Send your taste buds on a vacation, too

In Prenzlauer Berg it is very popular to go out for a meal. And so you’ll find specialities from all over the world. Bistros, diners and restaurants from every region of the world welcome locals and tourists alike.

Even though the food choices in Prenzlauer Berg are as diverse as its inhabitants you will notice a few trends. The momentum of change is still obvious in this infamous Berliner district and so the fads are in a constant flux as well. Definite favorites are Italian restaurants with Spanish kitchens as close seconds. These days, French restaurants, too, are making a name for themselves. There is also a vast selection of Asian kitchens, so whatever boosts your mood — be it antipasti, Coq au vin, or strawberry lassi — be sure to find it in Prenzlauer Berg.

Your food options are as colorful as the inhabitants. The new Georgian restaurant at Kollwitzplatz serves delicious starters and main courses with an eastern note: beet root carpaccio, aubergine rollups with walnut pasty, lamb with pomegranate sauce or puff pastry fish.

Right next door Gugelhof offers refined Alsatian food. Even though the restaurant became world famous after former U.S. president Bill Clinton once had dinner here it managed to preserve its down-to-earth, intimate flair. Enjoy tart flambes, fried grated potatoes with salmon, or chopped meat Zurich style and delve into the delicious wine and dessert menus. It goes without saying that you can sit outside and breath in the laid back urban summer atmosphere. 

We also recommend the French bistros und restaurants near Kollwitzplatz where you can enjoy changing menus of quiches, tarts, cheese platters and fine wine. If you like extensive dinners pick your favorite three or five course menu. 

If you are looking for kosher food look no further. Located in the area of the water tower you will find two Israeli restaurants serving mouth-watering starters of hummus, pignolas, and beet roots or main courses like filled fish and roasted lamb.

And the culinary enticements don’t end here. Do not miss the exotic food of the African restaurant in Sredzkistraße. If a filet of crocodile tail or zebra is not to your liking you can opt for vegetarian dishes of okra, plantains, African spinach and manioc.

Food from Down Under is served in Rykestraße. Ever tried kangaroo meat or fresh fried snake? Wash it down with cherry- or kiwi-flavored beer.

In every neighborhood (called „Kiez“) a huge variety of Arabic fast food is served until the wee hours. Grilled vegetables with mint, shawarma, and halloumi to go with pita bread make for a perfect summer snack.

If you are gunning for more robust options look no further than the Berliner or German kitchen. „Metzer Eck“ in Metzer Straße, „Unsere Kneipe“ close-by or „Thüringer Stuben“ in Stargarder Straße are a heaven for fans of Königsberger Klopse (meatballs in a white sauce with capers), beef olives with dumplings, or Bulette (a kind of hamburger) with potato salad. These choices go well with the selection of German and Czech beers. 

Now on to the most coveted kitchens of Prenzlauer Berg. Those of you looking for Spanish specialties will be excited by the small wine bars with changing menus and the bigger restaurants — some of which even offer lessons in flamenco dancing and Spanish classes. But let’s focus on the dishes: tapas are a most-wanted because thanks to their variety one never grows tired of them. Dates rolled in bacon, pickled anchovies, aromatic cheeses, or beans and tomatoes, to name just a few. Have a salad of avocados and tomatoes or enjoy a fine seafood paella. The rice stew with duck is a mediterranean evergreen. Spanish wine is not as heavy as it once was so it is a great treat on a Berlin summer night.

And now our top seed: in Prenzlauer Berg it is impossible to miss the numerous trattorias, pizzerias and upscale restaurants – Roman, Sardinian, Apulian or Sicilian. Often family run, don’t be surprised if you are treated as a regular on just your second visit. And now feast on those countless delicious antipasti: tris di insalate with crayfish, mouthwatering vitello tonnato or exquisite salami and ham.

-red-,  Aug. 2019

Translation: A.F., www.klippenschreiber.de