Berlin is a bustling city, full of adventure, art, and music. But whether you’re traipsing up and down East Side Gallery all day or have managed to get yourself into (and even more miraculously out) of Berghain, you’ll want to have something to eat. So from Berlin’s cheap eats to the best brunches, here is the food you have to try in Berlin.
Döner Kebab
No longer just any old late-night food stop in Berlin, the dönner kebab has become a Berlin institution, and there’s nowhere better to get it than Mustafas Dönner Kebab. It’s also the meal that won’t break your budget, but Mustafas rarely has no queue.
Why should you wait in line for something like a kebab I hear you ask? (although let us not pretend we haven’t all been there at one point or other!) I’m not one for queues or lines, but one bite of this delicious kebab and it’s all worth it.
With succulent meat, perfectly balanced spices, a variety of vegetables, sauce, and salad on top – what's not to like? Add a dash of lime juice and a topping of chili flakes and you’ve got yourself one of the best (and cheapest) meals in Berlin.
Currywurst
If you’ve heard of Daniel Brühl (the young German actor) or Berlin, chances are you’ve heard of currywurst. Again a cheap eat but a food synonymous with Berlin and dare I say it, a little bit of love. Currywurst is pretty much what it says on the tin. It's a sliced-up sausage covered in tomato sauce and curry powder.
Although it may not sound particularly appetizing, there is something so wonderfully tasty in this simple creation, from its recipe to its presentation. In Berlin, there are two things you can be sure you're never far from; beer and currywurst. You can find it pretty much on every street corner or square in the city. Perhaps the most famous spot is Curry 36 (as a plus it's right next door to Mustafas) another good option is Konnopke’s Imbiss.
Brunch
A wonderful gem I discovered in Berlin was the beauty of brunch. Not out of place in a city saturated with hipsters, artists, and musicians, Berlin has some of the best brunches I’ve ever encountered. One of these brunch havens is called Benedict’s, located near the iconic Ku’Damm shopping area featuring Kaufhaus des Westens, the shopping mall of the West.
Benedict's has taken the decadence of its location and surrounding and put it into its food. Specializing in, you guessed it, eggs benedict. When every dish comes with a Bellini of different flavors it's the perfect start to every day or the perfect end to a long night.
Other great brunch options include Silo in Friedrichshain, which has brilliant vegan and vegetarian options. Similarly, Le Bon in Neukölln makes brunch nothing less than an art form, going so far as to smoke their own salmon for their eggs benedict.
Falafel
Another Berlin street food, falafel can be found across the city. Whilst there is no crowning of a particular falafel establishment, falafel is the perfect dish to go or to have in. Falafel wraps are an easy on-the-go meal, with deliciously deep-fried chickpeas, salad, and sauces of your choice all toasted in a pitta wrap.
Falafel tellers (falafel plates) make for the perfect meal, ideal for sharing, or for having all to yourself if you’re feeling particularly peckish. Al-Andalos on Sonnenallee is a lesser-known treasure in Berlin, featuring nothing but good, honest Lebanese food, and it's great for groups as the atmosphere is just as wonderful as the food it serves up. Other honorable mentions are Dada Falafel, Yarok, and Babel.
Spätzle
Spätzle, like many of the other dishes on this list, didn’t originate in Berlin. Käsespätzle, probably the most famous version of this dish which comes from Southern Germany. A few of my friends call it the German ‘mac & cheese which isn't too far from the truth.
Käsespätzle is a dish made up of small soft noodles comprised of egg and flour, cooked and then mixed with a whole lot of different cheeses. However that's not the only way you can have this dish, I like my noodles fried with a little sauerkraut and bacon.
Thankfully if you head over to Spätzle Club you don’t have to choose. Another great option would be Spätzle and Knödel, a restaurant that specializes in South German food.
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