There is so much more to this list than what I have here – it’s an absolute work in progress but it’s a good start.
FRIEDRICHSHAIN — KREUZBERG — MITTE — NEUKOELLN — PRENZLAUER BERG
CLUBS — HOTELS — GENERAL BERLIN TIPS
FRIEDRICHSHAIN
COFFEE
Silo – my mates just opened Silo Coffee; walking in there makes me feel good about myself because it looks so nice. And the coffee is great….Annnnnnd they have epic brownies.
Gabriel-Max-Straße 4, 10245 Berlin
PLACES TO SEE:
East Side Gallery – you must see this. It’s great. Berlin are full of late risers. If you manage to be awake and functioning before 12, I would head over and have a look.
KREUZBERG
COFFEE
5 Elephants – this is on a really nice street, with really good coffee – and what I am told is insanely good lemon cheese cake. It’s more Kreuzberg, but it’s Neukölln – almost.
Reichenbergerstr. 101, 10999 Berlin
DRINKS
John Muir – owned by Americans, good cocktails. Feels a bit like a nice bar from SF.
Skalitzer Straße 51, 10997 Berlin
Our/ Berlin Vodka – this is often good on a Friday for quiet/ relaxed drinks with Berliners. I’m not sure there is always something on – but it’s worth a visit if it is.
Am Flutgraben 2, 12435 Berlin
FOOD
Jolesch – Really really good Austrian/Germ food. Has very little atmosphere, but it’s about as traditional “German” (even though it’s Austrian) as you will get in Berlin.
Muskauer Straße 1, 10997 Berlin
Burgermeister – this is a burger place in an old public toilet under a train station…. Their Burgers are delicious.
Oberbaumstraße 8, 10997 Berlin
Der Goldene Hahn – this is some of the best Italian food I have ever had. Family style eating. Bring your appetite. The actual restaurant isn’t very big – so make a booking.
Pücklerstraße 20, 14195 Berlin
Hühnerhaus – half a chicken chips and salad.. 5€ or so. It’s good chicken/ it’s an institution. Go to the little shack next to Görlitzer Park, rather than the sit down/ inside restaurant – somehow it feels nicer.
Opposite – Skalitzer Straße 95A, 10997 Berlin
Trattoria Venezia – this has the biggest pizza you will ever see in your life, and they are delicious – AND cheap.
Liegnitzer Straße 28, 10999 Berlin
MITTE
COFFEE
The Barn – coffee, owned by Australians (pretty sure).
Auguststraße 58, 10119 Berlin
FOOD
Katz Orange – good fancy food and delicious cocktails. Berlin doesn’t do fancy much, this is like New York/ SF level. I would recommend this one – if you want to go out fancy for a night.
Bergstraße 22, 10115 Berlin
Monsieur Vuong – Indo-Chino food (whatever that might be..?), of the good variety. It’s always rammed here, but it’s worth the maybe 10 minute wait.
Alte Schönhauser Straße 46, 10119 Berlin
Yamyam – Korean food. They have this thing called a Bipambap (or something) Get it. It’s like all your food groups in a hot stone bowl, with rice. You can’t go wrong.
Alte Schönhauser Straße 6, 10119 Berlin
DO
Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe (this is it’s actual name, welcome to Germany) – this monument really is something to see. The museum downstairs is great too (get the audio guide).
Cora-Berliner-Straße 1, 10117 Berlin
Brandenburger Tor – right around the corner from the Jewish Monument (listed above). Worth a photo/ look.
Pariser Platz, 10117 Berlin
NEUKÖLLN
COFFEE
Espera – this also has great coffee, and closer than 5 Elephants. It’s just a pain it’s on a main street.
Sonnenallee 35, 12045 Berlin
Bully’s Bakery – Everyone talks about this place, I’ve never been – but everyone says it’s good, and there are always lots of pretty hipsters out the front.
Friedelstr. 7 12047 Berlin
DRINKS
Geist im Glas – does good drinks, pretty cheap – feels fancy.
Lenaustraße 27, 12047 Berlin
Das Gift – cheap, has a smoking room (so, really good if you don’t smoke) is just a local, nothing fancy. Owned by someone famous.
Donaustraße 119, 12043 Berlin
FOOD
Mo’s Imbiss – the best Falafel in Berlin, I often go here – sit at the spaeti just next door and drink beer. You actually can’t venture inside the Imbiss with beer, as old mates are pretty Turkish (read: religious) – so keep that in mind, if you sway the beer/ falafel route.
Graefestraße 9, 10967 Berlin
Hamy – good Vietnamese. It’s cheap, and their daily specials are usually delicious. I would probably go here at least once every 2 weeks.
Hasenheide 10, 10967 Berlin
Sahara – Sudanese Falafel = the best. You get a teller (plate) of all sorts of roasted/ Sudanese goodness (falafel, halumi, roast veggies) and then they put this peanut sauce on. It’s wonderful. And there is a Photoautomat across the road, so you can kill many Berlin birds with the one stone.
Reuterstraße 56, 12047 Berlin
Pizza a Pezzi – good pizza/ pasta, super cheap. Not a lot of choice, but easy and local.
Nansenstraße 2, 12047 Berlin
Melbourne Canteen – good for brunch, slow service – but good for brunch
Pannierstraße 57, 12047 Berlin
Croissanterie this has the best Croissants this side of Paris, and pretty good coffee. If you are Euro, and can pass of a pastry as “breakfast” – this is your go-to spot.
Pannierstraße 56, 12047 Berlin
BBI (Berlin Burger International) – some of the best burgers and biggest in Berlin.
Pannierstraße 5 12047 Berlin
Fräulein Frost – possibly the best ice cream in Berlin. But there is honestly so much ice cream in Berlin, you can never be sure.
Friedelstraße 39, 12047 Berlin
DO
Tempelhof Freiheit – the abandoned airport. It’s kind of cool, worth a look.
Turkish Market (along Maybachufer – near Kottbusser Damm) – every Tuesday/ Friday from 11A – 6:30P, is kind of interesting to see as this area is so Turkish influenced.
Walk along the canals – get a beer, sit on them – it’s nice there, full of hipsters – the bridge just near: Il Casolare (Grimmstraße 30 10967 Berlin) is nice, and that place is O.K. to eat at also.
PRENZLAUER BERG
FOOD
The Bird – insane American style burgers, worth traveling for. Get a pickle back shot, you’re welcome.
Am Falkplatz 5, 10437 Berlin
Suicide Sue – pretty good brunch, not German (meaning not 3 meats/ 3 cheeses/ an egg/ basket of bread) but good.
Dunckerstraße 2, 10437 Berlin
DO
Mauer Park – pretty touristy, but it’s cool to see/ search through. Not every week (I don’t think) but most – they have a karaoke there, which is quite a sight – I would recommend it.
Bernauer Straße 63-64, 13355, Berlin
CLUBS
Gretchen – is a shit hole but they have the best bookers.
Berghain – don’t wear too many colours, don’t try and enter with more than 2/3 people, don’t smile, don’t talk in the line, don’t talk unless spoken to – you might still get rejected, but they are my best tips.
Stattbad – is a club in an old pool (indoor pool), is a pretty cool venue although kind of far away.
** If you want to go out to disco, my mate Bron does a round up on here as to what’s good each week in Berlin. It goes live on Thursday; you’ll find it here: http://www.lucyvstheglobe.com/category/whats-on/
HOTELS
Michelberger Hotel – this is one of the cooler, more central hotels in Berlin. Located in Friedrichshain (but practically Kreuzberg) they make their own Coconut water which Bron RAVES about. It’s not too expensive, current and often has some unknown music type things going on in summer.
Warschauer Straße 39/40, 10243 Berlin
Casa Camper – Located in the good bit of Mitte this hotel is great if you have a bit of cash. Really central, you’ll feel like one of those semi wealthy Berliners everyone wishes they were but will probably never be.
Weinmeisterstraße 1, 10178 Berlin
GENERAL TIPS
Rent a bike – your life will be about 35% more easy/ enjoyable with one. And all the bus stops have maps, so even if you get lost – you are never REALLY lost.
