Eating My Way Around Berlin

On many an occasion now, it has been pointed out to me that I'm always eating. You may even have spotted that #ForeverEating has actually become a regular hashtag used on my social media feeds. As such, I've decided to make food features more regular on here; whether it's my recommendations on where to eat abroad, food you must try while travelling or simply my favourite recipes of the moment. Today’s post is themed around my recent jaunt to Berlin during the Christmas/New Year period. 

Being a millennial,  I made it a priority to suss out the best places to eat on social media before our trip. To make matters more challenging, I had decided to take part in Veganuary this year so I had to account for the fact that for part of the trip I'd need to be eating vegan meals (not my smartest decision). But through my extensive research and constant need to stuff my face on holiday, I have been able to pull together a selection of what I think are the best places to eat when visiting Berlin, whether you're an avid meat-eater, vegan, veggie, have a massive sweet tooth or you’re travelling in a group with a mixture of the aforementioned categories. Breakfast & BrunchI came across House of Small Wonder via Instagram having seen a few photos of its infamous winding staircase and within minutes of having arrived at our hotel, I overheard the concierge recommending this to a handful of guests, so I knew it was definitely going to be somewhere worth visiting. "All day brunch" is definitely something I can get on board with and options include: Gratin, Croque Madame and Croissant French Toast to name a few.

Keyser Soze

This super central location is the prefect spot for brunch if you're with a mixed bunch. Options range from your bog-standard boiled egg to indulgent American-style pancakes to "Wirtshausteller" which is Germany's answer to a full English breakfast! (Avocado toast and fruit salad are also on offer for any vegans in tow). 

Spreegold was easily my favourite of all the (food) places we visited while in Berlin. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I'd have gladly eaten three meals a day there! Such delicious food and presented in a way that you can't help but want to take photos of it. Choose from avocado toast, salmon stacks, waffles, a full English breakfast, bircher muesli bowls, smoothie bowls and so much more! You'll honestly be spoilt for choice. Side note: queues can get pretty long, pretty quickly so don't dawdle and allow plenty of time as food can take a while to arrive.

Lunch & Dinner

If you haven't come across Vapiano by now, I don't know what rock you've been living under. This chain of Italian-style restaurants is an absolute crowd pleaser as you can pick from pizza, pasta and salads that are all customisable and prepared fresh before your very eyes. Prices are also an absolute bargain if you're on a budget.

Ever been to Ping Pong or Wagamama? Well in my family, Asian cuisine is a firm favourite so, naturally, I sought out somewhere to get my dim sum fix while in Berlin. I happened upon Restaurant Jolly which, while perhaps not the most glamorous of locations, was actually really good food at a really decent price.

Sphere Restaurant at the Fernsehturm is perfect for a special occasion or if you're after a little glamour while visiting the city. Situated inside the famous TV Tower, this sky-high restaurant overlooks the entire city so you get the best views while enjoying your meal. Plus, you don't have to worry about "London prices" as a 3 course meal will only cost you around €34 per person! Definitely book in advance though.

Vegan Friendly

This Little Green Rabbit isn't a restaurant I've eaten at but I spotted it while wandering the city streets and thought it would be a great option for the veggies and vegans out there. Vegan meals include Chili Sin Carne, Thai Curry and a selection of salads that I'm sure would sound delicious if I could read German...

Burrito Baby was a restaurant that came highly recommended in Suitcase Magazine and I was so keen to swing by. Vegans will be overwhelmed by the choice of vegan burritos and tacos and meat eaters can still get their fix. Any excuse for Mexican street food is something worth exploring if you ask me! The only downside is that it's in the south-east of Berlin which means, depending on where you're staying, it can be a bit of a pullarva to get to.

Peter Pane

What initially drew me towards this restaurant was the name. I was absolutely certain that "Peter Pane" was a massive typo, but low and behold, that's what someone had chosen to call it. While it's not specifically a "vegan restaurant", they do have a selection of vegan and veggie burgers and salads that will more than satisfy your stomach.

Personally, I would say Dean & David is to Berlin as Vital Ingredient is to London. This chain has a number of DIY salads and sandwiches which cater to the keen carnivores, the vegans, veggies, pescetarians and anything else I may have missed.

Naughty Treats

You know that episode of Friends with the cheesecake? Well, Princess Cheesecake gives you that same feeling of hunger and (for lack of a better word) lust that you get watching Chandler and Rachel sharing it during that episode. You can't help but salivate. Even if you're not a big cheesecake fan, I promise this place is worth a visit!

Bratwurst Street Vendors are all over the place in Berlin so I can't give you a link to one, but this is something you must try while you're in the city. The vendor perched outside the Humboldt University sells Bratwurst hot dogs for just €2, so add lashings of curry ketchup and enjoy.

I was under the impression it was Belgium that was notorious for its waffles, not Germany. But in any case, Waffel Oder Bercher was quite possibly the best discovery I made and completely worth the visit. I shouldn't need to persuade you to go to a waffle house but there's so many topping combinations to choose from and a plethora of milkshakes and indulgent treats on offer as well. They don't have a website, but you'll find them on Spandauer Str. 2, just down from the TV Tower.