Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ive weekday 'business lunches' that usually include a starter, main course and drink for un-
der €10.
English menus are now quite common, and some places (especially those owned by neo-
Berliners from the US, UK or around Europe) don't even bother with German menus at all.
When it comes to paying, sometimes the person who invites pays, but very often Germans
go Dutch and split the bill. This might mean everyone chipping in at the end of a meal or
asking the server to pay separately
(getrennte Rechnung)
.
Handy speed-feed shops, called
Imbiss,
serve all sorts of savoury fodder, from sausage-
in-a-bun to
Döner
and pizza. Many bakeries serve sandwiches alongside pastries.
Locals love to shop at farmers markets and nearly every
Kiez
(neighbourhood) runs at
least one or two weekly.
LOCAL SPECIALTIES YOU SHOULD TRY - AT LEAST ONCE
Pfannkuchen
Known as 'Berliner' in other parts of Germany, these doughnut-like pastries
are made from a yeasty dough, stuffed with a dollop of jam, deep-fried and tossed in granu-
lated sugar.
Currywurst
This classic cult snack, allegedly invented in Berlin in 1949, is a smallish fried
or grilled wiener sliced into bite-sized ringlets, swimming in a spicy tomato sauce and dus-
ted with curry powder. It's available '
mit
' or '
ohne
' (ie with or without) its crunchy epi-
dermis and traditionally served on a flimsy plate with a plastic toothpick for stabbing.
Döner
Spit-roasted meat may have been around forever, but the idea of serving it in a
lightly toasted bread pocket with copious amounts of fresh salad and a healthy drizzle of
yoghurt-based
Kräuter
(herb),
scharf
(spicy) or
Knoblauch
(garlic) sauce is a Berlin tradi-
tion conceived by Mehmed Ayguen, owner of the Hasir minichain of local Turkish restaur-
ants.
Boulette
Called
Frikadelle
in other parts of Germany, this cross between a meatball and a
hamburger is eaten with a little mustard and perhaps a dry roll. The name is French for 'little
ball' and might have originated during Napoleon's occupation of Berlin in the early 19th
century.
Eisbein or Grillhaxe
Boiled or grilled pork hock typically paired with sauerkraut and
boiled potatoes.
Königsberger Klopse
This classic dish may have its origin in Königsberg in eastern Prussia
(today's Kaliningrad in Russia), but it has of late made a huge comeback on Berlin menus.
