BB Berl ~ a city I very, very happily called home for three and a half years, and one which will forever (forever ever) be tied to some of my most treasured memories/humans/experiences. Needless to say, there'll be more to come – even if it's no longer my main base – but in the meantime, I thought it only fair to share a selection of spots to swing by, should you find yourself in the sweet German capital. Tap the names to read more!
Coffee, brunch + treats
Allans Breakfast Club
Strong Bloody Marys. Excellent brunch food.
Aunt Benny
Peaceful Friedrichshain café. Good reads available too.The Barn
One of Berlin's famed roasteries. You can buy their beans or sit in-house for a quality coffee.
Blumencafé
Blumen = "flowers" ~ you'll find plenty of plants (to peruse or purchase) in this cute café in Prenzlauer Berg.
Bonanza
Another highly rated roastery. Light + airy space.
Brammibal's
All the vegan donuts you could wish for. A selection of lunch foods + coffee too. You can find them in both Kreuzberg + Prenzlauer Berg.
Bread Station
A top spot for good – surprise! – breads.
Café Valentin
Sweet sweet spot with stellar vegan treats.
California Pops
Aesthetically on-point ice lollies made with natural ingredients.
Commonground
Lovely brunch + cocktails. Very English-speaking staff.
Companion Coffee in Voo Store
Excellent coffee. Nice concrete tables. Browse Voo Store too (once you're sufficiently caffeinated of course).
Concierge
Cosy Kreuzberg coffee spot.
Daluma
Much health. Pretty interior.
Distrikt Coffee
V nice brunch food. Expect a wait on weekends.
East & Eden
Sweet Mitte café. Things to read.
Father Carpenter
Great coffee + brunch foods. Situated in a lovely courtyard in Mitte ~ ideal for a rest while you shop around Weinmeisterstraße.
Fechtner
Fresh foods. Homey interior.
Five Elephant
Top coffee roastery, best cheesecake.
Funk You
Natural foods. Solid smoothie offering.
Haferkater
Means "oat hangover" ~ extensive porridge options + good coffee. Relaxing interior, wifi too.
Hermann's
Future-focused approach to food. Nice beverages. A lovely spot to do some work ~ or simply meet friends.
Hokey Pokey
Top ice cream. Always a queue (worth it).
House of Small Wonder
You might have seen them on Instagram. A very beautiful staircase. Excellent brunch-y lunch-y foods.
Kadó
For the liquorice lovers.
Kaffeebar
Healthy, pretty food selection ~ as well as treats + good coffee. Its location (Graefestraße) is lovely to stroll along too.
Kaffeekirsche
Katie's Blue Cat
Go for the baked goods. Allll the baked goods. The double chocolate vegan cookie (to accompany the oat milk flat white) is a firm fave of mine.
Kauf Dich Glücklich
Part fashion/lifestyle store, part café. They have a couple of branches ~ the one in Prenzlauer Berg has the biggest café space. Really good waffles.
Cute + inconspicuous vegan café-cum upcycling fashion store.
Klub Kitchen
Fresh Mitte food spot. Would steal their crockery ~ not actually, but it's beaut. The bathroom wallpaper too.
Lola Was Here
Cute café in my former 'hood. Child friendly (like most of Berlin, but this place has toys too).
Liquid Garden
Smoothies, soups + juices. All natural + full of health.
Milchhalle
Sweet Mitte café. Ideal spot to sit outside on a sunny day.
My Goodness
Passionately run by a dear friend + full of goodness, as the name suggests. Fuel up after working out at its neighbour BECYCLE, one of the city's best boutique gyms.
Nano Kaffee
Coffee-nerd approved spot in Kreuzberg, near Kottbusser Tor.
Nothaft Seidel
A Prenzlauer Berg fave, full of good breakfast + lunch food. Get a nice slice of cake while you're there. Also a good haunt for reading/working.
Oak & Ice
Artisanal ice cream. Cute atmosphere.
Populus
Speciality coffee roastery with good sandwiches + baked treats. Friendly staff.
Roamers
The most beautiful brunch food. A must if you're in Neukölln.
The Rose Garden
Pretty Mitte café with a mini concept store in the back.
Röststätte
Really good coffee. They know their beans.
Silo Coffee
Lovely staff, delicious brunch, great coffee. Find them in Friedrichshain.
St Oberholz
The alleged birthplace of many a Berlin startup ~ a place to work + stay fueled. Good coffee + lunch options.
Superfoods and Organic Liquids
Funnily enough, they serve superfoods + organic liquids. The kakao smoothie bowl is a go-to.
Tinman
An Australian-owned Mitte brunch spot, feat. the sweetest of staff + most delicious of beverages/foods.
Tribeca
An Australian-owned Mitte brunch spot, feat. the sweetest of staff + most delicious of beverages/foods.
The place of plant-based ice cream dreams.
Two Planets
Top notch coffee + delicious food. Nice staff too.
The Visit
Worth a visit. Coffee, foods, fresh interior, wifi.
West Berlin
A refreshing spot amidst all the tourist sights around Checkpoint Charlie, if you don't fancy McDonald's or Currywurst. Great publications + pick-me-ups.
What Do You Fancy Love?
Sweet café with tasty lunch options.
Zeit für Brot
Literally translates as "time for bread" ~ does what it says on the tin, and more.
Lunch + dinner
Backbord
All vegan fast food in a hole-in-the-wall style joint. Really really good.
Basmah
Cheap + delicious East African food. Such a favourite. Give me all the peanut sauce.
Beets & Roots
Healthy, wholesome + filling bowls. Fast to serve.
The Bowl
Self-named "clean eating restaurant" with a fresh + healthy menu.
Burgermeister
A somewhat iconic burger spot.
Cafe Jacques
Really lovely French-Mediterranean restaurant on Maybachufer. Worth booking a dinner table.
Cocolo
Much-loved ramen restaurant. Send noodz.
Cookies & Cream
Very delicious veggie fare.
Der goldene Hahn
Authentic Italian cuisine.
District MOT
Saigon street food amidst a fun interior + tunes.
Goodies
Vegan café with good lunch food, treats + bevs.
Kanaan
All veggie + vegan Israeli-Palestinian spot. Houmous lovers rejoice. Here's a shortcut to the menu.
Kimchi Princess
Korean food in Kreuzberg.
Vegan pizzeria of dreamzz.
Let It Be
Vegan crepes (savoury or sweet), burgers, drinks + sides. The mac 'n' cheese + "Erykah Badu" are my go-tos.
Lily Burger
An almost dauntingly extensive menu. Appeals to meat lovers + vegans alike.
Mercosy
Bibimbap bar, veggie + vegan friendly.
Miss Saigon
Delightful Vietnamese food in an unassuming environment.
Mo's – King of Falafel
Really really good falafel, funnily enough.
Mundvoll
Very delicious, very fresh.
Parker Bowles
Fancy food in an industrial interior.
Qua Phe
Sweet Vietnamese lunch + coffee spot. A favourite of Ai Wei Wei when he's in town. Lovely staff.
Ora
House in an old pharmacy. Ideal for lunch or a post-work drink.
Osmanns Töchter
Stellar Turkish cuisine. A beautiful spot.
Pizzare
The best vegan Italian menu I've ever seen (tasted). There's also an extensive meat eater menu, it's just extra novel if you're used to very limited Italian options.
Ryong
Top notch veggie Vietnamese-Japanese fusion foods.
Shiso Burger
Does burgers well.
SOY
All vegan Vietnamese cuisine at Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.
Spindler
A fancy feel + quality food, but not overpriced. Lovely outside area too.
Standard-Serious Pizza
Great pizzas, great interior. Tick tick.
Umami
Vietnamese goodness. I love the Buddha Burger.
Vöner
Vegan kebabs + excellent fries.
Yumcha Heroes
If you love dumplings, you'll love Yumcha.
W-Imbiss
The most fusion of foods. Their naan pizzas are a delight (I usually go for the Green Goddess).
Zola
Lovely pizza spot. Such good dough.
Fashion + lifestyle
Bikini Berlin
Nicer than your average mall experience. Pop up retail boxes, outdoor space up top, food spots + show rooms.
do you read me?
Find allll the lovely literature + publications here.
Granit
It's Swedish, and a chain, but the home goods are really good (and affordable) ~ deserving of a mention.
KaDeWe
A famous fancy department store located in the West.
Kauf Dich Glücklich
The fashion + lifestyle version of this aforementioned chain can be found on Mitte's Rosenthaler Straße. Lots of nice style + home treats.
Hallesches Haus
Beautiful general store featuring lifestyle bits, home decor + a well-lit lunchroom for your midday pick-me-up.
Humana
Secondhand + vintage charity shop chain, dotted around the city. The one at Frankfurter Tor is the largest secondhand store in Europe. Cop a stylish bargain.
Luiban Papeterie
Treat yourself to extra pretty paper things for your office life.
Modulor
Ooh heaven is a place on earth ~ if you're a crafts + interior nerd like me. Literally all the things. Take the Aufbau Haus exit at Moritzplatz.
Motto Berlin
Well-stocked book, magazine + artists' publication store near Schlesisches Tor in Kreuzberg.
OYE
For the music heads ~ a record store to get lost in.
Paper & Tea
A match made in heaven if you ask me. P&T is the place to be for all things crockery, tea leaves + paper goods. They also do tea to-go.
Pro qm
Great thematic book store focused on art, pop culture, politics, architecture, design + economics.
Rosa Wolf
My favourite spot to pick up a publication + enjoy it with a good coffee. Often quiet, ideal for a solo date.
RSVP
Stationery porn. They have two stores on Mulackstraße in Mitte, just opposite each other. Slightly different stock, both beaut.
SCHEE
Store of interior dreams. Prints, crockery, plants, gadgets, lighting, stationery, gift bits, etc.
Superconscious
Minimalist, well curated concept store. Streetwear style.
Type Hype
Very very font of this place. Typography-based design goods, as well as a little café.
Soda Books
Get all your magazines here ~ pick up a nice Soda tote to put them in too.
VOO Store
Noted concept store space inside a pretty backyard off Oranienstraße in Kreuzberg. Pricey if you're watching your pennies, but nice to peruse.
Zabriskie
Sweet book store focusing on culture + nature themed publications.
Art + culture
Bauhaus-Archiv
Iconic building, full of artefacts, literature + pieces from the renowned Bauhaus movement. For the design nerds.
Berlinische Galerie
Spacious gallery featuring modern art, photography + architecture exhibits. Strong gift shop.
C/O Berlin
An absolute must if you're a photography fan.
East Side Gallery
1.3km of the former Berlin wall, now an open air art gallery. One for the Berlin checklist.
Eigen + Art
Well-lit gallery featuring the work of international contemporary artists.
Hamburger Bahnhof
The home of many an excellent art exhibition. Worth a trip for the stunning space alone.
Hardwax
Another well-stocked record store feat. predominantly techno, house + dubstep music.
Helmut Newton Foundation
A beautiful testament to the work of the late legendary photographer Helmut Newton.
Kulturbrauerei
Historic yellow brick brewery, now a cultural space featuring music venues, dance schools, a cinema + museum.
KW Institute for Contemporary Art
One of my favourite spots for a Sunday (or any day) culture hit.
Martin-Gropius Bau
Impressive cultural building + host to some of the world's most acclaimed exhibitions.
me Collectors Room
Sweet exhibition space + café ~ a neighbour of KW Institute.
Sammlung Boros Bunker
Once an air-raid shelter, now a private collection of contemporary art in a unique setting. Booking required (+ worth it).
Sprüth Magers
Commercial art gallery featuring international emerging + acclaimed contemporary artists.
St Agnes – König Galerie
Brutalist architecture meets large-scale art exhibitions.
Markets + experiences
Admiralbrücke
Take a Späti beer here + watch the sun set.
Boxhagener Platz
Sweet market. Generally lovely area for cafés + little shops.
Burgers & Hiphop
Literally that.
Funkhaus Berlin
Former GDR broadcast centre, right by the River Spree. Very 50s.
Insel der Jugend
A sweet, petite island within Treptower Park. Ideal for a boat ride or general escapist jaunt ~ without the travel time.
Mauerpark
The flea market, buskers + karaoke are a must during summer Sundays.
RAW Gelände
A real mix. Art, music venues, flea markets + more. Pop into Urban Spree while you're there.
Maybachufer Markt
Lovely Turkish market on lovely Maybachufer. Foods, materials, tools, street performers. Takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Markthalle Neun
Check Street Food Thursdays.
May 1st
AKA erster Mai or Myfest. Something to experience at least once.
Karneval der Kulturen
Another May celebration ~ this one in honour of the cultural diversity of the city. A good vibe.
Flow Markt Nowkoelln
Pick up cheap secondhand/vintage garms, as well as music + art goods.
Park am Gleisdreieck
A nice open park, ideal for activities.
Prinzessinnengärten
Super cute eco-centric haven in Kreuzberg. Community-led. Sweet outdoor café too, for the sunny days.
Schwarzlicht Minigolf
Fun for all the fam + friends. Putt your best foot forward.
Siegessäule
A sight to be seen. Also known as Berlin Victory Column.
Thai Park
Find this foodie gem in Preußenpark, Wilmersdorf. The. Dumplings.
Tiergarten
One of, if not the, most beautiful green spaces in Berlin. 520 acres of sweet nature.
Tempelhofer Feld
The former Tempelhof airport. A very special spot. Go for a picnic/run/cycle/skate, stay for sunset.
Viktoriapark
Berlin isn't short of beaut urban parks. This one features a waterfall + vineyard.
Volkspark am Weinbergsweg
A more petite park feat. a lily pond, located by Rosenthaler Platz. Two nice cafés + close to Süsse Sünde for ice creams.
Volkspark Friedrichshain
Sits between Friedrichshain + Prenzlauer Berg. Perfect place for a picnic, BBQ, rock climb or run. An outdoor gym too.
Drinks + nightlife
For this section, I drew from both my personal faves + recommendations from friends. Hit the names for more info. Prost!
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