicky mayo or tahini sauce, and a basket of stacked pita bread which doubles as cutlery.
Price: Bargain
Kanaan on Schliemannstraße is a collaboration for peace via food between Palestinian and Israeli chefs. Founded by Oz Ben David and Jalil Dabit, this Prenzlauer Berg restaurant gets a triple score at brunch, lunch and dinner. Vegans and vegetarians take note - there are plenty of options here, including omelette with tomato-pepper sauce (with or without eggs), Babaganoush with Palestinian spices, Roast Beetroot Carpaccio and dishes of hummus with accompaniments like fava beans, tomato salad and falafel.
Price: Average
Not only is Eins44’s food great, the interiors are exquisite too. Huge windows let in streams of light, white-tiled walls glow, and modernist lamps hang from incredibly high ceilings. This is a splash meal, but one that’s worth it for the experience. The food? Fine dining and seasonal, contemporary cuisine headed by Daniel Achilles. Highlights of the small, ever-changing menu have included stuffed calamaretti in lobster stock and suckling pig with artichoke and synonym. Trust us, it’s worth it.
Price: Pricey
Duc Ngo, also behind the city’s popular Cocolo Ramen, clearly knows what he’s doing: 893’s hybrid Japanese-Peruvian cuisine results in dishes that, while certainly boundary-pushing, are also just, well, tasty. Highlights at 893 Ryotei include the veal heart skewers, the grilled octopus and the sashimi moriawase plate. Obviously, a bottle of saké for the table is a must.
Price: Pricey
When it comes to picking a favourite brunch spot in Berlin, this Kreuzberg café is on everyone’s lips – whether they’re a local or an expat. Annelies’ specialisation is in creative fare, some seriously excellent brews, a wide selection of natural wines, and attracting a fanatical repeat crowd. It’s probably most famous for its buttermilk pancakes with granola, maple berry syrup and cultured cream, but we love the scrambled eggs with smoked yolk and fennel kimchi (which pairs very well with a Bloody Mary, might we add).
Das Lokal comes from fine heritage: formerly Kantine, a cult pop-up of sorts that had occupied a space earmarked for demolition in David Chipperfield’s architectural office. The seasonal menu changes weekly and might feature starters of pigeon with chestnuts, mussels in broth or asparagus croquette – all have bold, local flavours in abundance. We recommend anything with offal or game in it.
Price: Pricey
Price: Pricey
In Berlin, Middle Eastern meals are in no short supply, but Café Pilz dishes them up a little differently: The casual vegan Levantine eatery is full of the fresh flavours that define the region’s cuisines without any fish or meat products. Located on a quieter street in the trendy Schillerkiez neighbourhood, the relatively small establishment might keep you waiting for a table, but rest assured that it’s well worth it in the end. The small plates and dips are divine, but it’s the homemade bread that steals the show.
Price: Average
Offering a menu composed entirely of desserts and drinks, concept restaurant Coda earned its first (long-awaited) Michelin star in 2019, and its second in 2020. Masterminded by chef René Frank, its plates are artfully composed, use only the freshest ingredients, and place an emphasis on the experimental. Come by for the blowout six-course tasting menu that pairs desserts with drinks. Alternatively, head to the bar for a superlative cocktail.
Price: Pricey
This venerable sausage stand has been under the same family management since 1930. After coming up with a secret recipe for ketchup (which wasn’t available after the Wall was built), it was the first place to offer currywurst in East Berlin and still serves the most famous – and quite possibly the best – version in the city. Expect queues.
Price: Bargain
Malakeh’s Syrian cuisine is as mouth-watering as its origin story is heartwarming. Owner Malakeh Jazmati has no formal kitchen training, but once found a following as Syrian TV personality Maliket al-Tabkh (‘the Queen of Cooking’). Driven out of her country by the war, she came to Berlin in 2015 and set up this restaurant with her husband Mohammed. As a poignant reminder of the home she left behind, Malakeh is decked out with pictures of Syrian artists and activists. Food-wise, expect excellent kibbeh in a yoghurt sauce, moreish fried aubergine and some of the city’s freshest tomatoes.
Price: Average
Part of the Grill Royal gourmet empire, Kin Dee has proven a worthy successor to Thai-Berliner institution Edd’s. Head chef and owner Dalad Kambhu strays into similar fusion territory, serving creative fine Thai cuisine with a focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients. With its set menu of small plates, excellent vegetarian options and a well-chosen wine list, Kin Dee has already won over the locals – and was awarded its first Michelin star in 2019. This makes Kambhu the youngest woman ever to receive the honour in Germany. How better to celebrate than with a meal you won’t be forgetting any time soon?
Price: Pricey
Neukölln’s Barra is part of a wave of fancy-ish wine bars that have opened up in Berlin – swanky enough to feel celebratory but not prohibitively expensive. The quality of the small plates here – flavour highlights include sea bream, pumpkin, chicory and bergamot – match that of the low-intervention wines, largely from France and Germany. The chestnut soup with shiitake mushrooms is a hit, as is the chocolate mousse.
Price: Average
If Berlin had a Chinatown, it would be Charlottenburg’s Kantstrasse. This tiny hole-in-the-wall spot knocks out Taiwanese classics such as noodle soups and gua bao (rice buns filled with duck) as well as more esoteric plates of dressed beef tongue or pigs’ ears sliced finely over rice noodles. Lon Men’s is almost always full in the evening, but the turnover is fast enough that you’ll find a seat pretty quickly.
Price: Bargain
The shawarma at Shaam, a popular Syrian spot on Karl-Marx-Straße, may well be the best in Berlin, and the toum is so garlicky that both parties on a date should be required, by law, to dig in. That’s not a criticism; the sauce adds the perfect zing to the shawarma’s heavenly blend of crispy (the bread) and fatty (the meat). There are plenty of lighter, herbivore-friendly options, and everything comes with crunchy fresh veg to dip. Order a few plates to share.
Price: Bargain
One of the city’s best-known venues, the riverside Grill Royal is a stylish, friendly and exceptionally meaty experience. Not for vegetarians or anyone on a diet or budget, Grill is as brilliant for people-watching as its (stoutly priced) steaks and seafood. The meat is sourced from local suppliers as well as from Argentina, Ireland and Australia. The walls are adorned with rather striking soft-porn art from the owner’s collection. Reservations are essential.
Price: Blowout
OK, there are several worthwhile Grillhähnchen (rotisserie chicken) joints scattered throughout Berlin, but there is something weirdly electrifying about a trip to Risa, which has expanded from its original location in Neukölln to an array of new outlets throughout the city, including one shop in Prenzlauer Berg and another on Charlottenburg’s ritzy Ku’damm. Maybe it’s the fluorescent lighting, or perhaps the decadent range of ways to consume their killer fried chicken (tenders! burgers! wings!). Whatever it is, don’t forget to order a side of moreish sour pickles.
Price: Bargain
A trip to Rogacki, a German-Polish deli-cum-food market, is like stepping back in time. The draw here is the fish: specialities include bratherings (brined and fried herring) and rollmops (pickled herrings rolled around gherkin). Alongside the excellent, high-quality produce, you’ll find gourmet ‘islands’, at which you can pull up a stool and order fischbrötchen or oysters and wine for much less than at KaDaWe. It’s excellent for people-watching, too.
Price: Bargain
Neapolitan-style pizza restaurants in Berlin aren’t rare, but we’re not complaining. Berlin’s pizza renaissance has upped the quality of the pies by huge margins, and Standard in Prenzlauer Berg is a crowd-pleasing favourite. You can’t go wrong with Standard’s Margherita, with its fior di latte mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes, or the more out-there house white pizza featuring smoked cheese, semi-dried tomatoes, aubergine and olive pesto.
Price: Average
Operating outside the usual Berlin luxury hotel system, Austrian chef Sebastian Frank gained a Michelin star in 2011 at this canal-side restaurant. Enjoy a tasting menu of typical German ingredients transformed through novel techniques and combinations of flavours. The onion, pigeon and kohlrabi, and the sturgeon, rib and celery, are charred, elegant and perfectly plated. Horváth’s Austrian wine list is also excellent. Booking advised.
Price: Blowout
Sure, there’s nothing wrong with a quick Thai curry from your cheap and cheerful go-to just around the corner, but it’s worth a ride on the S-Bahn for something special. Everything at Khao Taan, founded by former lawyer Gaan, feels earnest and fresh, with an emphasis on family-style eating. Everyone at the table shares a fixed set of dishes, meant to guide guests through the flavours, textures and (communal) dining norms of Thai culture. The fish curry is particularly good.
Price: Average
There’s something familiar about Sfera, a breakout brunch star near Neukölln’s sleepy Böhmische Platz. Far from the vegan bites of yesterday, Sfera’s menu is rich and comforting, with creamy sauces and full flavours galore. The sourdough toasts are a standout in a crowded field of favourites: the young potato salad with grated smoked tofu is light as a feather but filling as a meal on its own. So pull up a chair and get a coffee — Sfera is a perfect perch for people watching as well.
Price: Average
Berlin might not be known for its seafood, but Peruvian chef Omar Ben Hammou is trying to change that – and with Lila, he’s got a decent shot at it, too. Named after the chef’s mother and grandmother, Lila offers mouthwatering small plates drawing from a wide range of influences from around the world. Be sure to try the ceviche and truffle pasta, but rest assured that the menu is full of treasures and treats for every palette.
Price: Pricey
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