Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
East Berlin's signature sour-spicy soup: long-simmered tomato-and-paprika broth packed with smoked sausages, pickled cucumbers, capers and dark olives. Finished with sour cream and lemon. The DDR-era Sunday lunch.
Soljanka is a Russian-Ukrainian classic that migrated west to East Germany through Soviet influence in the postwar GDR period; the dish became standardised at virtually every East German cafeteria, school canteen and Sunday family kitchen between 1949 and 1989. After reunification, the dish nearly disappeared from West German consciousness but remained a Berlin staple, particularly in the eastern districts of Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain and Treptow. The dish is now a Berlin Eastern-bloc-nostalgia (Ostalgie) icon, served at Zur Letzten Instanz, Mogg and most traditional East Berlin restaurants.
3 editor picks for Soljanka in Berlin, ranked by editorial score. All Berlin signature dishes · Soljanka across every city.
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.
OrderThe Koenigsberger Klopse with caper-cream sauce; the beef rouladen with red cabbage in winter.
TipClosed Monday lunch. The original 1902 dining room is the seating to book; phone two weeks out.
Lutter und Wegner on Berlin's Gendarmenmarkt has cooked the city's traditional Wiener Schnitzel since 1811; the wood-panelled room runs the long lunch.
OrderThe Wiener Schnitzel with cucumber-potato salad; the Berlin sauerbraten in winter.
TipSunday lunch from 12:00 is the easier seating than weekday dinner. Bookings two weeks ahead by phone.
Zur Letzten Instanz in Berlin's Nikolaiviertel has cooked Eisbein and Sauerbraten in the same 1621 tavern room since Berlin itself was young.
TipBook the small low-ceilinged room rather than the larger hall; it is the original 17th-century space.
Soljanka makes more sense with someone from Berlin explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Taste your way through East Berlin’s transformation. Explore history, street art, and global flavors on a guided food and culture walking tour, vegan-friendly!
Guided tour · 3 hours
Explore Berlin's most exciting historical hotspots, Mitte. Taste delicacies in various restaurants, and hear authentic stories about the district.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Discover the former East Berlin district of Friedrichshain on a guided craft beer tour. Visit microbreweries and brewpubs to try handcrafted beers.
