A little over a year ago, after just 8 weeks here in Berlin, we had done enough exploring in our “Kiez” to know what restaurants and bars were awesome and what was just ok. And I first wrote a post about 5 places we loved to visit in our neighborhood.

Meanwhile we have done a lot more exploring in our area and have found a lot of additional places to “haunt” — and since this our last week here in Berlin, I thought it was time to pass on some of the knowledge.

Although there will always be places coming and going, our list of “must try” places was definitely narrowed down thanks to the Internet. What did foodies and people new to an area ever do before Qype, Google Maps & Google Places? Oh right — we just wandered around and got lost in a city on purpose so we’d end up exploring new things. 😉

Here are 11 of our favorite locations to grab a bite to eat at in the Nollendorfplatz area. But be warned, life in Berlin moves a bit more slowly than in some other places. So bring some time and just enjoy yourself!

photo credit: M Kuhn via photopin cc

1. Esswerk
   Real German food can be tricky to find in Berlin, especially since there are so many tourist traps. But if you have a hankering for a good Wiener Schnitzel or some Spätzle, this is an absolute favorite of ours. I also enjoy the baked potato drenched in thick sour cream with herbs and a “side” steak. It’s a tiny place so you definitely want to reserve during the winter because there are only half as many seats since you don’t want to sit outside when it’s cold.
   Nollendorfstraße 21
   10777 Berlin
   Tel: 030 21919757
   Closed on Tuesdays.
2. April
   April is one of our favorite places to go for breakfast on the weekend. They use wonderfully fresh ingredients, and the flavor combinations and portion sizes are just right. My favorite breakfast is the Mediterran which is just the perfect balance of parma ham, cheese, olives, mozzarella with tomatoes and pesto — and the most delicious scrambled eggs I’ve ever eaten (with feta and fresh tomatoes). Dinner here is also fantastic and they have some great wines. Reservations are recommended. If they’re full, the restaurant Winterfeld next door is also rather good.
   Winterfeldstr.56
   10781 Berlin
   Tel.: 030-21 688 69
   Open 10am – 11pm
   Website: www.restaurant-april.com
3. ethiocoffee
   WARNING: If you drink the coffee from here, you are likely to become addicted. Seriously. The owners source their coffee directly have Ethiopia and have it roasted themselves, and I have to say it is the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life. All other coffee I taste is compared to this stuff…and most of it doesn’t even remotely come close. You can also find them at the Winterfeldplatz market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
   Eisenacher Straße 10
   10777 Berlin
   Tel: 030-20169276
   Website: www.ethiocoffee.de
4. Cafe Bario
   With some of the most amazing cakes in the neighborhood, this place has been here forever (I think I read something like 20 or 30 years?) and is really something special. They make their own jams and cakes, both of which are amazingly delicious. Their breakfast offerings are also quite nice and the coffee is always strong but tasty. If you are looking for a quick lunch option, you can also check out their 30-minute specials.
   Maassenstrasse 7
   10777 Berlin
   Tel: 030-2161 946
   Website: www.cafeberio.de
5. Hasir
   If you like Turkish food, this is the place to go. And if you think you don’t like Turkish food, you need to go try it here. The owner of this place runs a tight ship, and there are 5 Hasir restaurants around Berlin, plus one Hasir Burger (well worth checking out if you are near Kottbusser Tor), a massive hotel in Turkey, one here in Berlin and his second hotel here is being built. To say he’s built an impressive empire is an understatement… The döner teller (shaved veal with buttered rice, fresh salad and melt-in-your-mouth rolls) is fantastic and always quick. I also love the lamb skewers in tomato sauce and yogurt. YUM!
   Massensrasse 10
   10777 Berlin
   Tel:  030 2156060
   Website: www.hasir.de
   

   photo credit: Noema Pérez via photopin cc

6. Aki Tatsu
   
   You might thing good sushi would be hard to find in Berlin, but it’s just not true. Aki Tatsu has several locations and will even deliver to you, but the best sushi deals are their lunch specials. The fish is super fresh, the rice balls are just the right size and the service is attentive.
   Winterfeldtstrasse 40
   10777 Berlin
   Website: www.akitatsu.de
7. Amrit
   Another local chain here in Berlin, Amrit is well-known for its great Indian food. But one of the things we find so great about the place is the fact that it runs like a well-oiled machine. Many places in Berlin run without clocks and the service is slow. But not Amrit. All of the staff members seem to be watching every table at once and your food is being served almost as quickly as you ordered it.
   Winterfeldtstrasse 40
   10777 Berlin
   Website: www.amrit.de
8. Dolce Freddo Gelato 
   This location has won awards for its ice cream and I totally know why. I usually have trouble deciding which flavors to select because they are all so good. But I highly recommend you try each of them out for yourself.
   Maassenstrasse 6
   10777 Berlin
   Website: www.dolce-freddo-berlin.de
   

   photo credit: Robert Marschelewski via photopin cc

9. Caramia
   Everywhere you look, there are flatbread pizza kiosks selling pizza for €2 a slice. Some of average, some are good, and a few are really fantastic. Caramia is one of the fantastic ones — and although it’s a block away from most of these other locations, it is well worth the walk. Not only do they have amazing pizza, but if you get a chance to try the spaghetti carbonera or minestrone soup, you will feel like you’ve been transported to Italy.
   Goltzstrasse 34
   10781 Berlin
10. Berkis
    Another favorite, Berkis serves delicious Greek food and enough of it to feed an army. The gyros plate is really tasty and you can grab food to go as well, like gyros in a pita.
    Winterfeldtstraße 45
    10781 Berlin
    Tel: 030 77900402
11. Habibi
    If you are craving falafel, this is the place to go. We’ve got a surprisingly high number of falafal restaurants within a one-block radius, but Habibi is by far the best. There’s almost always a line in the afternoon and I’ve never ventured further into the menu than the falafal balls in a pita with yogurt sauce but it was delicious.
    Goltzstraße 24
    10781 Berlin
    Tel: 030 2153332
12. Giorgio
    Not to be confused with the delivery service, Ristorante Giorgio is a small, simple Italian restaurant with great value for money and good pasta, pizza, fish and meat dishes. You’ll find many of the typical dishes on their menu, but don’t overlook the Penne Arrabiata if you like your food HOT! Do not overlook the daily specials!!
    Motzstr. 11
    10777 Berlin
    Open 6pm – midnight

Previous favorites:

1. Bardeau
   Bardeau was a great French Restaurant that we found ourselves at OFTEN. The food was incredible and the head waiter was a dream. But he’s moved on to other projects and the restaurant has been replaced with something new and unfortunately not nearly as great. The new place, Grün, does serve some killer desserts though!
   Nollendorfstr. 10
   10777 Berlin