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 Restaurants : Best of the City
When ranking the average German’s favorite pastimes, “enjoying a fine meal” should appear near the top of the list. For Berliners, dining out is a particularly serious business, especially in light of the city’s ever-evolving roster of chic European and quality ethnic eateries. Along with classic city delicacies like rouladen (beef rolls with bacon, onions, and pickles) and schlachtplatte (a plate of cold meat and sausage), die einheimischen incorporate cuisine from India, Japan, and Thailand into their weekly regimens. In fashionable Mitte and Schöneberg, fare from Italy and France is strongly represented, and restaurants like Charlottensburg’s Alt Luxemburg and Paris-Moskau near Tiergarten herald Berlin’s status as a city with a knack for the gourmet. Oenophiles, meanwhile, happily discover that wines from the Rhone Valley and abroad have an esteemed place in most restaurants and street-side cafés. Turkish food, too, plays a prominent role, especially in Kreuzberg, thanks to corner stands that specialize in falafel and döner kebabs (flat bread-wrapped grilled lamb).
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Windscheidstrasse 31, Berlin 10627 • +49-(0)-30-3238-730
Description: CHARLOTTENBURG – WILMERSDORF. Intimate. Elegant. Historic. This Charlottenburger is located in a renovated customs house. Attractive décor, antique furnishings, an attentive waitstaff, and a skilled kitchen work together to create a most pleasant dining experience. Menu selections feature traditional German cuisine tempered by a dash of Eastern spice, including honey-glazed duck breast and Brandenburg duck with pineapple chutney. Guests may choose from three-, four-, or five-course prix fixe menus. Reservations required. U-BAHN: Sophie-Charlotte-Platz
Carl-Herz-Ufer 30, Berlin 10961 • +49-(0)-30-6923-300
Description: KREUZBERG. Housed in a timber customs house that overlooks the Landwehrkanal, Altes Zollhaus specializes in organic nouvelle fare. Indeed, the restaurant, adorned with rustic furniture and set amid tall trees, recollects the charm and elegance of a bygone era. Menu highlights include seasonal dishes like Brandenburg duck with cream potatoes and roasted steinbutt with lobster sauce, spinach, and cauliflower purée. A wonderful wine list complements these choices, and during warm weather, you can choose a charming garden as your dining backdrop. Three-, four- and five-course prix fixe dinners are available. Reservations are a must. U-BAHN: Prinzenstrasse
Behrenstrasse 72 Adlonpalais, Berlin 10117 • +49-(0)-30-2094-6329
Description: MITTE. Housed in the Palais wing of the Adlon Hotel, Felix offers adventurous diners a taste of contemporary Northern Italian fare and a posh, Eastern-inspired, two-level setting that's part restaurant and part nightclub. On Wednesday nights, the place grooves to live jazz. After hours, Felix's lower level is turned over to well-heeled clubbers - former VIPs have included such bigwigs as Bryan Adams, Nicholas Cage, Colin Farrell and Will Smith. S-BAHN: Unter den Linden
Unter den Linden 78 Eingang Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin 10117 • +49 30 2265 2611
Description: MITTE. Recipient of a coveted Michelin star after only seven months of operation, this Central Berliner soundly served notice to older, more established competitors. Classic design elements (black marble floors, gold-leaf ceilings, and well-appointed tables) meet headfirst with a sleek, uptown attitude. The result is an interior that impresses even the most critical of eyes. Make no mistake, though: owner-chef Michael Hoffman's traditional French fare is Margaux's forte, thanks to dishes like venison with foie gras and ravioli "von Kürbis." It's little wonder that his culinary classes have become near legendary with jetsetters! Reservations are necessary. S-BAHN: Unter den Linden
Alt-Moabit 141, Berlin 10557 • +49-(0)-30-3942-081
Description: MITTE. Located on the northwest side of Tiergarten, Paris-Moskau subtly joins Old World elegance and modern-day panache, resulting in one of West Berlin's more unique dining experiences. The restaurant, set in a circa-1898 railroad signalman's house, earned its name from its proximity to the line connecting Paris and Moscow. Featured entrees include Limousin lamb with pepper-bean ragout, rotbarbe with pea purée, and chicken prepared in Riesling with vegetable risotto. The impeccable wine list includes bottles from Spain, Portugal, the Rhine Valley, France, Tuscany, and even Australia. Reservations are encouraged. S-BAHN: Bellevue
Bergstrasse 22, Berlin 10115 • +49-(0)-30-2807-121
Description: MITTE. Modern Med-inspired cuisine earns top billing at Maxwell, which occupies the circa-1878 Josty Brewery. Its mid-'90s redesign is punctuated by contemporary artwork by Brit-born artist Damien Hirst. In fact, the restaurant even pays homage to the artist with popular Duck à la Damien Hirst, served with black pepper sauce and vegetable rolls. Other superb entrees include grilled sirloin steak with ratatouille and parmesan-crusted breast of corn-fed chicken with black mushrooms and potato-rocket flan. In the summer, the secluded courtyard is a popular destination for couples. Terrific wine list too. Reservations are encouraged. S-BAHN: Nordbahnhof; U-BAHN: Rosentalerplatz
Unter den Linden 77 Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin 10117 • +49-(0)-30-2261-1555
Description: MITTE. Located on the ground floor of the Hotel Adlon, this elegant restaurant gets high marks from locals and travelers alike, thanks to outstanding, globally-influenced German cuisine. Of course, impeccable service and spacious, well-appointed environs earn their fair share of applause as well. A patio seating area opens wide to Pariser Platz, allowing natural light to bathe the main dining room and affording terrific views of Brandenburger Tor. Quarré is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, and Sunday brunch is an unforgettable affair. Reservations are strongly encouraged. S-BAHN: Unter den Linden
Husemannstrasse 35, Berlin 10435 • +49-(0)-30-4407-333
Description: PANKOW. Great Italian food in Berlin? Ja, paesano! Located on Berlin's revitalized eastside, casual Trattoria Paparazzi wasted no time establishing a loyal customer base. Indeed, the comfortable eatery serves delicious, home-cooked fare at reasonable prices, a fact that almost guarantees full tables every night. House specialties range from malfatti (spinach gnocchi) to excellently prepared pizzas. A decent wine list and unpretentious service firm up the place's justly-earned rep. Oh, yes: saving room for dessert is an extremely wise move. U-BAHN: U2 Eberswalder Straße
Jägerstraße 54-55, Berlin 10117 • +49-(0)-30-2029-730
Description: MITTE. Business people enjoy this trendy restaurant for its refreshing decor and creative cuisine. The skilled kitchen staff is known far and wide for creating such intriguing dishes as aspic of suckling pig with sauerkraut and leg of lamb with braised vegetables. Although the interior is thoughtfully decorated in contemporary style, courtyard dining offers the optimal experience. Large wooden umbrellas set the scene for guests to enjoy a respite from their stuffy offices and take advantage of a pleasant dining experience. Reservations recommended. S-BAHN: Hausvogteiplatz
Brahmsstrasse 10 Schlosshotel, Berlin 14193 • +49-(0)-30-8958-40
Description: CHARLOTTENBURG – WILMERSDORF. Signature restaurant of Berlin's most refined boutique hotel, Vivaldi serves exquisite Franco-inspired fare in a setting that befits royalty. Opulent red drapes frame floor-to-ceiling-windows in the regal, Baroque-style dining room, and elements like antique stools for ladies' handbags have endeared the place to the high society crowd. Prix fixe dinners of four and six courses are available, as is a brief but creative à la carte menu. Reservations are strongly encouraged. S-BAHN: Grunewald