Following my visit in June, here’s part two of my mini-guide to where to eat in Berlin – and once again, these spots are all good for gluten-free folk, too. Have a look at part I for my recommendations for Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain. (And for further tips and reviews, take a look at my Resources page for a handful of terrific Berlin food blogs, too.)
Mitte
BELYZIUM Kate and I nipped into this tiny chocolaterie just off Schönhauser Allee so I could be introduced to the thickest, most beautifully spiced cup of hot chocolate that’s ever passed my lips (and believe me, I’ve had a few). In his small workshop there, “Chocolate Alchemist” Eike produces batches of fairtrade, organic, vegan chocolate each day from cacao beans bought directly from indigenous farmers in Southern Belize, Central America, creating pure chocolate for eating, drinking chocolate, truffles and ice cream for his very happy customers (he also sells raw beans and nibs). We both drank an eye-wateringly rich “Belyziano” made with pure chocolate (no added sugar) and spices, served with a much-needed carafe of water, and I was wired for about an hour and a half after I’d finished it. Excellent stuff.
Website: Belyzium
Address: Lottumstraße 15, 10119 Berlin
ROBERTA KOCHT Roberta and I found each other some time ago on Instagram (the modern world, eh?), so I was very pleased to be able to finally meet her in person whilst I was in town. On the Friday evening, she’d coincidentally prepared several gluten-free dishes, which meant we could all stop by for supper. At her cosy neighbourhood café, Roberta serves traditional southern German and alpine specialties as well as a changing daily menu of modern, international dishes, and every plate of food is cooked from scratch in her open kitchen, using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Her heart and soul are right there in every last one of her dishes: the kohlrabi soup garnished with yoghurt and dill was a deliciously thick and creamy hug in a bowl; Kate loved her quinoa risotto with sautéed radishes, peas and rocket; and her husband wolfed down his beef goulash with Spätzle. Highly recommended.
Website: Roberta Kocht
Address: Zionskirchstrasse 5
Prenzlauer Berg
HOUSE OF CAKES On arrival at Kate’s apartment, I was met with a plate of some of the prettiest looking cakes I think I’ve ever set my eyes on. It’s hard to believe that Bastian Reinhart currently operates his business in perfect petit fours from his kitchen at home as he prepares to open his first shop. (You can currently order online for pick up or delivery.) Our selection were not only lovely to look at but big on flavour, too: the tarte au citron and “sticky tricky” chocolate mousse cake were so good they had my eyes rolling in my head.
Website: House of Cakes
JUTE BÄCKEREI Preparing for my 5 hour train journey home, we stopped in at this gluten-free bakery and café to pick up some slightly-too-dense but wonderfully chocolatey brownies and an excellent brown baguette from their impressive array of gluten-free baked goods. None of them made it all the way back to Wiesbaden.
Website: Jute Bäckerei
Address: Schönhauser Allee 52a
MARIA BONITA’S MEXICAN BISTRO Kate and I both carefully noting the onset of simultaneous, hunger-related anger attacks, we nipped into Maria Bonita’s for a plate of corn chips with beans and guacamole on Saturday afternoon. A tiny place with peeling bright pink and turquoise walls and aluminium stools placed at the counter and along the walls, this laid-back bistro was just my cup of tea. The corn chips were dished up on a large, battered tin plate and served with minimal fuss, worth every cent of its 6,50€. I’m yet to find really good Mexican food in my neck of the woods, so this plate of corn chips alone felt like a proper treat. I just wish there’d been time to go back for tacos.
Website: Maria Bonita Berlin
Address: Danziger Strasse 33
SAUVAGE I’m not going to lie: alarm bells rang loud and clear at the prospect of visiting a paleo restaurant. However, for some of us, the opportunity to eat somewhere guaranteed gluten-free is a pretty awesome thing, and for Kate, Kylie and I, Sauvage is probably the safest bet for dining out in all of Berlin right now. And paleo or not, this relaxed eatery, all earthy colours, dark wood and sanded antlers, turned out to be a pretty good place to eat. Surprisingly empty for a Saturday morning, the atmosphere and service was friendly and a handful of other hungry folk seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the breakfast buffet (albeit on small pieces of slate – what’s wrong with a good old-fashioned plate?). Between the three of us, we devoured tiger nut pancakes, eggs and steak and eggs and bacon, all washed down with various loose-leaf blends of excellent, caffeine-free tea. A very pleasant spot for brunching with friends.
Website: Sauvage
Address: Winsstrasse 30
It’ll hopefully not be another five years before I travel back up to Germany’s capital. Where else should I put on my food list for my next visit?
Loved your two part Berlin Foodie adventure. We were there very recently, and really didn’t have enough time to explore properly this visit. However, we did go to a fantastic Korean restaurant called Kimchee Princess (think it was in Kreuzberg!)… Very authentic according to Mr R who travels to Korea quite a lot. I wasn’t really listening because I was too busy stuffing my face with really decent bibimbap (my favourite!)… 😀
Thanks! 🙂 I’ve heard of Kimchee Princess before… maybe you’ve mentioned it somewhere else? I love Korean food, the only trouble is it often involves wheat-based products that I can’t eat 🙁 But I’d love to check this place out next time I’m up there – great tip, thanks! 🙂
The building located at 15 Lottumstrasse in Berlin was stolen by Nazi Germany in 1938, Communist Germany in 1948, by the Federal Republic of Germany in 2000. My grandfather Salo Feuerwerk of Vienna, Austria purchased it in 1924. It’s not the fault of the chocolate shop that rent the space nor of the owner. But this building has a sad history.