I’ve been in Berlin for almost five years now and still feel like I don’t really know anything. Every time I’m asked to give some recommendations I just blush and attempt to change the topic. To be honest, there is only one neighbourhood (‘Kiez’) in Berlin that I know like the back of my hand. My home, my Kiez, my Friedrichshain. It’s a vibrant mixture of punks, families and tourists. I love this feeling, this mixture and the fact that Friedrichshain is neither loved or hated. And of course there are loads of great places here. I’m going to try convince you to spend a weekend in my home base. It’s easy to make a snap decision – L’TUR offers train and hotel packages as part of their Summer Special – stay for 4 nights, pay for 3. Here are my 7 tips for Berlin.
wahrhaft nahrhaft // Revaler Straße 16, 10245
Berlin is a true paradise for vegans – and Friedrichshain is their Mekka. The ‘wahrhaft nahrhaft’ is a prime example of a cozy place and it’s situated right by the RAW area in the centre of Friedrichshain. In the morning, you can get hold of bagels, muesli or fruit salads. Later on in the day you can find soups and salads – or the incredible cakes that made ‘wahrhaft nahrhaft’ famous well beyond Friedrichshain, which are available all day. And they offer catering.
Everything is fresh and homemade – vegetarians and vegans will love this place. What’s so special about this place? They really think outside the box when it comes to taste and flavours. You can get cinnamon bagels with goats cheese, pureed plums and rocket, thyme and sweet potato bagels, corn-mozzarella-carrot quiche and red beet salad. For those of you with a sweet tooth there’s plenty to choose from: pastel de nata and white chocolate mini cheesecakes, espresso chocolate bars and homemade jam. In addition to all the food, they also offer freshly pressed juices and great coffee. Oh, and they even offer liver pate balls for your furry friends.
From tourists to regulars, the clientele ranges from 30 to 40 years old, with dogs and children, creative, relaxed and friendly faces – everybody loves this place. It’s the perfect spot for a great start to your day.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9-19:00 // Sat+Sun 10-19:00
Scrumptious bagels
Mini-Cheesecake + Cappuccino
Betty Muschen, Owner
Super cozy
It’s like eating in your living room
Aunt Benny // Oderstraße 7, 10247
“Aunt Benny” is run by interior designers and architects and you can tell. Modern, minimalist with a bit of industrial flair, rough cut wood and tiles, a cozy set up and personal touch – all the way down to the hand-written board behind the bar. In additional to newspapers, Vogue and Wired, you’ll also plenty of interior design magazines H.O.M.E. or Elle Decorations. Hipsters even trek down all the way from Mitte for Aunt Benny.
For six years now, Aunt Benny has been churning out freshly made cookies, croissants, banana bread, lemon tart but also ciabatta sandwiches, salads and muesli, and from Thursday to Sunday there is an evening menu of antipasti and mixed meat.
The Aunt Benny Team (Jeremy, his wife and his brother-in-law) are opening a bar next door very soon, “The Antlered Bunny”. You can move transition from flat whites and cake to wine and music. Jeremy has worked as a DJ, so it’s bound to be great!
Aunt Benny: Tues-Fri 9-20 // Sat & Sun 10-20
The Antlered Bunny (very soon): Tues-Fri 18-2 // Sat & Sun 13-2
Minimalism and cozy setting
Banana bread with a smiley, soup, salad and quiche
Industrial charm and blackboard paint
Greens everywhere!
Flat white and lemon tart – to die for!
Eispiraten // Grünbergerstraße 85, 10245
If you spot a super long queue in front of an ice cream parlour you’ve come to the right place! Eispiraten in Friedrichshain has a huge selection of flavours: in addition to the classics they also offer poppy-seed marzipan, vanilla-rhubarb or mango lassi ice cream, as well as a great selection of sorbets (all vegan), such as raspberry-basil, lemon-ginger-mint…mmmmmhh… My favourite is poppy-seed marzipan. I haven’t seen this flavour anywhere else. If you go there on a Sunday you can also take a stroll across the flea market on Boxhagener Platz.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri from 14:00, Sat+Sun from 12:00
Mango lassi or pear-pink pepper?
Neue Heimat // Revaler Str. 99, 10245
Situated in the former equipment and storage facilities of the Reichsbahnausbesserungswerk (RAW), ‘Neue Heimat’ is the place to go for great food, good live music and extraordinary design markets. Conceptualised as a “city in the city”, it consists of two factory halls and an outdoor area with food stands and industrial charme, including street art.
There is a number of events on every week: “Bar + Food Night” (Thur/Fri/Sat 18) with live jazz, Berlin bars and DJs as well as street food all night long; “Village Market” (Sun from 12) with street food, concerts and DJs, live jazz, art galleries and kiddies’ corner; “Black Market” (Vintage and Second hand/ Sun 12-19), as well as a number of one-off events, such as “solemart – a sneaker lovers paradise” on 5 July or Secrets Festival from 14-16 August.
There’s also a flea market on every Sunday.
Opening hours: Thur+Fri 18-04:00, Sat 12-04:00, Sun 12-02:00
Summer and Neue Heimat – a perfect match!
Foods + Drinks
Industrial + street art
good music
Haubentaucher // Revaler Str. 99, 10245
Based on the idea of a “sun deck in the style of the Cote d’Azur in the 60s”, Haubentaucher offers a green garden lounge, a small beach and a sun deck with a swimming pool. The Reichsbahn’s former repair unit, directly connected to the outdoor area, has been refurbished as an event location, bar and club. Apart from clubbing and concerts, they offer yoga classes by the pool, easy Sunday pool sessions with hip hop and chill out, and a number of different events from food markets to fashion shows.
Opening hours: Mon-Wed 10-23:00 // Thur-Sun 10-03:00
Summer in Berlin at Haubentaucher
Chill out at the pool during the ice cream market
Lots of people came to the ice cream market
Palm trees in the midst of Friedrichshain
Pool-side wallpiece by “innerfields”
All pictures by Laura Droße
I can also recommend:
Patiti Patati – best Kumpir in Berlin
Bürgerwehr Friedrichshain – great burgers for carnivores and vegetarians alike
Kuchenrausch – the best New York Cheesecake
Paris Second Hand – a great second hand shop
Transit – a unique dining experience
Allermunde Pizzamanufaktur – lovingly furnished and great pizza
Hotel in Friedrichshain
The four-star deluxe Andel’s Hotel Berlin is close to the train station “Landberger Allee” and the perfect starting point for a tour of Friedrichshain. I also recommend taking a detour to the park ‘Volkspark Friedrichshain’. There’s a doggy playground here, too! Definitely spend plenty of time in the hotel, there’s a scrumptious breakfast buffet and a 550m2 wellness and fitness area with a whirlpool, steam baths, saunas, massages and a gym. And there is a rooftop bar!
I really hope I managed to convince you to visit my beautiful Berlin neighbourhood during your next trip. Here’s another tip for cheap and cheerful trips to Germany’s capital: L’TUR has train and hotel offers as part of its “Summer Special” – stay for 4 nights, pay for 3! The offer starts at 249 € per person, 4 nights incl. breakfast and train travel in first class. Find out more HERE.
Rooftop bar at the Andel’s Hotel Berlin
In cooperation with L’TUR.
1 Kommentar
Ich freue mich ganz doll über den Post!
Ich werde nächstes Jahr nach Berlin, Friedrichshain ziehen und bin schon jetzt total aufgeregt und gespannt. Danke für die tollen Tips… das wird alles ausprobiert :)