Food · Berlin · Germany
What to eat in Berlin
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Berlin, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: File:Museumsinsel Berlin Juli 2021 1 (cropped).jpg : Kasa Fue derivative work: Georgfotoar, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Currywurst, Döner kebab and Berliner Pfannkuchen. Markthalle Neun, a 19th-century market hall in Kreuzberg, hosts a weekly evening street-food market with stalls from across the world; on other days it has bakeries, a brewery and food counters. Cash is still preferred in many small cafés, bakeries and Imbiss stands, although card payment is increasingly common; carry some euros.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Currywurst
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Round up or add about 5–10% in restaurants and cafés, telling the server the total when…
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Street food
1.Currywurst
A sliced pork sausage, with or without skin, smothered in curry-spiced ketchup and dusted with curry powder, served with fries or a roll. It was invented in Berlin in 1949.
Where: Imbiss stands across the city, including the long-running stall under the elevated U2 tracks at Eberswalder Strasse and stands around Mehringdamm in Kreuzberg.
Street food
2.Döner kebab
Berlin's Turkish community turned the döner into a stuffed flatbread sandwich of shaved meat, salad and sauces in the 1970s, and it remains the city's favourite fast food. Vegetarian versions with grilled vegetables and halloumi are common.
Where: Kebab shops everywhere, especially in Kreuzberg around Kottbusser Tor and Mehringdamm, where the best-known stands have long queues.
Dessert · Vegetarian
3.Berliner Pfannkuchen
What the rest of the world calls a Berliner, Berliners call a Pfannkuchen: a deep-fried yeast doughnut filled with jam and dusted with sugar, eaten especially on New Year's Eve and during carnival.
Where: Bakeries throughout the city.
Dish
4.Eisbein
A cured, boiled pork knuckle served with sauerkraut, pease pudding and mustard — heavy, traditional Berlin food for cold days.
Where: Old-style Berlin pubs and restaurants, especially around Nikolaiviertel and in Charlottenburg.
Dish
5.Königsberger Klopse
Poached veal or pork meatballs in a creamy white sauce with capers, served with boiled potatoes and beetroot. A Prussian classic.
Where: Traditional German restaurants and canteens across the city.
Snack
6.Buletten
Berlin's name for fried meatballs or patties, eaten cold or warm with mustard and a bread roll, often with a beer.
Where: Pubs, butcher shops and Imbiss counters.
Drink · Vegetarian
7.Berliner Weisse
A light, tart wheat beer traditionally served in a bowl-shaped glass with a shot of raspberry or green woodruff syrup and a straw. Craft brewers now also make unsweetened versions.
Where: Beer gardens and traditional pubs, and craft breweries in Kreuzberg and Neukölln.
Snack · Vegetarian
8.Spreewald pickles (Spreewälder Gurken)
Gherkins pickled with dill and spices in the Spreewald region south-east of Berlin, with protected regional status. They are sold from barrels and eaten as a snack or side.
Where: Markets, delis and the food hall of KaDeWe; stalls in the Spreewald itself on a day trip.
Dish
9.Vietnamese pho
Berlin has one of Europe's largest Vietnamese communities, many of whom came to East Germany as contract workers, so bowls of beef or chicken noodle soup are an everyday Berlin meal.
Where: Vietnamese restaurants in Prenzlauer Berg, Mitte and Friedrichshain, and the Dong Xuan Center wholesale market in Lichtenberg.
Street food · Vegetarian
10.Falafel and shawarma
Arab grills and bakeries on Sonnenallee serve falafel wraps, shawarma, manakish and sweet pastries, some of the best-value meals in the city.
Where: Sonnenallee in Neukölln and the streets around Hermannplatz.
Food experiences
Street Food Thursday
Markthalle Neun, a 19th-century market hall in Kreuzberg, hosts a weekly evening street-food market with stalls from across the world; on other days it has bakeries, a brewery and food counters.
Weekend brunch
Berliners take long weekend brunches; cafés in Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg and Neukölln serve generous spreads that run into the afternoon.
Turkish market on Maybachufer
Twice a week, the canal bank in Neukölln fills with stalls selling vegetables, cheese, olives, flatbreads and fabrics, with snacks to eat along the water.
Beer garden afternoon
In summer, head to a beer garden such as Prater Garten in Prenzlauer Berg or the Café am Neuen See in the Tiergarten for beer and pretzels under the chestnut trees.
Quick bites and street food
- Currywurst — Imbiss stands across the city, including the long-running stall under the elevated U2 tracks at Eberswalder Strasse and stands around Mehringdamm in Kreuzberg.
- Döner kebab — Kebab shops everywhere, especially in Kreuzberg around Kottbusser Tor and Mehringdamm, where the best-known stands have long queues.
- Buletten — Pubs, butcher shops and Imbiss counters.
- Spreewald pickles — Markets, delis and the food hall of KaDeWe; stalls in the Spreewald itself on a day trip.
- Falafel and shawarma — Sonnenallee in Neukölln and the streets around Hermannplatz.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Berliner Pfannkuchen, Berliner Weisse, Spreewald pickles and Falafel and shawarma. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Cash is still preferred in many small cafés, bakeries and Imbiss stands, although card payment is increasingly common; carry some euros.
- Tap water is safe, but restaurants usually serve bottled water; ask specifically for 'Leitungswasser' if you want tap.
- Service is relaxed rather than attentive; ask for the bill ('Die Rechnung, bitte') when you are ready.
- Spätis (late-night corner shops) sell cold drinks and snacks until late, and drinking outside them is part of Berlin life.
- Bottles and cans carry a deposit (Pfand) that you get back at supermarket machines.
Tipping
Round up or add about 5–10% in restaurants and cafés, telling the server the total when you pay rather than leaving money on the table. Round up taxi fares.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hallo / Guten Tag | Hello / Good day |
| Danke | Thank you |
| Bitte | Please / you're welcome |
| Die Rechnung, bitte | The bill, please |
| Zusammen oder getrennt? | Together or separate? (asked when paying) |
| Entschuldigung | Excuse me / sorry |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Berlin famous for?
Currywurst, Döner kebab, Berliner Pfannkuchen and Eisbein. A sliced pork sausage, with or without skin, smothered in curry-spiced ketchup and dusted with curry powder, served with fries or a roll.
+Is Berlin good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Berliner Pfannkuchen, Berliner Weisse and Spreewald pickles.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Berlin?
Round up or add about 5–10% in restaurants and cafés, telling the server the total when you pay rather than leaving money on the table. Round up taxi fares.