The natural-wine and new-orthodoxy borough: Otto, Jaja, Lode und Stijn anchor a half-kilometre grid of small rooms, dive bars and Lebanese counters between Hermannplatz and Sonnenallee.
Roamers in Berlin Neukoelln runs an Australian-style brunch room with avocado toast, the Reuben sandwich, banana bread and a coffee program from Bonanza beans.
Signature drink: Brunch flat white
Tip: No reservations. Weekend brunch from 11:00 has a 60-minute wait; weekday mornings before 10:00 are quiet.
Brammibal's Donuts on Berlin's Maybachufer in Neukoelln bakes vegan donuts in 12 rotating flavours; the Boston Cream and the pistachio anchor the case from 08:30 daily.
Tip: Sells out by 14:00 weekends. The flavour rotation drops Fridays; check the website for the weekend list.
Worth the queue: Boston Cream donut
Albatross Bakery on Berlin's Pannierstrasse in Neukoelln bakes naturally leavened sourdough loaves and pastries; the country loaf and the kouign-amann anchor the daily bake.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. The kouign-amann from 10:00 weekends sells out within an hour.
Worth the queue: Sourdough country loaf
Soulbottles Bakery in Berlin Neukoelln runs a fully vegan bake; the banana bread, vegan croissants and oat-flat-white draw the borough's Sunday brunch crowd.
Tip: The vegan croissant sells out by 13:00 weekends; arrive before 11:00.
Worth the queue: Vegan banana bread
Endorphina Backkunst on Elsenstrasse in Neukoelln bakes organic sourdough and pastries; the cafe is shut for renovation but the bread runs seven Berlin markets weekly.
Tip: The cafe at Elsenstrasse is closed during renovation. Find the breads at the Maybachufer market Tuesdays and Fridays.
Worth the queue: Sourdough loaf
ISLA Coffee in Berlin Neukoelln roasts on Hermannstrasse and runs a zero-waste cafe program; the seasonal milk-alternative plates anchor the brunch carte from 09:00 weekends.
Tip: Zero-waste room with strict reusable-cup discount. The brunch from 09:00 weekends is the room's busy window.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Guatemala, Colombia
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Whole bean retail
Jaja on Berlin's Weichselstrasse in Neukoelln pours natural French wines from a 200-bottle list; the bar-counter walk-ins from 18:00 anchor the borough's wine-bar grid.
Signature pour: Jura Trousseau by the glass
Wine focus: Natural French and German wines
Food: Small plates and charcuterie
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Bar walk-ins from 18:00; the small plates run until midnight.
Otto in Berlin Neukoelln runs a natural-German-wine bar with a tight small-plates kitchen; the Riesling-led by-the-glass list and the bread course anchor the room.
Signature pour: Schaefer-Froehlich Riesling by the glass
Wine focus: Natural German and Austrian wines
Food: Small plates from a tight open kitchen
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The early 18:00 seating walks in; tables from 20:00 book online a week ahead.
Wild Things in Berlin Neukoelln runs a tight 20-cover natural-wine bar; the low-intervention by-the-glass list and the cured-fish small plates anchor the room.
Signature pour: Frank Cornelissen Susucaru rosato
Wine focus: Natural wines (low-intervention)
Food: Small plates and cured fish
Tip: Closed Sunday to Tuesday. The 19:00 walk-up window is the easier slot than the late wave.
Suff in Berlin Neukoelln on Mittenwalder Strasse runs a natural-wine bar with focaccia and charcuterie plates; the Gut Oggau and Pittnauer pours anchor the by-the-glass list.
Signature pour: Gut Oggau Theodora by the glass
Wine focus: Natural German and Austrian wines
Food: Plates of focaccia and charcuterie
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The bar from 18:00 takes walk-ups; tables for the kitchen book a week ahead.
Fred Wine Bar on Berlin's Friedelstrasse in Neukoelln pours natural French wines from a 150-bottle list; the bistro-plate carte and the bar-counter walk-ups anchor the room.
Signature pour: Domaine de la Pierre Saint-Maurice by the glass
Wine focus: Natural French wines
Food: Plates of bistro classics
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Counter walk-ups from 18:00; tables book a week ahead online.
Schwarze Traube on Berlin's Wildenbruchstrasse in Neukoelln runs the city's most-cited bespoke-cocktail bar; the menu is one question (what do you fancy) answered by the bartender.
Signature drink: Bartender's choice cocktail
Food: None
Tip: No menu. Tell the bartender a spirit and a taste profile. Reservations by email; small room, 18 covers.
Thelonious on Berlin's Weserstrasse in Neukoelln runs a jazz-themed cocktail bar with live music three nights a week and an Old Fashioned program that rotates seven variants.
Signature drink: Jazz Manhattan
Food: None
Tip: Live jazz Thursday to Saturday from 21:00. The Manhattan is the room's signature order.
Berliner Berg Brauerei in Neukoelln brews a Berliner Weisse and a pale ale from a landmark 1920s building; the courtyard beer garden opens April to September and the taproom runs year-round.
The Tuerkischer Markt along Maybachufer canal in Neukoelln is Berlin's most authentic Turkish food market, with 80 stalls selling Kars cheese, dried chili, pomegranate molasses and fresh herbs on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.
Cafe Rix in Neukoelln, attached to the Heimathafen theatre, anchors the neighbourhood's weekend brunch scene with a German-style buffet of regional cheeses, smoked fish and fresh-baked pastries at accessible prices.
Order: The weekend brunch buffet with rye bread, smoked salmon, Thuringian cheeses and house pastries.