Eat well and in German in Berlin? Aber naturlich!
The journalist Felix Denk, food critic for the Berlin entertainment magazine Zitty, says that it is difficult for a country's cuisine to stand out when there is hardly any national pride. Now that the years have passed and the German feeling has definitely moved away from historical clichés and shame, German restaurants and chefs are willing to show the world that its culinary tradition is more than just pork, wurst, schnitzel or sauerkraut (the sauerkraut of a lifetime) . And in case it is not something more than that: they plan to reinvent themselves in a way that is worthwhile.
FLORIAN
At Grolmanstrasse 52, near Savigny Platz, you will find this classic with recipes that maintain a homemade style. It has everything so that we can complete the German gastronomic experience in a satisfactory way and without making great efforts: the price is more than correct and the kitchen remains open until non-German hours (in fact until dawn). Everything is so homely that the handwritten menu is reminiscent of any neighborhood tavern. It makes concessions to clichés like pork sausages, albeit in the style of Nürnberg , and one of their specialties is the Bavarian mushroom ragout with pasta. The Chilean writer Antonio Skármeta has it among his favorites and many of the famous visitors to the city end up stopping by almost always at the curvy hour.
HARTMANN'S
Named after chef-owner Stefan Hartmann, this less bustling Kreuzberg restaurant has been putting a twist on the country's gastronomic tradition for five years, but without going overboard. The "twist" passes through lighten the caloric intake and add a Mediterranean touch to your menu. Pumpkin cream soup with lobster or spiced salmon with cauliflower and capers are some of their winning combinations. The decor is unpretentious and the price is that of an establishment that won a Michelin star for Germany in 2010. It is located at Fichtestrasse 31.
Hartmann's: lightened German gastronomy
COFFEE EINSTEIN STAMMHAUS
Despite the name and its status as a literary café, one of those that attracts artists and writers with a 19th-century complex, it is a must-see on the German culinary route in Berlin. The cleanliness of lines in its interior design and a garden that is highly recommended in the summer months are well worth a visit at Kurfürstenstrasse 58. Looking at its menu, which is what it is all about, it also offers some typical German dishes, but number one is their apflestrudel served with vanilla sauce. It is one of the best apple pies in the city and one of the most typical snacks in the country. . Anecdotally, the area reserved for the Lebensstern bar served as a set for Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.
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SCHNEEWEISS
Although German cuisine shares the limelight with other recipes of Alpine origin, especially Austria and France, the menu at this restaurant on Simplonstrasse 16 attracts local hipsters who are starting to think eating German is cool . Despite its target audience, the atmosphere is not too snobbish, something that, on the other hand, would not marry with an honest approach to the country's cuisine. The white that predominates in the decoration seems more like a tribute to American Psycho than a reference to the name of the place, "snowy" or "white as snow". Another one of its strong points to see and be seen: the weekend brunch (of course it has one).
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ZUM SCHUSTERJUNGEN
This venue in Prenzlauer Berg (Dazingerstrasse, 9) isn't that it has a homey, local feel, it's that it's literally a corner pub with beer. It also pays special attention to its food menu and in this case one is not spared from powerful sauces. A huge list of dishes and in it a lot of sausage, a lot of meatball and, of course, a lot of potato . Nothing innovative this time. And it is that his motto defends the idea of feeding the client as if he were at the mother's house. As for the decoration, it is pure involuntary "kitsch". The problem is that, being so authentic, it is more complicated to save the ballot with the waiter speaking English or Spanish. Fortunately, the menu is written in the language of Shakespeare and Cervantes.
Zum Schusterjungen: lots of sausage and lots of meatballs