Bjoern Swanson's Faelt in Berlin Kreuzberg holds a Michelin star on a Nordic-rooted seven-course tasting; the room runs 14 covers and one nightly seating.
Signature dishes: Pickled mackerel, Hay-smoked lamb
Must order: The seven-course tasting at EUR 145; the hay-smoked lamb and the lichen course are the signatures.
Tip: Only one seating per night at 19:00. Bookings open eight weeks ahead online and burn within 48 hours.
Address: Hagelberger Strasse 17, 10965 Berlin
Maximilian Strohe's one-star Tulus Lotrek in Berlin Kreuzberg cooks a French-rooted modern-European tasting in a former corner kneipe with 20 covers and one nightly seating.
Signature: Foie gras with rhubarb, Whole-roast pigeon
Order: The seven-course tasting at EUR 165; the foie gras and the pigeon course are the signatures.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Bookings open three months ahead via the website and burn the first day.
Bandol sur Mer on Berlin's Torstrasse is the 20-cover French neo-bistro that helped invent Mitte's natural-wine grammar; one chalkboard tasting changes weekly.
Signature: Sea-bream crudo, Veal sweetbreads
Order: The four-course tasting; the sea-bream crudo and whichever offal main is on are the signatures.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Walk-ins for the counter seats from 19:00; tables need a booking two weeks ahead.
Long March Canteen in Berlin Kreuzberg is the city's dim-sum reference, with hand-folded dumplings from an open kitchen and a long bar pouring tsingtao and natural wine.
Signature: Dim sum platter, Mapo tofu
Order: The dim sum platter for two, mapo tofu, and the steamed-fish special of the night.
Tip: No reservations. Arrive before 19:00 on weekdays or expect a 45-minute wait 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 the summer.
Signature: Candy on Bone pork shoulder, Beetroot tartare
Order: The Candy on Bone pork shoulder, slow-roasted 12 hours; the beetroot tartare is the vegetarian counterpart.
Tip: The garden in summer is the room's best seating. Bookings open three weeks ahead via the website.
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: Hand-rolled bread, Brandenburg vegetables
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.
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.
