We will be in Berlin for five days in September and I am looking for favorite restaurants other than classic German food.
I have read that the city has an abundance of offerings. I've gone over the forum (I've got the Con Nam recommendation) and RS Berlin but still looking. We've been to Germany a few times so I've experienced traditional food. This will be our first trip to Berlin (and also Dresden) though.
Posted by
42 posts
Funnily, „traditional“ German food would probably be hard to find there anyway - it is not particularly popular there. Except for the street snack „Currywurst“, or maybe some GDR themed place.
What do you like though - if you have any preferences? What price range? There are about 4 million people, many of them immigrants from various countries, and a very vivid vegetarian or vegan scene, for example.
If you have no experience with this, but are curious, I would recommend to try cuisine from the former eastern block - you can get as exotic as Armenia/Georgia (the Caucasus country) or Uzbekistan.
Posted by
Bellingham, WA
1289 posts
It would also help to know what part of Berlin you're going to be in.
Posted by
OP
Tacoma, WA, USA
669 posts
We are staying at Adina Apartment Hotel at Hackescher.
We love Vietnamese food (we have a good selection of many Asian restaurants here in the Seattle area). it it’s usually are go to when traveling too.
As far as Armenian or Turkish we have not tried it but enjoy trying new foods. We tend to eat meals heavy on vegetables rather than lots of meat, starch and heavy sauces. I’m not sure if that helps.
Thank you for your replies.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
7743 posts
Do you consider Döner classic German food?
Posted by
OP
Tacoma, WA, USA
669 posts
No I think of Doner as more Turkish. I have not tried it.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
2211 posts
Berlin has a large immigrant population. You can get just about anything to eat there. I like Doner, and the wrap version is the Durum. That's one of my favorite street foods. You'll also find Asian and Slavic places, but I'd avoid sushi if you're used to really good stuff. Understand that "traditional" food from the area around Berlin is quite different than that of Bavaria or the Rhineland.
Posted by
42 posts
Vietnamese and other East Asian styles (Thai, Chinese) will be common enough - many immigrants of that origin will have brought their cuisine. Similarly Indian, which is also usually high on vegetarian. Central Asian has already been mentioned.
The most common cuisines will probably be Turkish or other Middle Eastern, particularly as street food - easy to go veggie there as well, with things like Falafel (chickpea balls) instead of meat.
Also very common will be Italian food, which is likely going to be more actually Italian than what you might be used to from the US - do to more recent immigration and geographic proximity.
Greek and Slavic could be a bit to heavy on meats - look at the menu if in doubt.
You can also go for Ethiopian/„African“, which is less meaty usually.
Mexican or Texmex is frequently called disappointing by people from the Americas - for obvious reasons, as there are very few people from that background to be found.
I can’t really recommend specific restaurants tbh - Berlin has been a while ago for me. But what I usually do for city trips is to make up my mind about the type of restaurant I want, and check google maps or so for ones near to places I will visit.
Posted by
Southeast US
4292 posts
Momos serves great organic dumplings and is in the general area where you will be staying. https://www.momos-berlin.de/en
Yarok serves relatively inexpensive Syrian food. https://www.yarok-restaurant.de/
Taverna Ouisa is a gemütlich (comfy) Greek restaurant with great mezza but is in the former West Berlin. https://taverna-ousia.de/