Dylan Watson-Brawn's Ernst in Berlin Wedding holds two Michelin stars on a 12-cover counter with one nightly seating; ingredients are sourced from named Brandenburg growers.
Signature dishes: Hand-rolled bread, Brandenburg vegetables
Must order: The full tasting; chef-led counter only, no a la carte. The hand-rolled bread course opens the meal.
Tip: Tickets-only model via Tock, sold in batches three months ahead. The EUR 350 tasting is the only option.
Address: Gerichtstrasse 54, 13347 Berlin
Cordobar in Berlin Mitte is the Austrian wine bar Willi Schloegl runs near Hackescher Markt, with 700 bottles, small plates of tartare and offal, and a counter that takes walk-ins.
Signature: Beef tartare with rye, Pork shoulder with kraut
Order: The beef tartare with rye, the pork shoulder, and whatever orange-wine pour is on the by-the-glass list.
Tip: The counter takes walk-ups from 18:30; tables book online a week ahead. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Cookies Cream behind a back-alley service door near Berlin's Hotel Adlon holds a Michelin star on a vegetarian tasting menu; the entrance is the dish-pit door.
Signature: Parmesan dumpling, Beetroot ravioli
Order: The six-course vegetarian tasting at EUR 105; the Parmesan dumpling is the room's defining course.
Tip: Entrance is a service door off the alley behind the Westin Grand. Bookings open four weeks ahead online.
Borchardt on Berlin's Franzoesische Strasse has cooked the city's defining Wiener Schnitzel since 1992; the 1850s dining room runs 200 covers and the political-class lunch crowd.
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 the easier seating than dinner. Bookings open four weeks ahead by phone.
The Duc Ngo's 893 Ryotei on Berlin's Kantstrasse cooks a Japanese-Peruvian izakaya menu with a sushi counter; the dining room runs late and the bar serves until 02:00.
Signature: Yellowtail sashimi, Black-cod miso
Order: The yellowtail sashimi with yuzu-truffle, the black-cod miso, and the chef sushi omakase.
Tip: The bar counter for omakase is the room's best seating; book it eight weeks ahead via the website.
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 a natural-wine list.
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: The 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.
