I kept hearing about Berlin, namely from the Europeans I worked with, but also in my tireless travel reading. The more I read, the more I wanted to go, from the rich history to the incredibly diverse food culture. I called my best travel buddy and booked us another round of girls-only airfare, and off we went. Who cares if it was the coldest time of year there and we needed a few extra layers? We were on the move so much that it didn’t even matter. Berlin is an easy city to get around, whether you’re walking or taking the bus or metro. Nearly everyone speaks English, so if you need to be pointed in the right direction, you won’t have to look far. The population is very young and very diverse. A melting pot reminiscent of New York, the liveliness at night made me feel right at home. Between the history, food, culture and art, this city is not to be missed.
Eateries
Who would’ve thought we’d be eating a bowl of ramen in Berlin that was so deliciously satisfying? Given that we were the in February, steaming hot bowls of soup were especially welcome, but it wasn’t just the temperatures that made this meal what it was. Expect to wait in a bit of line unless you go very early or very late, but it will move relatively quickly given the quick turnaround of the meal time. It’s a no frills experience, but the attention to detail and complex broths are worth of your time.
We strolled over here after checking in to our apartment for a bite to eat and some browsing. Inside of the Soho House, this cafe has casual seating woven into the store, so you can take a lap while waiting for your matcha or lunch. The food is a mix of prepared foods (a la Ottolenghi) and is simple and delicious. The Store itself has a very cool assortment of clothing, shoes, stationary, books and much more. It was an easy way to kick off our ambitious itinerary. The hotel bar seemed like a happening spot, so you could always kill two birds with one stone.
No that is not meringue. It’s butter! This spot was the perfect last stop on our first day. We had traveled that night and powered through that day (my usual move with international travel), and we tucked ourselves in at the bar here and ordered some local wines and small bites. You could make more of a meal out of it or just do sips and bites.
Cinnamon buns, cinnamon buns, cinnamon buns! When in Rome…or in Berlin, eat one (or multiple) for breakfast. This bakery is known for theirs and deservedly so. They also have delicious breads and pasties.
If you’re there in January like we were, you’ll need a reliable pit stop for hot beverages. Five Elephant has a few locations throughout the city where we took pause. The have their own fair-trade coffee blends and a staff that couldn’t be nicer.
Clearly we ate a wide range of cuisines while in Berlin, but our visit wouldn’t have been complete without a traditional German meal. Lebbensmittel offered just this, tucked away on a busy street but maintaining a quaint feel to it. The ambiance is rustic, and the space doubles as a market and restaurant. We split the German equivalent of mac n’ cheese with a simple green salad and delicious, mustardy vinaigrette along with a pan seared trout with German potato salad. The food was incredibly homey and delicious and should be on your itinerary for German food done right.
As I started the extensive research process for our dinner selections, there were a lot of tasting menu options. Some were very high-end and leaning more towards the molecular gastronomy approach; after all, Berlin has an impressive amount of Michelin-starred restaurants. I knew we wanted to go this route one night, but wanted something a bit more accessible. I was drawn to Lode & Stijn because the food was beautiful and refined but still had a feeling of comfort and approachability to it. We split a bottle of bubbles and enjoyed each and every one of our courses here. The service was warm, and the food was innovative and delicious. It’s a bit of a trek from Mitte, but the journey was well worth it.
The hummus to end all hummuses. I’m not sure how I found this spot, but man am I glad that I did. We ended up chatting with the owner, who had lived in Brooklyn running a restaurant around the corner from where I work. From the spiced chai to the hummus to the flatbread to the fattoush, there was not a misstep. The freshness of the ingredients was abundantly clear, with a pronounced thoughtfulness to each dish that was impressive. If we could’ve gone back a second time, I would have in a heartbeat, but our itinerary didn’t allow. This was the perfect precursor to our time at the Turkish market.
Held on Tuesdays and Fridays and Kreuzberg, this is the best of the Turkish markets in Berlin. Berlin represents the second largest Turkish population outside of Turkey, so there are truly authentic options here. The market is known for its produce and textiles but has some other incredible vendors, including a smoker of meats that knows his stuff (so much so that I “imported” multiple options back in my luggage). The market has a great energy to it, with live music and street performers, and is yet another way to take in the beautifully mixed cultures of Berlin.
I love a good natural wine bar. Let’s face it. My life is not exactly lacking in wine, and some of the finest wines to boot. But I am increasingly more fascinated with the natural wine movement and tasting unique grape varietals from around the world. Our server was knowledgeable and guided us through all of our options. We went the by-the-glass route just so that we could taste as much as possible. All of the bottles were also for sale, but given that my suitcase was already obese, I resisted. We ordered a variety of small plates to go along with our wines, all of which were delicious and refined in their own accessible way. Make sure this one is on your list (and make a reservation)!
Don’t miss this spot for traditional Austrian breakfast. I had a lovely plate of soft scrambled eggs with pumpkin seed oil along with a piece of their apple strudel. We sat at the counter and took in the morning happenings of that neighborhood, which was a beautiful one. It was a cozy start to our day before hitting a couple of shops in the area and jumping on the metro to our next stop.
This is a must-go. The building itself survived War World II and now houses a collective of global flavors of the finest food and beverage vendors in Berlin.
Activities
Urban Nation is the world’s first street art museum. For those of you who know me, you know how much I love street art and following different artists around the world in my travels. Reading about this museum was one of the initial catalysts in planning a trip to Berlin. This was an incredible assortment of global artists who are creating messaging that needs to be heard, be it in regards to racism, gender equality, etc. I would definitely recommend spending some time here, even if you only have a couple of hours.
If you’re going to Berlin, you should be going to Boros Bunker as well. No questions asked. It’s a privately owned collection of international artists dating from 1990 to present. What’s most astonishing is that the gallery itself was built within the walls of a once air-raid shelter used for prisoners of war. The building has had many lives since then, from nightclub to erotic trade fair. It was purchased in 2003 but Christian Boros to house his private art collection. It’s by far one of the most interest galleries I have been to. Do not miss this one…but do make a reservation (or ask your hotel to do so) prior to going.
The longest open-air gallery in the world, the East Side Gallery is undeniably worth a stroll, representing 118 artists from 21 countries and remarkably relevant social and political messagery. The series of murals has become a heritage-protected landmark.
I’m not sure how to describe this place, but it’s a unique collective of contemporary art in forms you didn’t even know existed. One of the things I loved about Berlin is the varied degrees of diversity, be it its population, the food scene, the art forms, and more. I would definitely recommend spending some time exploring what this museum has to offer.
This memorial honors the Jewish victims of the Holocaust and will surely give you pause. It was designed by famed American architect Peter Eisenmen and engineer Buro Happold. Though reminiscent of coffins, the architect denies trying to portray the rectangular stone structures as such. The heights are varied and create eery alleys in between. There have been mixed opinions on the construction and messaging (or lack thereof) of the memorial, but it’s hard to miss in a city so heavy in history.
Where to Stay
I cannot say enough about these magical flats. They kept popping up in my research, and I ended up booking through one of my go-to sites for design-centric boutique hotels, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. They were centrally located in Mitte, which is a great neighborhood for eating, shopping and just getting around. The rooms are apartment-stye living but with hotel perks, including a concierge, maid service, etc. The little kitchenette allowed us to start our day with artisanal tea blends and biscuits. The rooms themselves are spacious, and the bathrooms are the size of some European hotel rooms. The concierge couldn’t do enough and helped us with anything fro directions to art and restaurant bookings. When I return to Berlin, feel free to leave a message at Gorki for me.