You certainly can find the Italian restaurant around the corner outside your ipartment doorstep, if you fancy a quick bite or something to go. But which restaurants are really outstanding, promise you a nice evening, are sophisticated and chic? Where does the trendy interior design match the quality of the cuisine? The tables in this city with over a million inhabitants are as international as they are diverse. Here you'll find a hand-picked selection of restaurants. With this wide range of possibilities, let's limit ourselves to the districts of Mitte and Charlottenburg.
You worked enough! Let's call it a day! Are you hungry, thirsty, new in town and overwhelmed with Berlin's culinary offers? Here is our restaurant guide for you.
Restaurants in mitte
Borchardt
It's not only during the Berlinale that things get crowded at Borchardt: When there's something to celebrate in Berlin, the chances of meeting real stars here are really good. It is – despite serious competition – still the living room of the (international) film scene and the dining room of political celebrities. No wonder the schnitzels are world famous. Of course, there are other delicacies with a Mediterranean twist, but not ordering the schnitzel would be a mistake. Potato and cucumber salad must be ordered separately, we won't talk about the price here. What counts are: Parisian bistro atmosphere, white tablecloth and Brad Pitt at the next table. Französische Str. 47
borchardt-restaurant.de
Chipperfield Kantine
Exposed concrete, a green courtyard and an enticingly airy atmosphere – that's the canteen designed by the Chipperfield architectural firm in the middle of Mitte. The good news is that not only employees have access here, but anyone who likes. Fresh, delicious vegetable cuisine from organic farming dominates the menu, and on Wednesdays they also serve meat and fish. In summer, you can sit outside in the shade of the plane trees. However, the backyard restaurant is only suitable for lunch – it closes at 5 pm after coffee and cake. Joachimstrasse 11
chipperfield-kantine.de
Ganymed
Vive la France! The brasserie attracts gourmets and friends of French bistro classics: In addition to fine shellfish, you'll also find oysters and fish specialties. But less opulent dishes such as coq au vin, boeuf bourgignon or bouillabaisse are also a must on the menu. Inside, you'll sit under stucco at tables set in white; on the terrace on the banks of the Spree, you'll be served on checkered tablecloths. Schiffbauerdamm 5
ganymed-brasserie.de
Grill Royal
Sophisticated, chic, casual – the most famous barbecue restaurant in Germany is also the living room of Berlin's illustrious society and international celebrities. The hosts are world-famous for their T-bone steaks and chateaubriands, and the fine fish cuisine and seafood étagère are no less outstanding than glamorously staged. If an occasion needs to be celebrated as a special moment – you've come to the right place. Friedrichstraße 105b
grillroyal.com
Bocca di Bacco
Elegant Italian restaurant behind an impressive facade. However, opinions differ about the qualities of this luxury Italian restaurant: less about the classics of Italian cuisine and more about the attention deficit in service. But a visit to the stately address can always be worth a try for pasta, pulpo, profiteroles. Friedrichstraße 167/168
boccadibacco.de
Heimlich Treu
You won't get here by chance, the Heimlich Treu is located in a hidden second backyard. Situated in a mixture of industrial charm and nordic style, a cozy idyll with a summer terrace opens up. You'll find drinks under "liquid", and food under "bite". What's on offer is as creative as the name. In a mixture of regional and cosmopolitan, you'll find exactly three components of what the forest, the meadow and the sea have to offer - whether at the table or at the counter. Anklamer Str. 38
heimlichtreu.de
It feels like Mitte, but it's in Prenzlauer Berg
Kink Bar & Restaurant
Studios, theater, hostel – and the Kink complete the "Pfefferberg" area. Once a brewery site (1840), later a party location in ruins (1990s). And today? The Kink operators offer a well thought-out concept for all the senses in an industrial building with a pretty summer garden. The dishes and drinks are creative, imaginative, and surprising. With regional as well as seasonal products, it goes out into the world to be served charmingly on the plate or in the glass with a mainly Asian touch. Schönhauser Allee 176
kink-berlin.de
D.O.
For aromatic tapas and an impressive serving of open wines, it's well worth the trip to the Kollwitz quarter. Owner Margarida Suqué hails from Barcelona, and her concept at the small restaurant follows simple everyday Catalan cuisine: simple, but good. Like her anchovies "escalivada"-style, for example. Suqué serves them on toasted white bread with peppers, eggplant and onions. Kollwitzstrasse 88
do-restaurant.com
Two great Japanese Ushido and Sasaya in Prenzlauer Berg
These two Japanese restaurants are right next door to each other in the middle of Prenzlauer Berg, and are considered top spots for Japanese cuisine. Ushido (Lychener Str. 18) offers BBQ in Japanese. You have to grill it yourself, the side dishes come fresh and authentic from the kitchen. Sasaya (Lychener Str. 50) has been considered one of the best Japanese restaurants in Berlin for many years. Top-quality sushi and sashimi are served here, prepared by the sushi chef in front of the guests. How authentic the cuisine is can be seen from the number of Japanese guests. They also love the large selection of sakes and teas.
ushido-bbq.com
Restaurants in Charlottenburg
Paris Bar
Paris Bar is not a bar, but a restaurant serving French cuisine. And even that's not really right, because it's a legendary place, a myth-enshrouded institution – for nearly five decades. In short, the Paris Bar is the living room and gallery of artists and intellectuals, Berlin celebrities and international stars alike. In the meantime, all of them have moved to Mitte. But glowing red, the neon sign on Kantstraße defies all movement. Outside it may be a bit noisy (traffic), inside it can get loud (boisterous guests). What's for dinner? Bouillabaisse, black pudding, sole, steak frites. Kantstraße 152
parisbar.net
Tavola Calda
A proven address when it comes to good Italian cuisine – and has been for decades. Classics such as carpaccio, saltimbocca and fresh fish of the day are served here in top quality on white-covered tables. An Italian without a lot of tinsel, but consistently likeable and confident, both inside and outside on the small terrace. Leibnizstr. 45
restaurant-tavola-calda
Kin dee
Kin dee means "eat well" – and that's not too much to promise in this excellent Thai restaurant with an urban character without beeing tacky. Chef Dalad Kambhu serves dishes from her native Bangkok that taste as authentic as they do contrasting. They are intensely, but not spicy, and of the highest quality. No wonder: the restaurant near Potsdamer Strasse is the latest addition to the Grill Royal group. Lützowstrasse 81
Le Petit Royal
The offshoot of Grill Royal has arrived in Charlottenburg. With their latest restaurant, gastronomy experts Stefan Landwehr and Boris Radczun are bringing a breath of fresh air to Western Berlin by using stylish highlights. The Grill Royal classics meet here the French cuisine: In not quite as elaborate staging, but still with enough decadent esprit: Chauteaubriand, Bouillabaisse Coq au Vin. Très chic! Grolmanstr. 59
lepetitroyal.de
893 Ryotei
Behind the shabby storefront, great things are happening: 893 Ryōtei is a stylish Japanese restaurant with influences from all over the world and a great love for culinary experimentation. Dark walls define the atmosphere, velvet and marble enhance the dim den with open kitchen. If you can't get a seat here, you can try Kuchi or Madame Ngo or Funky Fish, just a stone's throw away. It's the same operator with proven good as well as hard-hitting concepts. Kantstrasse 135
893ryotei.de
Funky Fish
Here, everything revolves around fish and seafood of course. Whether fried, raw, grilled, boiled, as a side dish or as a whole seafood platter. The base is Mediterranean, but with a clear tendency toward Asian fusion with Vietnamese and Chinese influence. The owner, The duc Ngo, has scored another coup with this seafood restaurant: It is his tenth restaurant of this successful restaurat owner. Kantstrasse 135-136
funky-fisch.de
Diener Tattersall
This more than 100-year-old pub is a true Berlin pub institution, fortunately little has changed, in the capital's vibrant food scene. The yellowed walls are hung full of portraits, and genuine Berlin home cooking comes out of the kitchen: eggs in mustard sauce, "wiener schnitzel" and meatballs. And the Berlin dialect is part of the good tone here. Grolmanstrasse 47
diener-berlin.de