Since moving to Berlin in May, I’ve been asking friends who live here and those passing through for tips on what I should eat, see, and visit. So, in the spirit of paying it forward, I’m sharing the recommendations which have also become mine, as well as some personal long-standing and new Berlin discoveries.
Freundschaft
My friend Tyler Mitchell spent time in Berlin for his exhibition "Wish This Was Real" at C/O Berlin, and he loved Freundschaft. It has become a favorite of my mine: such a cozy, quiet bar with a really fantastic and extensive selection of wines.
Freundschaft, Mittelstraße 1, Mitte
Freundschaft
Pro qm
I have always visited the Pro qm bookshop, but I went again recently after Axel Wieder was announced as director of the Berlin Biennale, and thus my new work partner! He co-founded the bookshop in 1999, and it remains such a loved place in the city. It is thematic, focused on politics, pop culture, economics, architecture, design, art, and theory. It is a beautiful spot and they regularly hold interesting talks and events.
Pro qm, Almstadtstraße 48, Mitte
Pro qm
Polish Dainty
Polish food in general is dear to me, especially pierogis. And my local spot in Mitte is Polish Dainty. It’s a small place with outdoor seating, fast service, and the best pierogis I’ve had so far in the city.
Polish Dainty, Invalidenstraße 34, Mitte
Polish Dainty
Spore Initiative
I knew about Spore Initiative long before it opened, thanks to my friend who helped to found it, Antonia Alampi, who is the artistic and executive director. I really value the program they offer Berlin. Spore focuses on climate justice, ecological regeneration, and education, and pushes to create common ground for different localities and communities who may be geographically separate but are linked through their care for this Earth. Participation in Spore’s program is highly enriching and free of charge.
Spore Initiative, Hermannstraße 86, Neukölln
Sporte-Initiative
Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof
One of my longtime favorite cemeteries is Dorotheenstadt, where the likes of Bertolt Brecht, Hegel, and Anna Seghers are buried. It’s a really relaxing place to rest, read, and think. In 2015, a light installation by James Turrell was opened in a burial chapel at the cemetery. It’s a hidden jewel. You can only access it on a tour, but it is an informative one!
Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof, Chausseestraße 126, Mitte
Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof
NaNum
I love all things fermented, and so I have to recommend NaNum, which my friend Ben Vickers told me about. It’s a quiet and welcoming Korean restaurant that sources its produce from their own garden outside of Berlin. They also make their own lovely ceramics.
NaNum, Lindenstraße 90, Kreuzberg
NaNum
Stuttgarter Platz
I am always looking for kid-friendly environments and my friend Asad Raza sent me to Stuttgarter Platz, a lovely spot surrounded by trees and flowers. It is a small person’s dream, with a water playground, swings, and a jungle gym as well as a pizza stand selling miniature kid-sized pies. It is a big person’s joy too, with places to sit, cafés, and nice places to eat. There are some good Italian restaurants plus competing ice cream shops. As Asad told me, "You can kind of do anything there."
Stuttgarter Platz, Charlottenburg
Stuttgarter Platz
Bejte Ethipoia
My friend Prem Krishnamurthy sent me to the Ethiopian restaurant Bejte Ethiopia, and it has become a small obsession. Spicy meat lovers should go here! They also have fantastic vegan/ vegetarian options (I personally love their red lentils), and most evenings they do a coffee ceremony. It is a really relaxed place to get a very nice meal.
Bejte Ethiopia, Zietenstraße 8, Schöneberg
Bejte Ethiopia