Does the world need vegetarian restaurants?
It is a very exclusive and somehow almost a restrictive concept. This is like
saying I can only eat at places where people wear cute cat jumpers. Not really
the thing to think, do or say right? I love to go to places where everybody can
feast on whatever she/he feels like (from the menu). In every country I have
been to, it was easy to find and eat vegetarian food, and that also goes for
Berlin.
Absurd, I never told you about my most loved
restaurants in Berlin. There are a lot of restaurants in town, more than 6,000
or so. Some of them see me fairly regularly. The following ones are my
definitely-go-back-to-restaurants, and without a doubt sooner or later I will
eat there again.
Just one thing, usually the service in
Germany is different to what you probably will have experienced in many other
countries, don’t ask me why. It is best not to expect welcoming and brightly
smiling faces, that way you won't end up being overly disappointed. How is the
saying: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. What I am trying to say is, respect
the beliefs of the local culture and never smile at someone. Ha-Ha, not. I
recommend you smile extra-wide, and that usually leads to a breakthrough.
I wrote down all my darling restaurants in
the Berlin borough of Mitte, and ended up with
a list of 13, so sorry for the odd number really. It was hard work finding them, read: How to Spot a Fantastic Restaurant: Look at these Three Things.
a list of 13, so sorry for the odd number really. It was hard work finding them, read: How to Spot a Fantastic Restaurant: Look at these Three Things.
Where to
Eat Vegetarian in Style in the Berlin borough of Mitte
1. Lokal – Eat European in Mitte
Nice ambience, lovely whitewashed walls, wooden tables,
candles, fresh flowers and cloth napkins, and very friendly
waiters/waitresses.The menu changes with the season.
Here is a silly story: I once googled their phone number
to book a table for the following night. The lady who answered the phone was
super friendly, she was very understanding when I described the table I wanted
to sit at. At the end of our chat we both said we very much look forward to the
night of the dinner. It was only hours later that I realised I had booked a
table at The Lokal in Ottawa. I rang Lokal in Mitte and they were fully booked.
Better book early if you would like to eat here.
Info: Lokal. Linienstrasse 160, Berlin.
2. Al Contadino Sotto Le Stelle – Eat Italian in Mitte
Not your average Italian. Ravioli with
cinnamon and candied lemon peel and Tagliatelle with figs …. Service super,
atmosphere equally top.
Info: Al Contadino Sotto Le Stelle. Auguststraße 36, 10119 Berlin
3. Mozzarella Bar & Bottega Al Contadino sotto Le Stelle – Eat Mozzarella in Mitte
Equally great food experience to sister restaurant Al
Contadino Sotto Le Stelle in a more relaxed atmosphere.
Info: Auguststraße 36, 10119 Berlin
4. Pauly Saal – Eat German in Mitte
They have a bar too, and that is the space to start the
evening. All starters, main courses and desserts are well cooked, it is
fantastic down to the bread (to start with). Pretty interior. Friendly staff.
This is a place where you will have a special night throughout. Note: It has a
Michelin Star.
5. Claerchens Ballhaus – Eat German and Pizza in Mitte
There is a restaurant and also a beer garden in a stunning
garden setting, with gravel and lampions and a massive old building in the
back. This place simply rocks ... you can dance if you like.
Check out their schedule of events, there are concerts at the upstairs
Spiegelsaal too.
Info: Claerchens Ballhaus. Auguststrasse 24, 10117 Berlin.
6. Lutter & Wegner – Eat German (or is it Austrian?) in Mitte
This place has a really long history. The merchants
Lutter and Wegener leased 1811 the premises
on the ground floor (in a property a few doors down the road), and it quite
quickly became a success. In 1818 they bought the restaurant and operated it
under their names. Over the centuries it was popular with E.T.A Hoffman and
Heinrich Heine, and much later with Josephine Baker and Marlene Dietrich.
After the Berlin Wall came down and during onsite
construction works in 1993 archaeologists discovered an overturned shelf in the
basement. Some pieces of damaged silver tableware, cutlery and glasses were
rescued, and are today exhibited at the Neues Museum (Bodestrasse 1-3).
The restaurant reopened in 1997. Fresh food, great
choices of wine (choice of 700 wines). Lovely interior
and an excellent location at Gendarmenmarkt. Even their coffee is delicious.
Info: Lutter & Wegner. Charlottenstrasse 56, 10117 Berlin.
7. Alpenstueck – Eat South-German in Mitte
The interior is all white, and I would
probably best describe it as minimalist Austrian. This is a really good place
to eat Spaetzle, that typical noodle dish from South Tyrol, southern Germany,
Austria, Switzerland. Their desserts are to die for, like for example rhubarb
compote with poached egg whites and ginger.
Info: Alpenstueck. Gartenstrasse 9, 10115 Berlin.
8. Hummus and Friends – Eat Kosher in Mitte
Chickpeas. Cauliflower. Tahini. Olive Oil.
Salt. Bread. Fava Beans. Aubergine. Do you wonder how Hummus can be the main
dish to eat during dinner? It works very well.
9. SOY – Eat Vietnamese in Mitte
The wait staff is super friendly and
welcoming. The food is really good, and then there are smoothies and fresh
ginger tea. This is a pretty and relaxed place. The residence dog is the cutest
guy.
Info: SOY. Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 30, 10178
Berlin.
10. einsunternull – Elemental Fine Dining in Mitte
I have been here only once so far since it is
a fairly new restaurant. Really lovely food, wine, interior, china, napkins and
glassware, members of staff are welcoming and friendly. This is a true feel-good place.
11. Papa Pane di Sorrento – Eat Pizza in Mitte
Believe it or not, it is not easy to find a
decent Pizza place in Berlin. At this place, the bruschetta is made with juicy
tomatoes on homemade bread. The Pizza tastes like Pizza. Members of staff are
friendly. Location is central. The interior is rustic and the menu is sealed in
plastic but this place is all about the Pizza.
Info: Papa Pane di Sorrento. Ackerstrasse 23, 10115 Berlin.
12. Kaefer – Eat German in Mitte
Make a reservation at this restaurant, and
skip the queues for the Reichstag. This place is a true crowd-pleaser, location
and food and service all good. Every time I visited I was so lucky to sit at a
lovely table right at the window or directly on the rooftop terrace, from where
I had a fantastic view over the city. And when you are well-fed, enjoy a
leisurely wander in and around the glass dome.
Info: Kaefer. Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin.
13. Café-Restaurant „Ursprung – eat-drink-dream“ in Mitte
Organic ingredients, food and wine are free
from artificial colours and flavourings. Dark wood. Comfy leather sofas. A
vertical garden. Friendly place that has a little bit the atmosphere of a
department store (it is at a bookstore).
Where is your favourite place to eat vegetarian in Berlin Mitte? Can’t wait to hear from you.
Do you like to visit restaurants? Read: Travel Scotland. Where to Eat Vegetarian in Style in Edinburgh and The 5 most amazing Restaurants in Cape Town and Positano. Where to eat in one of Italy's prettiest villages.
From Berlin with love