Family-friendly former East with Sunday brunch lines on Kollwitzplatz, the Kollwitzmarkt on Saturdays, and a long run of cafes and bakeries on Knaackstrasse.
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.
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.
No Fire No Glory in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg near the synagogue runs a specialty espresso bar with a tight food carte; the cheesecake and the chai latte run the afternoon crowd.
Signature drink: Specialty espresso
Tip: Closed Monday. Saturdays after the Kollwitzmarkt close are the room's quietest afternoons.
Cafe Anna Blume on Berlin's Kollwitzstrasse runs a flower-shop-and-cafe combo with the city's most famous etagere afternoon tea: three tiers, scones, cakes, the room since 2003.
Signature drink: Etagere afternoon tea
Tip: Sunday brunch books out two days ahead; the etagere afternoon tea from 14:00 is the room's headline.
The Barn's Schoenhauser flagship in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg runs the city's strictest third-wave filter dogma; no laptops, no Wi-Fi, no milk-based drinks past 11:00.
Signature drink: Filter pour-over
Tip: Counter seating only, no laptops. The single-origin filter changes every 48 hours; ask the bar staff for today's pour.
Zeit fuer Brot on Berlin's Alte Schoenhauser Strasse has baked organic sourdough loaves and the city's most cited Zimtschnecke since 2009; the queue runs deep at 09:00 weekends.
Tip: Saturday queue is 30 minutes deep from 09:00; weekday mornings have walk-up service from 07:00.
Worth the queue: Zimtschnecke (cinnamon roll)
Beckett's Kopf on Berlin's Pappelallee in Prenzlauer Berg has run a no-menu classic cocktail bar since 2004; the room is named after Samuel Beckett's head on the door window.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails (no menu)
Food: None
Tip: No menu. Tell the bartender what you like; the Old Fashioned and the Negroni are the room's defaults.
Le Croco Bleu on Berlin's Prenzlauer Allee runs a cocktail bar inside the former Bötzow brewery's machine hall; the room is filled with taxidermy and the crocodile sets the tone.
Signature drink: Crocodile cocktail
Food: None
Tip: Open Wed-Sat only. The room is loud and theatrical; bookings online for a quiet booth.
Konnopke's Imbiss under the Eberswalder Strasse U-Bahn arch has cooked currywurst at this Prenzlauer Berg site since 1930. The East Berlin version is leaner than the Kreuzberg style, the sauce thinner.
Try: Currywurst
Rueyam Gemuese Kebap beside Konnopke's arch does a grilled-vegetable doener that rivals Mustafas in Kreuzberg, with a shorter queue on most weekday evenings and a housemade chili sauce.
Try: Doener kebab with vegetables
Braugier in Prenzlauer Berg brews hop-forward craft ales behind a small brewpub where the tanks are visible from the bar. The IPA range rotates monthly; bar food is simple and good.
The Mauerpark Sunday flea market along the former Berlin Wall strip runs 200 stalls of vintage, street food and antiques every Sunday from 09:00. The food section anchors the Prenzlauer Berg end with Thai, Turkish and Korean snack vendors.
The organic market at Kollwitzplatz in Prenzlauer Berg runs Thursday and Saturday with 50 certified-biodynamic Brandenburg farmers. Heritage tomatoes in late summer, white asparagus in May and fresh rye bread year-round define the stalls.
Konnopke's Imbiss under the Eberswalder Strasse arch has cooked East Berlin's historic currywurst since 1930. A plate costs under EUR 5 and the standing counter is the authentic cheap lunch of Prenzlauer Berg.
Try: Currywurst plate
Zum Schusterjungen on Danziger Strasse in Prenzlauer Berg serves unchanged Berlin tavern cooking: Buletten with potato salad, Gulaschsuppe and Eisbein. The Kneipe atmosphere dates to 1958 and the prices are unapologetically honest.
Try: Berlin tavern classics: Buletten, Gulasch, Eisbein
Benedict Breakfast Bar in Prenzlauer Berg serves comfort-driven brunch classics from shakshuka and pancakes in a Parisian-toned room. Bottomless mimosa sessions run weekend afternoons into the evening.
Order: Shakshuka with merguez; the berry pancake stack with lemon curd.