Bistros, trattorias and the everyday rooms where Berlin actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Berlin actually eats.
Long March Canteen on Berlin's Wrangelstrasse cooks the city's reference dim sum with hand-folded dumplings from an open kitchen; the bar runs natural wine.
Signature: Dim sum platter, Mapo tofu
Order: The dim sum platter for two, the mapo tofu, and the steamed-fish special of the night.
Tip: No reservations. Arrive before 19:00 weekdays or wait 45 minutes at the bar.
Katz Orange in Berlin Mitte's former 19th-century brewery cooks the slow-roast Candy on Bone pork shoulder that put the room on the map; the garden runs summer.
Signature: Candy on Bone pork shoulder, Beetroot tartare
Order: The Candy on Bone pork shoulder, slow-roasted 12 hours, for two diners.
Tip: The garden in summer is the room's best seating. Book three weeks ahead via the website.
Willi Schloegl's Cordobar in Berlin Mitte near Hackescher Markt pours 700 wines, plates tartare and pork shoulder, and runs a counter that takes walk-ups.
Signature: Beef tartare with rye, Pork shoulder
Order: The beef tartare with rye, the pork shoulder with kraut, and the orange-wine pour of the week.
Tip: Counter takes walk-ups from 18:30; tables book online a week ahead. Closed Sunday and Monday.
The Duc Ngo's 893 Ryotei on Berlin's Kantstrasse cooks Japanese-Peruvian izakaya plates and runs a sushi counter; the dining room serves until late.
Signature: Yellowtail sashimi, Black-cod miso
Order: The yellowtail sashimi with yuzu-truffle, the black-cod miso, and the chef sushi omakase.
Tip: Bar counter for omakase is the best seating; book eight weeks ahead via the website.
Lutter und Wegner on Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt has cooked traditional Wiener Schnitzel since 1811; the wood-panelled room runs Sunday classics and the long lunch.
Signature: Wiener Schnitzel, Sauerbraten
Order: The Wiener Schnitzel with cucumber-potato salad; the Berlin sauerbraten in winter.
Tip: Sunday lunch from 12:00 is the easier seating than weekday dinner. Book two weeks ahead by phone.
Borchardt on Berlin's Franzoesische Strasse has cooked the city's reference Wiener Schnitzel since 1992; the 1850s dining room runs 200 covers and a political lunch.
Signature: Wiener Schnitzel, Kalbsleber
Order: The Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad; the calf's liver Berlin-style is the long-running second pick.
Tip: Lunch from 12:00 is easier than dinner. Book four weeks ahead by phone.
House of Small Wonder on Berlin's Johannisstrasse cooks a Japanese-American brunch in a leafy spiral-staircase room; the okinawan taco rice and eggs benedict anchor the menu.
Signature: Okinawan taco rice, Eggs Benedict
Order: The okinawan taco rice bowl with avocado; the eggs benedict with miso hollandaise.
Tip: No reservations, walk-up only. Arrive before 11:00 on weekends or wait 60 minutes.
Mogg in Berlin Mitte's former Jewish girls' school cooks the city's reference pastrami sandwich; the room runs the lunch crowd and the matzo ball soup on Sundays.
Signature: Pastrami sandwich, Matzo ball soup
Order: The pastrami sandwich on rye with mustard and pickles; the matzo ball soup in winter.
Tip: Closed Saturdays. Lunch from 12:00 is the easier seating; tables walk-in mid-afternoon.
Hummus and Friends on Berlin's Oranienburger Strasse runs a fully kosher vegetarian Israeli kitchen with hummus, falafel and sabich; the room seats 50 with a counter.
Signature: Hummus plate, Falafel pita
Order: The hummus plate with extra olive oil and warm pita; the falafel sabich with egg.
Tip: Kosher-certified, closed Friday evening to Saturday evening. Lunch from 11:00 is the easier seating.
Standl 20 inside Berlin's Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg cooks a modern-German lunch counter from market stalls around it; the Sunday roast runs from 13:00.
Signature: Brandenburg trout, Pork-shoulder Sunday roast
Order: The Brandenburg trout with brown butter; the Sunday pork-shoulder roast with kraut.
Tip: Lunch only, market hours. Sunday roast from 13:00 is the room's headline; arrive early.
Panama on Berlin's Potsdamer Strasse cooks a modern-European tasting in a former workshop courtyard; the dining room and garden share 60 covers with natural wine.
Signature: Whole sea bass, Smoked-trout tart
Order: The seven-course tasting at EUR 115; the whole sea bass for two is the signature main.
Tip: Garden in summer is the best seating; book three weeks ahead online via the booking page.
The Bird on Berlin's Am Falkplatz has cooked dry-aged ribeye and burgers in a New York-style room since 2008; the bourbon list runs to 60 bottles, the soundtrack runs loud.
Signature: Dry-aged ribeye, New York cheesecake
Order: The 300g dry-aged ribeye with truffle butter; the New York cheesecake for dessert.
Tip: No-frills, cash-friendly, loud. The 22:00 second seating is easier than the 19:30 wave.
Rogacki on Berlin's Wilmersdorfer Strasse has run a counter-style deli since 1932 with smoked fish, eel, sausages and the standing Aalsuppe bowl locals queue for daily.
Signature: Eel sandwich, Aalsuppe (eel soup)
Order: The smoked eel sandwich and the Aalsuppe (eel soup) at the standing counter.
Tip: Counter-only, no reservations. Closed Sunday. Aalsuppe runs daily from 11:00.
Monsieur Vuong on Berlin's Alte Schoenhauser Strasse has cooked the city's reference Vietnamese pho since 1999; the menu is one chalkboard, the room runs 60 covers.
Signature: Pho bo, Summer rolls
Order: The pho bo with rare beef; the summer rolls with peanut sauce as a starter.
Tip: No reservations. Arrive before 12:30 or 19:00 to skip the queue; cash and card accepted.
Henne Alt-Berliner Wirtshaus on Berlin's Leuschnerdamm has cooked one dish since 1907: a milk-fed roast half-chicken with kraut salad and bread, served in the original tavern.
Signature: Half a roast chicken, Kraut salad
Order: The half-chicken with the kraut salad and rye bread; the only choice on the menu.
Tip: Closed Monday. Bookings two weeks ahead by phone; ask for the original 1907 dining room when booking.
Max und Moritz on Berlin's Oranienstrasse has cooked Prussian tavern classics since 1902 in the original ceramic-tiled dining room; the Klopse and rouladen anchor the menu.
Signature: Koenigsberger Klopse, Beef rouladen
Order: The Koenigsberger Klopse with caper-cream sauce; the beef rouladen with red cabbage in winter.
Tip: Closed Monday lunch. The original 1902 dining room is the seating to book; phone two weeks out.
Cocolo Ramen on Berlin's Gipsstrasse has cooked the city's reference tonkotsu ramen since 2008; the broth simmers 18 hours, the noodles are pulled fresh on the bar.
Signature: Tonkotsu ramen, Karaage chicken
Order: The tonkotsu ramen with chashu pork and the soft egg; the karaage chicken as a starter.
Tip: No reservations. Arrive before 19:00 weekdays or expect a 30-minute wait at the bar.
Yoyo Foodworld in Berlin Friedrichshain has cooked vegan fast-food versions of Berlin classics since 2006; the vegan currywurst and soy doener anchor the menu.
Signature: Vegan currywurst, Soy doener
Order: The vegan currywurst with house ketchup; the soy doener with the full salad load.
Tip: Counter-order, no reservations. Open until 23:00 daily; the chips are the value pick.
Lokal on Berlin's Linienstrasse in Mitte cooks a short daily menu of seasonal Brandenburg produce; the Spargel and Rote Gruetze are the calendar anchors each spring and summer.
Signature: Beelitzer Spargel, Rote Gruetze
Order: The Beelitzer Spargel with hollandaise in Spargel season (late April to June); the Rote Gruetze with vanilla cream in summer.
Tip: Short seasonal menu changes frequently. Spargel season runs late April to 24 June only; book a week ahead for that window.
Michael Kempf's FACIL on the fifth-floor glass courtyard of Berlin's Mandala Hotel cooks a two-star French-Mediterranean tasting; the summer terrace runs the season.
Signature: Brittany langoustine, Pyrenees lamb
Order: The four-course business lunch at EUR 90; the langoustine and the lamb stay on the carte year-round.
Tip: Lunch is the easier entry; the EUR 90 four-course business set runs Tuesday to Friday from 12:00.
Peak food season in Berlin is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Berlin rewards trust.