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 dishes: Yellowtail sashimi, Black-cod miso
Must 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.
Address: Kantstrasse 135, 10623 Berlin
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.
