23 Best Restaurants in Berlin, Germany

In the historic grand villa of silent movie star Henny Porten, the Einstein is one of the leading coffeehouses in town, and it charmingly recalls the elegant days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, complete with an artsy, high-brow clientele and slightly snobbish waiters gliding across the parquet floors. Order Austrian delicacies such as Tafelspitz or schnitzel (the small order is plenty large), coffee, and, of course, some cake.

This currywurst stand in Kreuzberg has a cult following and just about any time of day or night you'll find yourself amid a crowd of cab drivers, students, and lawyers munching on currywurst mit Darm (with skin) or ohne Darm (without skin). Go local and order your sausage with a big pile of crispy fries served rot-weiss (red and white)—with curry ketchup and mayonnaise.

Known for having one of the best breakfasts in Berlin (think avocado toast and toasted brioche with berry preserves), the filtered coffee at Distrikt is far from an afterthought, with beans chosen from some of Europe's top roasteries. Tea lovers aren't left out with a fine selection from Kreuzberg's Companion Coffee & Tea, served up with a scrumptious choice of cakes.

Under the tracks of the elevated U2 subway line is Berlin's most beloved sausage stand. Konnopke's is a family business that's been around since 1930 and, though there are several options on the menu, this place is famous for its currywurst, which is served on a paper tray with a plastic prong that can be used to spear the sauce-covered sausage slices; with French fries and a pilsner, this is one of the quintessential Berlin meals.

Thanks to the efforts of local activists, this century-old market hall was saved from becoming a chain supermarket and instead turned into a center for local food vendors, chefs, wine dealers, and brewers. From Monday to Saturday, a large and rotating variety of food and drink is on offer for lunch and all afternoon; Tuesday to Saturday finds the weekly market with tempting food products for sale, from fruits and vegetables to bread and fish (with an expanded market on Friday and Saturday); and the space also hosts a dazzling array of rotating events, so it's best to check what's on before heading there.

Every weekend from spring to autumn, in decent weather, the main lawn at Preussenpark in Wilmersdorf fills up with Southeast Asian families (mostly Thai, but some Vietnamese, Malaysian, and Indonesian) who set up cooking equipment and prepare authentic delicacies like beef noodle soup, skewered fried meat, and spicy green-papaya salad. Come with a picnic blanket, cash, and a lot of napkins, and stay for the afternoon. Sundays in summer are especially popular.

One of Berlin's original third-wave coffee joints, this tiny café in the heart of Mitte’s gallery district serves up superlative hand-brewed coffees (always served black) and espresso drinks with trendy add-ons like oat milk, alongside a small but tasty selection of baked goods and sandwiches. There's limited indoor seating and laptops are banned, so this is a better place to sit outside when the weather's nice or to get your coffee to go.

Anchored by an indoor vertical garden filled with vegetables and herbs used in many of its dishes, this casual eatery inside the Gropius Bau museum focuses on ancient Jewish recipes from around the world. Choose from a selection of organic vegetable-forward mezzes including labneh (strained yogurt) with challah bread, cauliflower with herbed tahini, and zucchini latkes, finished off with tasty cakes baked by renowned Berlin pâtissière Cynthia Barcomi.

The name isn't an exaggeration: Bonanza really was one of the first "coffee heroes" to champion artisanal roasting and brewing methods in the German capital. From its tiny home next to Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg, Bonanza roasts its own beans, runs a catering business, offers their beans wholesale to customers all over the city, and serves some of the smoothest, tastiest coffee in town; sometimes there are croissants, pain au chocolat, or cookies to enjoy as well, but not always. There's a second outpost in Kreuzberg, at Adalbertstrasse 70, and another in Gendarmenmarkt in Mitte.

A local favorite, this cozy, casual café is open from early morning into the wee hours, making it the perfect spot for everything from breakfast to a light lunch to evening drinks. There’s an affordable daily quiche and salad plate as well as a nice selection of cakes; if the weather is agreeable, find a spot on the sunny terrace, across from pretty Helmholtzplatz park.

Within view (and earshot) of the elevated U1 line, Café Morgenland is a relatively unremarkable neighborhood haunt on weekdays but on Sundays it devotes an entire room to the extremely popular brunch buffet, which means table space can be scarce. The Turkish-inspired dishes (an ode to the home country of many a Kreuzberg native) are a delicious alternative to the more traditional brunches served elsewhere in Berlin.

Located in a small courtyard off the busy Karl-Marx-Strasse in Neukölln, Cafe Rix is a quiet oasis with a golden ceiling—a remnant from the building's heyday as a dance hall. The café is popular for its extensive menu all day long; on a nice day, stop by for a "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake) to enjoy on their outdoor terrace.

Located inside the bookshop Shakespeare & Sons, Fine Bagels is their in-house coffee shop and bakery. They serve hand-rolled and boiled New York–style bagels (don't miss the Zaatar-spiced bagel) and other traditional Jewish pastries, breads, and cakes.

The lines here are often long, but they move fast and the combination of seasoned, salty meat with crunchy salad and warm bread is unbeatable. Most people come here for a quick döner kebab, line up outside on the sidewalk, and order from the window; there's also a good choice of other Turkish specialties.

In her airy, brick-walled shop, ice cream maker extraordinaire Gabrielle Jones whips up small batch ice cream, sorbet, and frozen yogurt in tempting flavors like lemon and blueberry jam, whiskey and pecan, peanut butter and glazed bacon, matcha and white chocolate, and salted butter caramel.

The slightly more casual offshoot of Michelin-starred restaurant ernst, this wine-focused eatery serves coffee, fresh-baked goods, and (yes) wine during the day and more elaborate market-driven prix fixe menus at dinner; dishes are heavy on the organic veggies, plus sustainable seafood and meats, and many have a Japanese slant, featuring accompaniments such as shiso flowers, miso, ponzu, or yuzu. An open kitchen encourages you to watch the chefs at work, while enormous pane windows let you keep an eye on the action on the lively Wedding streets outside.

At the tip of the Neuer Garten, Meierei brewery serves classic German beer and local cuisine, with hearty dishes like schnitzel and roast pork knuckle. The outdoor terrace has great views of the lake and boats during the warm weather; the indoor tavern seating has rustic charm.

For the traditional döner kebab, head to Mustafa's for mouthwateringly delicious vegetable kebabs (also available with chicken for those who can't resist a bit of protein, but the vegetarian is what people rave about). The line can sometimes stretch down the block, but it's well worth the wait, and this is a traditional street stand, so no seating.

Döner kebab aficionados love this bright, casual spot for the delicious food—the fact that it's in the middle of the city and open 24 hours a day is an added bonus. The friendly staff expertly carve paper-thin slices of perfectly cooked meat from the enormous, revolving spit; if you like things spicy, ask for the red sauce.

Forget the fast-food options at Zoo Station. Instead, follow the train tracks to the back of the taxi and bus queues, where you'll enter Tiergarten and within 100 yards come upon the best hideaway in the area: Schleusenkrug. In warmer weather you can order at the window and sit in the beer garden or on the back patio, watching pleasure ships go through the lock. Inside is a casual restaurant with a changing daily menu.

For proof that Wedding is on the rise, look no further than this tiny, trendy restaurant, which serves high-end, beautifully presented bar food and local beers.

The unusual round space has a central horseshoe-shape bar and wraparound banquettes. The menu varies, but usually includes a well-respected burger that comes with barbecue sauce, onion rings, and shoestring fries; the miso-glazed salmon with seaweed salad and the kimchi pancake topped with vegetables are also standouts. A small list of cocktails and one dessert round out the short menu.