Germany is known for beer drinking. Well, Berlin definitely has amazing beers, but it also is a food paradise. One can find every type of food imaginable. Whether you grab a burger at Burgermeister (Oberbaumstraße 8)–a converted old public toilet under the railroad tracks that has become a hip place for young adults–or want a little German cuisine and 100 types of beer at Aufsturz (Oranienburger Str. 67) near the Neue Synagoge (Oranienburger Straße 28-30), you will find something that serves your appetite.
A unique location is Markthalle IX (also known as Nine Market Hall, Kreuzberg Mark Hall and railway market hall), located on Eisenbahnstraße 42-43. It is a heaven for foodies. The historic building is 120 years old, and almost got turned into a modern shopping center in 2009. After a hard battle, the Markthalle was reopened in October 2011 by Bernd Maier, Florian Niedermeier, and Nikolaus Driessen, who viewed it as an important project to reintroduce small-scale food retailing. The emphasis is also placed on social involvement with regular events taking place for the local community.
The market is open on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. –6 p.m. We visited on Saturday afternoon, and the place was full but not jam packed, which made the whole experience lovely. The stall owners believe in providing local goods, and there is a feeling of sustainability with a recycling corner for your waste products. Once inside, the smells will drive you crazy. You can enjoy meat that has been smoked for hours at the BBQ stall, along with lemonade in small glass jugs. You can also opt for vegetarian options, such as the spinach English pie that melts in your mouth, or delicious cheeses. There is a variety of beverage choices including beers, wines, coffee and teas. After walking around the hectic city, Nine Market Hall is a great place to enjoy a local market with vegetables, flowers and amazing food options for lunch. They also have Street Food Thursdays. I will definitely be visiting this place again!
Our next stop on our food fest was KaDeWe (Tauentzienstraße 21-24), one of the largest department stores in Europe. I decided to skip on the shopping, and instead took the elevator straight up to the top two floors, which are filled with gourmet food products and a buffet-style restaurant. The store stayed open late on this particular Saturday night, and there was music and what looked like folk dancing in one of the corners. At the restaurant, we enjoyed red tuna cooked exactly right. It is an experience to walk around and see different foods from around the world. The place can get crowded with tourists and locals. Just in case you are still hungry and want a cheaper snack option, Witty’s, a very popular Imbiss stand (take-away), is on the opposite corner of KaDeWe. It serves only organic meat and is delicious.
Let’s not forget dessert. If you crave chocolate, head over to Fassbender & Rausch Chocolatiers am Gendarmenmarkt (Charlottenstrasse 60). Before entering this massive chocolate site, which includes a shop and restaurant, walk around Gendarmenmarkt Square nearby and get lost in the beautiful architecture of the concert hall and cathedrals. Yes, the chocolaterie is a tourist location, but has delicious desserts and is also a good stop for Wifi.
