10 Great Restaurants in Berlin

Einstein Unter Den Linden often throngs with politicians and journalists, which is hardly unexpected since it’s a short walk from the Reichstag (which houses the lower house of Berlin's parliament). Travellers will find it just as easily by walking down the street from the Brandenburg Gate.

Its dark wood panelling and cosy booths provide a little privacy for those important conversations, regardless of their content. The food is unmistakably Austrian, with a Viennese menu containing dishes such as wiener schnitzel and apfelstrudel (apple strudel). 

Zur Letzten Instanz is a great place to enjoy classic German dishes in Berlin. The restaurant allegedly gets its name from a legal battle between 2 farmers that was eventually settled on this spot. There’s been an inn on this site since 1621. The current incarnation originally opened in 1924, but the building was severely damaged in WWII and reopened in 1963.

The restaurant has a spiral staircase and brick floor, as well as a tiled stove in front. It boasts a celebrity clientele, which includes the likes of Jack Nicholson, Jackie Chan, and Jake Gyllenhaal. 

Restaurant Tim Raue is founded by an eponymous chef, who was born in Berlin but knows a thing or 2 about Asian cuisine. Raue describes his food as “a combination of Japanese product perfection, Thai aromas and Chinese culinary philosophy”.

Unconstrained by national boundaries, there’s a freedom to this pan-Asian approach. Langoustines with Vietnamese nuoc mam (dipping sauce), Chinese dim sum with white truffle, and Waygu beef with red and green pepper, are just some of the dishes that showcase the man’s talents.

ORA is one of the most exciting restaurants to open in the North Kreuzberg neighbourhood of Berlin. It breathes new life into an old pharmacy that opened on Oranienplatz in 1861. When the new tenants picked up the keys, the only 3 letters that remained on the building’s neon sign were O, R and A, hence the name.

The decor references times past – you'll find old medicine cabinets, pharmacy knick-knacks, original tiled floors, and green leather seating. In contrast, ORA offers a contemporary European food menu.    

FACIL is a Michelin-starred restaurant that showcases the creativity of its celebrated chef and culinary team. There’s a democratic modus operandi in the kitchen. Each member of the kitchen, regardless of their role, is encouraged to contribute ideas for dishes that please everyone.

The menu at FACIL is seasonal. Fine scallops, veal and venison are elevated with caviar, truffles, oysters, and other cleverly combined ingredients to create a memorable meal.

CODA Dessert Dining is a unique Michelin-starred restaurant that focuses solely on dessert. It offers a decadent 5-course tasting menu and an even more indulgent 7-course tasting menu. Inspired by classic patisseries, this is the place for desserts that are unlike anything you’ve eaten before.

For a start, there’s no refined sugar on the menu – every dish is naturally sweetened and contains rather surprising ingredients. Expect dishes such as lemon cheesecake with coffee and celery, raclette waffle with yoghurt and kimchi, or Ecuadorian chocolate mousse with shiitake mushrooms, chickpea and hazelnut.

Kin Dee is a Thai restaurant in Berlin that sources meat, fish and vegetables sustainably. There’s a policy of trying to use local ingredients where possible.

The sauces and curry paste that flavour each dish are all made from scratch. In keeping with tradition, fish sauce is used as a seasoning. Food is also served in sharing portions to embrace the Thai spirit of community.

Lode & Stijn is the brainchild of Lode van Zuylen and Stijn Remi, who are very talented chefs from the Netherlands. Before opening this restaurant, they’ve cemented a reputation earned via pop-ups and delighted their fans by bringing bitterballen (breaded and fried meatball) to the German capital.

Lode & Stijn presents a divine tasting menu that pairs ripened sturgeon with grilled leek and walnut leaf oil, monkfish with peppers and lemon verbena, and poached pear with cherry blossom sabayon and sorrel sorbet.

Ernst brings the intimacy of dining at home to a typical restaurant experience in the multicultural Wedding district of Berlin. You might need some patience to secure a reservation as this highly sought-after place has only 8 seats. The menu is seasonal, so every visit is a different experience.

You sit at a counter, where you can watch your food being prepared in Ernst's open kitchen. The chef and his culinary team’s meticulous attention to detail and skilful combination of flavours and ingredients keeps regular patrons eager to come back for more. 

Otto is a restaurant that also acts as a neighbourhood pantry in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg district. The menu is deceptively simple, with few ingredients on the plate, but all are cooked to perfection.

Standout dishes include smoked trout rillettes and potato rosti, wild boar tartare with grilled bread, roe deer with chanterelle confit, and beetroot served in brown butter and sorrel. Otto is around 750 metres south of the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark.