Forget sweet and sour pork. The best from Shanghai is served at Tang’s, and it’s indeed delicious. (The photo doesn’t do the food any justice.) Particularly the vegetarian stuff is so good that even meat eaters such as yours truly love it.
Tang’s Kantine, Dieffenbachstraße/Gräfestraße
Almost a classic on Berlin’s Vietnamese restaurant map, Onkel Ho easily plays on par with the much more touristy Monsieur Vuong. Located next to Mauerpark in Prenzlauer Berg, it’s a beautiful and quiet place with great food. Dishes range from commonplace Vietnamese to more regional specialties.
Try one of the daily dishes like chicken and crab in leaves on rice noodle salad, or the super fresh summer rolls. You won’t be disappointed.
It’s a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach as everything is cooked in an open kitchen behind glass, so you always know it’s fresh.
Onkel Ho, Gleimstr. 10
Unfortunately (and generically) named Coffee Corner doesn’t look like much: it’s a tiny coffee shop in Kreuzkölln, the bastard area that cannot decide if it wants to be hip Kreuzberg or scruffy Neukölln. So Coffee Corner used to score just through its location on Kottbusser Damm next to the canal.
Enter new owner Enrico, who just took over and has started over with a lot of love, yummy muffins and some great lattes. He’s as charming as it gets, so have a coffee to go, or sit outside to watch the bustling life outside. Twice a week you can come here for a break from the street market just opposite.
Coffee Corner is on Kottbusser Damm just opposite Ankerklause, U Schönleinstr.
Smack in Görlitzer Park with all its ruins (old trainstation, former playground derelict fountain…) you’ll find little cafe Edelweiss. The indoors feature two small party rooms for rent, but outside in the sun is where it’s happening.
Görli, as the park is affectionably called by its inhabitants, is not for the landscapingly inclined. Rather, it looks a bit like a shabby, somewhat neglected mess. That said, it’s probably one of the favorite hangout places for students, Kreuzbergers and tourists alike who congregate here to read in the sun or play sports (soccer, baseball, juggling, frisbee and Scandinavian import Kubb are most popular).
And Edelweiss puts you right in the middle of all that. They serve some pretty good full grain guacamole & dried tomato bagels, too. (No photo since I ate it too quickly.)
Cafe Edelweiss is inside Görlitzer Park, near the entrance towards U Görlitzer Bahnhof, Kreuzberg
Follow the McDonalds logo-turned-upside-down to find Imbiss, a hole in the wall-style outdoor place specialized in Naan Pizza hybrids. Right in the middle of Kastanienallee you get these culinary weirdos that are strong on the organic side. (”High quality organic water buffalo meat” anyone?) Always good for a yummy surprise!
Kastanienallee 47, where Prenzlauer Berg meets Mitte.
Photo: Naan Pizza with olive paste, dried tomato and ruccola (’italian’), naan pizza with guacamole, dried tomato and ruccola (’green warrior’)
This Schöneberg Cafe has all you need if you’re stranded in this part of town: wireless (ask for the password), a clean, sleek interior, an open front towards the street. (So it’s nice for a rainy day, too.) Most importantly, though: The cakes are a true treat. And even though it’s not on the menu, the iced moccha is perfect to wash down your piece of cake.
Goltzstr. 17, Schöneberg, Berlin
Image: Carrot Cake
The weekend brunch is infamous for its diverse buffet with a tendency to stir fry. However, the regular breakfasts are much nicer. Intimes’ strong point, however, is the relaxed atmosphere, particularly if you sit outside in summer. Outside this old school art-house movie theater, the Simon-Dach-Straßen Kiez is bustling, and this is the spot for people watching. However, be warned: The service can be somewhere between slow, negligent and downright unfriendly.
Corner Simon-Dach-Straße and Boxhagener Straße
Photo: Manhattan Breakfast
…and Hello World. After this dummy post (photo taken at lovely Good Coffee in Williamsburg, Brooklyn) you’ll find here: food we like in Berlin, our favorite coffee shops and the occasional hint to other nice Berlin places we find worth checking out.
Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned.