Eating and drinking - The Rough Guide to Berlin - page 185

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Fischers Fritz The Regent, Charlottenstr. 49 T 030 20
33 63 63, W fischersfritzberlin.com; U-Französische
Strasse; map p.36. Fischers Fritz is the domain of Christian
Lohse, whose way with fish and seafood has earned him
numerous accolades (including two Michelin stars). This is
imaginative stuff, bursting with originality in terms of
presentation, flavours and ideas. There's a price, naturally,
namely €110 for four courses; for a cheaper option, check
the lunch deals. Daily noon-2pm & 6.30-10.30pm.
Ishin Mittelstr. 24 T 030 20 67 48 29, W ishin.de; U- &
S-Brandenburger Tor; map p.36. There are four Ishin
restaurants in Berlin. The interior of this central one is
slightly functional but the decent, fresh sushi, good prices
and quick service make it very popular, especially for lunch.
There's a happy hour every day until 4pm (all day Wed &
Sat), with €2-3 off sushi, and full menus from €5. Plenty of
veggie dishes and free green tea. Mon-Sat 11am-10pm
(kitchen till 9.30pm).
Ì Käfer Dachgarten Platz der Republik 1 T 030 22
62 99 33; U- & S-Brandenburger Tor; map p.36. Famous
for its location on the roof of the Reichstag and its
180-degree view of eastern Berlin, this restaurant
specializes in gourmet renditions of regional German dishes
(mains €8-30). A reservation here also means you get to nip
in a side entrance and avoid the consistently long lines at
the front. Daily 9am-midnight; last orders 10pm.
Lutter & Wegner Charlottenstr. 56 T 030 202 95 40,
W l-w-berlin.de; U-Französische Strasse; map p.36. This
refined, airy Austro-German restaurant is the finest of the
Lutter & Wagner mini empire. It was here the wine merchant
started (in 1811) - there's a high-end wine store alongside.
Prices are high (set menus around €37, mains from €15) but
that's what happens when the New York Times crowns your
Wiener Schnitzel

RESTAURANTS
Bocca di Bacco Friedrichstr. 167 T 030 20 67 28 28,
W boccadibacco.de; U-Französische Strasse; map p.36.
Bocca di Bacco blends a down-to-earth atmosphere with
high-quality cuisine that takes its inspiration from Tuscany
and other parts of Italy. The menu includes pasta, game
and fish and plenty of wonderful desserts. The three-
course lunch is a pretty good deal at €19.50. Mon-Sat
noon-midnight, Sun 6pm-midnight.
Ì Café Nö! Glinkastr. 23 T 030 201 08 71, W cafe
-noe.de; U-Französische Strasse; map p.36. This wine
bar-restaurant serves quality South German and
Mediterranean food at very reasonable prices. The menu
includes and the like, a huge mixed plate for

two featuring almost everything on the menu is €23, and
the wine list is vast enough for most tastes. Service is
pleasant and not too formal. Mon-Fri noon-1am, Sat
7pm-1am, kitchen till midnight.
Chipps Jägerstr. 35 T 030 280 88 06, W chipps.eu;
Hausvogteiplatz; map p.36. This venture from the owner
of Cookies Cream features panoramic windows, a light-
filled, sleek interior and terrace. The open kitchen serves
seasonal and regional ingredients. You can mix and match
your dishes (meat and fish are served as side orders -
evening dishes from €12), while hearty breakfasts include
the “hangover”. A second

Flammkuchen

is at Friedrichstr. 120.
Mon-Fri 8am-late, Sat & Sun 9am-late.
Cookies Cream Behrenstr. 55 T 030 27 49 29 40,
W cookiescream.de; U-Französische Strasse; map
p.36. Deliberately difficult to find (see website for
creative directions - walk down the service road and
past the dustbins of the

Chipps

off Behrenstr.) this
stylish vegetarian restaurant, one of the best in the city,
is worth seeking out. At €32 for a three-course menu and
€18 for a main, it's pricey but far from prohibitive, and
the seasonal, inventive food is well worth it. Tues-Sat
7pm-midnight.

Westin Grand

the best outside Vienna (though in truth
the Sauerbraten is the real highlight). There's a cheaper
bistro with a shorter menu and the same list of around 750
wines. Daily 11am-3am, kitchen till 1am.

GERMAN CUISINE
To enjoy traditional German cuisine , it does help if you share the national penchant for heavy
meat dishes accompanied by healthy fresh vegetables and salad. The pig is the staple of the
German menu - it's prepared in umpteen different ways, and just about every part gets eaten.
Sausages are the country's most popular snack, while Kassler Rippen (smoked and pickled pork
chops) and Eisbein (pigs' trotters) are Berlin favourites - although the fatty Eisbein tends to be
more of a winter speciality. Königsberger Klopse (meat dumplings in a caper- and lemon-
flavoured sauce) also appear on many menus.
Potatoes are used imaginatively, too: try Kartoffelpuffer (flour and potatoes mixed into a
pancake) or Pellkartoffeln mit Quark und Leinöl , a combination of baked potatoes, low-fat
cheese and linseed oil that's best digested with lashings of beer or schnapps.
Surprisingly for a country known for its cakes, desserts in Berlin's German restaurants are an
anticlimax. Rote Grütze (mixed soft berries eaten hot or cold with vanilla sauce) is one of the
few distinctive dishes; if you have a sweet tooth, you may be best off heading for a café that
serves one of the delicious cakes or Torten of which Germans are so fond.