In a city filled with heritage, beauty and creativity, the best restaurants in Berlin excel above all others. An expansive metropolis is where history is alive, progressive innovation is rampant, and creative flair is on a high – always interesting, often experimental, and endlessly inspiring. A haven for bohemians, Berlin’s distinctive flavour gives way to some of the world’s most outside-the-box creatives. Fortunately for the modern gourmand, the culinary world of the German capital lives up to its reputation.
Exposed brick walls, original wood floors, a mishmash of flea market-sourced tables and chairs, a handful of plants and stickered bathroom stalls — the defining aesthetic traits of Berlin’s restaurants and bars. Variety is the spice of life, so they say. And, unassuming, Berlin has a lot to offer that’s easily missed during fleeting visits or even by those living in the city. The food scene has come a long way lately, and great new restaurants are opening so quickly that it’s hard to keep up.
Pick any of the many Berlin neighbourhoods, and an invigorating restaurant is not far. From the all-time classics to the stylish local ‘Kiez’ joints, let by Michelin-star masterminds or ingenious restaurateurs, the best spots in Berlin are all sprinkled with a touch of that exhilarating ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes the city entirely it’s own. Looking for an extra-special night on the town? Let us show you the best of the best the city has to offer. Settle into that edgy extravagance and let your palate be swept away.
Where to eat in Berlin? Our Best Restaurants in Berlin.
Restaurant Tim Raue
Not far from the rough-but-trendy Kreuzberg neighbourhood where he grew up is the eponymous restaurant of Tim Raue, the German celebrity chef whose provocative nature in character and cuisine catapulted him swiftly to being a household name.
His Asian-fusion cooking, which revolutionized German cuisine, earned this trendy locale two Michelin stars, plus the prominent 31st spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. If you love a shock to your palate and an affront to your expectations – in the best ways possible, the dishes of Tim Raue are certainly in order.
Cookies Cream
Now a hub for plant-based menus, Berlin lacked in outstanding vegetarian cuisine when Cookies Cream opened its doors in 2007, taking the reins as the pioneer of fine vegetarian dining. Helmed by famous nightlife figure Heinz ‘Cookie’ Gindullis – known for his legendary Cookies club from the 90s – the restaurant’s interior is indeed decked out for a party, from its industrial architecture to glittering disco balls.
Cookies Cream earned its first Michelin star in 2018 under the inventive talents of head chef Stephan Hentschel, the first to be awarded to any purely vegetarian restaurant in Germany. But whether veggie or not, this spot will surely excite anyone stepping foot inside. One of the coolest Restaurants in Berlin.
Nobelhart & Schmutzig
Another name drawing troves to Kreuzberg is Nobelhart & Schmutzig, more ‘gastronomical concept’ than simply a restaurant. Centred around a self-described ‘vocally local’ philosophy, the Michelin-star kitchen likes to shift the spotlight from its (incredible) experts – led by owner-sommelier Billy Wagner and head chef Micha Schäfer – onto its suppliers and producers, emphasizing exceptional quality and produce. Seating runs around a snake-like counter circling the prep area so that you can get in on the excitement from start to finish.
Ernst
You’d have to know where to look to find Ernst, hidden behind a stainless-steel door next to a graffitied shopfront in Berlin’s Wedding neighbourhood. What is now one of the most coveted Michelin-star seats in the city had humble beginnings in 2013 as a best-kept secret in the home of its creator, Canadian chef Dylan Watson-Brawn (19 years old at the time).
The prodigious chef lets an electric, cultivated flair colour all his creations, influenced by his time in ‘Ryugin’, Tokyo’s three-Michelin-star venue. With a local tasting menu of 25 courses and only eight seats at the counter, a visit to Ernst is intimate and unmissable.
Osterberger
Immediately upon opening its doors in June 2020, Osterberger was a buzzing locale, its outdoor terrace bringing life to the quiet side-street location in Berlin’s central area of Mitte. Dubbed a ‘Kiezrestaurant’, the spot brings the real charm of your favourite local restaurant, guided by the welcoming hospitality of owners and partners Thorsten Osterberger and Stefan Gruber-Osterberger.
Here, all is done with a degree of extra finesse, from delectable dishes and drinks to design. The interior by Berlin architect Martin Davidson is Bistro Chic to perfection: bright, stylish and sophisticated with endless elegant details.
Golvet
Dinner and a view? Say no more. Golvet oozes exclusivity, fit for its magnificent panoramic city views overlooking some of Berlin’s most famous sights from Potsdamer Platz to the Berliner Philharmonie. It took this kitchen just six months after its opening in 2017 to earn its first Michelin star, which it’s since upheld effortlessly with the exhilarating flavours of head chef Jonas Zörner.
The bar’s cocktail creations from award-winning mixologist Andreas Andricopoulos add the final touch to this luxurious ambience.
Coda
When it comes to culinary innovation, the ‘dessert dining’ of Coda takes the cake. Backed by two Michelin stars and over 20 years in fine dining, mastermind René Frank turned to the world of pastries relatively late in his career, heading the three-Michelin-star venue ‘La Vie’ in Osnabrück before creating Coda.
With an unassuming facade in the diverse borough of Neukölln housing a sleek space indoors, Coda serves up an inventive menu of dessert dishes (not all for the sweet tooth), each with its exquisite drink pairing.
Borchardt
Doubtless a beacon of the ultra-modern, Berlin is also a spring of deep history and tradition, and in this realm falls Borchardt. An institution dating back to its opening in 1853 by August F.W. Borchardt, what was then a favourite of German royalty, bankers and industrialists, continues today to be frequented by the city’s well-to-do and preeminent.
Tucked in a traditional townhouse at the beautiful Gendarmenmarkt with a splendid courtyard terrace, this classical “charm meets trendy” refinement amazes with its incredible international cuisine. One of the best Restaurants Berlin Mitte.
Golden Phoenix
Phoenix, the restaurant of the modish Provocateur hotel. Described as ‘Paris meets Shanghai’, its mesmerizing design is reminiscent of a sultry French bistro with moody lighting and eye-catching accents, while the dishes combine traditional French techniques with the nuanced, ancient flavours of Chinese cooking.
The result is personal (Ngo draws inspiration from childhood dishes) while still stimulating and novel.
Grill Royal
Craving an Entrecôte with a side of celebrity sightings? Grill Royal is the spot to book. From a prime location overlooking the river Spree, Berlin’s most luxurious steakhouse sits at the 21st spot in the list of the World’s Best Steak Restaurants, but of course, that’s not all they have to offer.
Boasting an assortment of mouthwatering international fare, their menu is prepared consistently with minute attention to detail, holding this institution as a leader in the pack of Berlin’s culinary scene.
Ryōtei 893
From the outside, Ryōtei 893 resembles an abandoned store, now a canvas for graffiti artists and vandals. And was, in fact, a drugstore before the retail company went bankrupt in 2012. Fortunately, no signs of its past life exist within. Instead, guests are greeted by an energetic open kitchen, atmospheric lighting and elegant marble countertops.
It shares Kantstraße and the surrounding area with some of Berlin’s best Asian cuisine, but the sense of surprise upon entry. The joy of watching its chefs in action and, of course, the food means Ryōtei 893 is undeniably one of the best. If you’re still not convinced, its mastermind creator Duc Ngo is also the chef behind Cocolo Ramen, Kuchi, Funky Fisch, Ngo Kim Pak and The Golden Phoenix.
Dae Mon
Dae Mon’s plush interior is overlooked by a pair of Gatsby-esque eyes that survey the restaurant from above the kitchen. Incandescent lighting makes everything from the artwork on the walls to the furnishings alluring. Defined as “open-minded cuisine,” the menu is a fusion of European-, Japanese- and Korean-inspired dishes. However, chef Raphael Schünemann sources inspiration from around the globe in the spirit of open-mindedness.
Dae Mon has also been recommended in the coveted Michelin Guide, which awarded it a Michelin Teller — not quite a star, but still a significant endorsement.
La Côte
Locally sourced farm-to-table food has been on the menu at restaurants across Berlin and the world for a while now, but newcomer La Côte has applied the same philosophy to its interior design too.
The terrazzo tabletops supplied by Kentholz, a Berlin-based business handmaking premium and sustainable furniture, are the first thing you’ll notice and the lush green tiles from Berliner Fliesenmarkt. La Côte also works with local wine stores to pair vino with its fresh and uncomplicated menus.
MINE
Most cities offer hit-and-miss Italian food, even in Italy, and Berlin is no different. But when someone’s carefully designed not just a restaurant’s dining area but the bathrooms too, you’re possibly onto a winner. MINE is considered by many to be one of (if not the best) Italian restaurants in Berlin, and I wouldn’t argue.
You’ll find traditionally made dishes alongside rousing modern portrayals of classics on the menu. And you’ll enjoy them in a setting like no other in the city. A bar cart by mid-century Italian furniture designer Aldo Tura is just the cherry on the cake.
Restaurant Richard
Unless you’re a traveller committed to keeping off the beaten path, Richard isn’t a restaurant you’re likely to stumble upon. Yet, Richard is housed within a 19th-century building home to restaurants for almost a decade.
The latest is the work of Hans Richard, a Swiss chef and artist whose combination of talents lends themselves to a changing four-course menu and carefully curated contemporary works of art throughout the space. While you might come for the food, you’ll stay to stroll from corner to corner as if visiting a gallery and peer up at the elegantly carved ceiling above.
The Best Restaurants in Berlin: The bottom line
As you can see, all that is daring and bold about Berlin can be discovered in its most exceptional restaurants. Now that you’ve got the list of the best restaurants in Berlin to choose from, go ahead, book a table, and pull up a seat – we’ll be right there to join you.
Once in Berlin, you will search for the ideal spot to stay in this modern metropolis. We’ve got you covered: we gathered them all in our article about the best hotels in Berlin for endless elegance and sensation.
Food is delightful for all of us, but the perfect trip also requires the ideal hotel. To ensure you’re not left out in the cold, we’ve put together a list of the best hotels on Santorini. If you’re more drawn to the mainland, the best hotels on Portugal’s Algarve coast are also attractive. Have fun browsing!
