Schmekt Gut - Berlin's Best Restaurants

The food in Berlin is wunderbar! It competes, in my mind, with California and New York for best culinary city in the world. Like San Francisco and New York City, Berlin is centrally located for access to the best wine, produce and culinary materials in Europe. Also like it's peer cities, Berlin is a multicultural crossroads supporting a wide variety of traditions.

This is a running list of the best restaurants I have visited in Berlin with a note on their locations, price and genre:

Contemporary Lounge-Restaurant

More - I had a Geroestete Champignon Salat that I will never forget at this Miami-esque contemporary lounge and restaurant. If you want to see and be seen in a trendy bar, frequented by the beautiful, manly and flamboyant. This is the place. The decor is the most sophisticated in the area. Motzstrasse 28, 10777 Berlin (Southwest of the Nollendorfplatz S-bahn Station)

Mavie - Another lounge-restaurant with outdoor seating in a fin de siecle style. Perhaps alluding to Paris, the cuisine is fundamentally German. I was impressed by their Goatcheese Salad and Goatcheese Risotto. Motzstrasse 28, 10777 Berlin (Southwest of the Nollendorfplatz S-bahn Station)

Spanish Tapas

Ruz - North East of the HackesheMakt Station (I guess in Mitte), there is an amazing restaurant district. The best of these small independent bistros is the Ruz Tapas Restaurant and Bar. They have authentic Sangria that will make your toes curl, and a wide variety of Spanish Tapas . . . that hasn't been Germanized, or Americanized. The flavors are authentically savory, and dark. Tortillas, and spinch. Wine-cooked mushrooms and broiled meats. There's something for everyone . . . and yet it's all true to its origins. Auguststrasse 63, 10117 Berlin - (030) 28 09 77 88

Italian

Tratoria A Muntagnola - A country trattoria that serves authentic southern italian cuisine in the heart of tree-lined Berlin. A beautiful setting . . . and the cleanest restaurant I've ever been in, barr none! This is casual italian dining executed to the highest standards. A great place for families and large parties. Fuggerstrasse Berlin (Two blocks south of Wittenbergplatz S-bahn Station).






Note: That when I ordered "Wasser Ohne Gas" (Uncarbonated Water), I was given a bottle of imported Italian Mineral Water that had river pebbles in the bottom. When I read the label, it was explained that the river pebbles were crystaline in nature, and were intended to impart positive energy into the waters. Exhibit A:






After drinking the water (never mind that there's positive energy silt in them there bottles), I wanted to take my pebbles home with me. I wasn't done with the positive energy, and I wasn't about to let them cast them away like magic beans or something. This was actual, documented (at least by the label) positive energy. When I woke up the next morning . . . Someone call Scully . . . we have an X-file:

Rapallo - Traditional Italian fare with no surprises. A reliable place for a pizza, with a casually fine wine list. They serve Montepulciano-Arroza by the caraffe. MMMMmmm. Kurfurstendamm 111, 10711 Berlin.

Greek

Taverna Makis - Located halfway down the Kurfurstendamm, Taverna Makis serves fresh greek ingredients in a relaxed setting. It is superlatively convenient to the entire Ku'damm tourist corridor, and the sweet flavors of tomaten, gurke, und feta offer a welcome alternative to generally heavy German cuisine. I love to sit at the sidewalk tables and write in my journal. A cast of characters never fails to wander by for inspiration. Kurfurstendamm 96 10711 Berlin. Phone: 323 40 27

Outdoor Cafe'

OpernPalais - On the opposite side of the old Berlin Opera from Bebelplatz, is a perfect green park with large Sycamore and Linden trees. Among the firetruck red geraniums, you can be served common cafe fare and ice cream sundaes that you'll never forget. The food is typical, but the setting is unparalleled. I expected Renoir to appear with a paintbrush at any moment. If you like sitting in the sunshine, eating sweets, and listening to live classical music. You will love a simple lunch here. Unter den Linden 5 d-10117 Berlin-Mitte.

Trofeo at the Meilenwerk - The cafe in the Berlin antique car garage/museum is excellent. I had never had Trofeo (a more refined cottage cheese with an Edamer flavor) before. But I'm sold. The roasted Trofeo salat and the Croque Monsieur were perfect. Wiebestrasse 36-37 10553 Berlin. Tel. 030 20613030

Alberts - Situated on an elevated landing overlooking the Spree river in northwest central Berlin, Alberts offers a quick, fresh lunch with a view. I had the Putengeschnitzeltes (Roasted Turkey Stew with vegetables in a Mushroom gravey). Address: Alt Moabit 59-61, 10555 Berlin. Phone 030-36726707.

Steak House

Although not fancy, pretentious, or reknown, I have been consistently impressed with the "Block House." I can heartily endorse the franchise on the Ku'damm at Adenauerplatz. If you're hankering for something meaty, slightly salty, and cooked to perfection . . . you can do no better than this restaurant. The salads are made fresh, they personally draft their beer, and feature red wines from Argentina and France. Substantial food at a reasonable price, how you need it, when you need it!

Hotel Restaurants

Hotel SpreeBogen has such a flexible facility, that it can be all things to all diners. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner to their guests, but can easily transition their brick wharfhouse into a buffet line for conventioneers. In any case the food is thoughtful, sophisticated, fresh and delicious. I heartily endorse their restaurant and hotel.

Baked Goods

ErdbeerenKuchen - Strawberry Gelatin Cake at the Croissanterie and Baeckeri at Sickingenstrasse 6 (around the corner from the Buesselstrasse S-bahn Station).