Mitte – Local tips (bars & cafes)

Throughout its life  (opened in 1873) the Admiralspalast theatre has had an idiosyncratic history. During the 1920’s and 30’s it was a pleasure palace of sorts, hosting in it’s parameters a bath house, restaurant, a speak easy, the worlds first indoor ice skating revue show, as well as the grandiose Art Deco theatre which houses up to 1700 people at a time.

At one point it even housed a DDR “Press Café” at the front of the building where  subversive bohemians would meet.  After years of closure the Admiralspalast was recently revamped and reopened in August 2006.

There are various types of productions staged here, from My Fair Lady to Brechts 3-Penny Opera, to live performances from De La Soul.

My favourite event is their regular quarterly swing dance/music party,  hosted in the main theatre and themed differently each time yet always dedicated solely to swing music, high fashion and old school sophistication. Recently headling the part was an exclusive Berlin performance by sibling trio ‘Kitty, Daisy and Lewis’.

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Admiralspalast | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Theaters | Ticket +/- € 22.00
Friedrichstrasse 101 | Mitte | +493032533144
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00

Aufsturz means more than 100 sorts of beer and a big choice of food. The place is always full of people trying to test every beer once. But the choice is difficult: Banana beer or smoked beer (Rauchbier)? German beer or Mexican beer? Don’t worry: The waiters are patient and helpful.

The interior of the Restaurant/Pub is simple but comfortable. Since 1994 the Aufsturz has exhibitions of sculptures, paintings, photography, installations and collages. There is also a club area where they present concerts (Pop, Rock, Jazz), performances, workshops and other events weekly.

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Aufsturz | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Restaurants (International) | Beer € 2.00
Oranienburger Straße 67 | Mitte | +493028047409
12:00 – 02:00 daily

If took a wrong turn and made it to Berlin instead of Nashville and your heart yearns to hear a bit of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynne then make your way to Bassy Cowboy Club in Mitte,This is by no means fancy dress up club, where you are expected to waltz in with a Stetson and cowboy boots, though some do. However a certain level of effort and style is expected and will ensure easier entry. Turn up with trainers, sweatshirt and fanny pack and you are guaranteed a date with the sidewalk.Once you get past the style police at the door, you can listen to live country and blues bands from Berlin and abroad, as well DJ’s guiding you into the early hours. Fear not, Bassy’s musical catalogue is not just limited to Country music but a host of other genres are also played here from 50’s surf tunes, garage, rockabilly and Rock n’ Roll. They sometimes host performances from a range of local and national Burlesque acts like Tallulah Freeway and The Teaserettes. Bassy is in a prime location just off on the Schönhauserallee (Torstrasse side) underneath the Pfefferberg cultural complex, so you can also enjoy the delights of their beer garden in the summer months and then venture down to Bassy for a for a drink and dance.

It’s free entry if you come before 23:00, and if you don’t feel like dancing there is always the kicker table to play with till the wee hours of the morning.

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Bassy Cowboy Club | Bars, Music | Entry from € 5.00
Schönhauser allee 176a | Mitte
22:00 – late daily

“For me Berliner backyards are like surprises. You never know what’s waiting for you behind the gate.”

On one hand the way apartment buildings were built during the so called “Gründerzeit” (time around 1870-1914) produced the typical apartment blocks in Berlin, now known as “Altbauten” (old buildings) or “Mietskasernen” (tenements). On the other hand it gave Berlin those backyards everywhere.

In a particular area called “Scheunenviertel” (Barn Quarter) you can find a couple of very interesting “Hinterhöfe” where life seems to be hidden. Enjoy theatres, cinemas, galleries, museums, shops, cafes, bars, restaurants and other surprises there!

Except for “Hackesche Höfe“, now a tourist magnet and the most prominent complex of backyards, tourists and even Berliners don’t visit them. That is very unfortunate. And you will understand that if you go out to discover the following backyards:
– Backyard of Haus Schwarzenberg (see the Haus Schwarzenberg article)
- Heckmannhöfe (see the Heckmanhoefe article)
- Hackesche Höfe: a complex of 8 backyards
Rosenthaler Straße 40/41 & Sophienstraße 6
- Kunsthof, contains very nice hospitality and quality galleries
Oranienburger Strasse 27
- Sophie-Gips-Höfe, contains the Hoffmann Collection (see the Hoffmann collection article) Sophienstraße 21
- Rosenhöfe, Rosenthaler Strasse 36
- Panasia/Gallerie Cicero, Rosenthaler Strasse 38

Also, I’d like to encourage you to keep your eyes open for many other backyards in this area and not to be shy to enter them. With a bit of luck you can find real jewels of cultural & night life in them!

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Berliner backyards | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Shopping, Theaters, Restaurants
Different locations | Mitte
Various opening times

I dropped by Bflat, for the first time, by coincidence on a lazy Wednesday evening. I set down in a corner and leaned on one of the big windows. While I was happily entertained by a Hefeweizen (in case you don’t know, make sure you will get to know this special German beer), I started wondering whether the piano and saxophone players were improvising or not. It was pretty good jazz. The answer came two minutes later when somebody from the audience asked the piano player for his seat and got it.

I go back to Bflat every now and then, on Wednesdays, when they have their free entrance jam sessions, starting with 9pm. Bflat is close to Hackescher Markt, has a mixed public and great acoustics.

Tip: They charge around 10 Euro for concerts during other evenings.

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Bflat Jazzclub | Bars, Relaxing | Beck’s € 2.60
Rosenthaler Strasse 13 | Mitte | +493028386835
Almost daily from 21:00

Most mornings as I merrily make my way down from Prenzlauerberg to bustling Mitte, I’m lucky enough to pass by the Café Fleury.

On entering the cosy interior with its eclectic blue/white furnishings and wicker chairs, you are immediately accosted with a mouth-watering rustic bouquet of fresh coffee, bread and melted cheese.  Scattered on the walls are little B&W portraits of ‘Nouvelle Vague’ legends Catherine DeNeuve, Jean Paul Belmondo and Romy Schneider to name a few.

This little gem luckily manages to avoid succumbing to the cliché ‘Allo Allo‘ style café.  Saying that, it seems to play with as well as pay homage to this very notion of ‘French-ness’

If you fancy kicking back with a sizeable bowl of Café au Lait (yes a bowl), then you can choose from a selection of French and German lifestyle magazines on offer to accompany you on a leisurely afternoon of lounging.

The menu has a reasonable choice of baguettes, quiches to breakfasts on offer throughout the day.  The ‘Croque Monsieur’ is to die for, it’s the best I’ve eaten outside of Paris. Being a sucker for tiny details, the accompanying edible condiment cups holding marmalade, cream, honey etc. (which are effectively the cut off bottoms of ice cream cones) are delightful.

If you’re more of a sweet tooth, Fleury offers a small selection of delicious homemade cakes and biscuits, naturellement.  Be warned, I’m not the only one who is enchanted by this bijou hotspot, it is regularly busy, but the short wait for a table is, in my humble opinion, is always worth it.

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Café Fleury | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (French) | Lunch € 6.00
Weinbergsweg 20 | Mitte | +493044034144
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 22:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 22:00

The first thing that comes to your mind when you enter Sankt Oberholz is: Is this an office or a cafe? People staring at and typing on their computers can be seen everywhere. From time to time, they take a sip of their Latte Macchiato, watching who enters the room while chatting with their neighbor. The secret ingredient at Sankt Oberholz is simple: Wireless Internet. This is no new concept for cafes in Berlin but somehow this one has become the preferred hotspot for laptop owners and wireless nomads.

But don’t worry, pixel lovers aren’t the only ones welcome here. There are some more things that make St. Oberholz such a special place to visit. For example, lots of interesting, creative and international people frequent the cafe, located in Berlin’s trendy Mitte District.

So it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary if the fashionable Asian girl in the corner is a successful media artist, the nerdy boy at the next chair the leader of an electro band, and if you look closer, the gonzo guy buying a fresh-made peppermint tea could be the author of a popular controversial coming-of-age novel. Or maybe they are just normal students like me.

In any case, it’s not just the people that usually frequent St. Oberholz that are unique, it’s also the cafe itself. Don’t just limit yourself to the ground floor where the self-service bar is situated. Be sure to go upstairs to the first floor and try to find a seat next to the huge windows. There you’ll have a great view over bustling Rosenthaler Platz – that means more people to watch plus the beautiful light of the sunset in the evening.

By the way, the self-service bar in the cafe offers a huge plate of delicious Spaghetti Bolognese for € 5.00! For smaller appetites you can chose from cakes, sandwiches, bagels and soups.

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Cafe Sankt Oberholz | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Snacks, Restaurants (intern.)
Rosenthaler Straße 72a | Mitte | +493024085586
Mon – Fri 08:00 – 00:00, Sat – Sun 09:00 – 00:00

Erdbeer means strawberry and the name is not a coincidental one. Situated at the corner of a graffiti decorated house the bar is befogged in red light. Many young people rather lie on the chairs than sit. Red walls and candlelight make you feel like being inside of a strawberry. The atmosphere is relaxed and the DJ puts some spherical music on. The Erdbeer Bar is comfortable and not overcrowded, at least on weekdays.

The most popular and common ingredient of Cocktails is (surprise!) the strawberry. The list of beverages offers not only many Cocktails and Long drinks but also different kinds of non-alcohol smoothies – mostly made with strawberries.

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Erdbeer Bar | Bars, Music | Cocktails from € 4.00
Max-Beer-Straße 56 | Mitte
18:00 – open end daily

Now, what a bar this is! Though, it’s a bit strange to purely call it a bar. From 2 pm it is open every day. Then, it’s called “Kaffe Kaschemme” – being a cafe. That includes nice coffees, cakes and more plus a seating area outside in the backyard (check the backyard article) of Haus Schwarzenberg (check the Haus Schwarzenberg article) where you are surrounded by a funny metal frog-sculpture and lots of cool street art on the walls.

From 20:00 onwards the cafe is “turned” into the bar “Eschschloraque Rümschrüp”. (If you wonder about the names: they don’t mean anything in German but sound funny, crazy and strange.) All that changes now is the name, the fact that you’ll get cocktails next to the usual menu and that there is some sort of musical act.

And it’s a bit of a surprising gambling, concerning the music (unless you check the website). Either DJs play rarely heard music or you’ll get any sort of live experience: Folk, Pop, electronic, singer-songwriter,… anything, really!

Oh, and did I mention the interior? Green, blue and red lights and alien-sculptures make this place deserve the synonym “The Alien-Bar”, as a friend of mine called it recently. And by the way, the waitresses are always nice and friendly.

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Eschschloraque Rümschrüp | Bars, Coffee & tea | Beer 0.33 l € 2.60
Rosenthaler Straße 39 | Mitte
14:00 – open end daily

Evidenced by the growing number of articles I’ve penned for this site on cafes & bars, you may get the idea that all I do in Berlin is booze and drink coffee – and you would be correct!

With that in mind, there is nothing like a shot of vodka and a good ole coffee,  preferably all in the same place.  As I’m too lazy to go bar hopping, Gorki Park is literally right up my alley.

It’s a great place to hang out with mates or sit down with your laptop and work, with the added bonus of delicious Russian dishes like  pelmini, blini and borsch.  There is nothing like a Soljanka soup to warm you up on one of those often dour and cold Berlin winter days. Lactose intolerant beware, sour cream is served with practically everything. Yum.

Enjoy the many flavoured vodkas on offer, with a backdrop of vintage Soviet propaganda posters and pictures of Yuri Gagarin decorating the walls. Smokers you’re in luck, as Gorki Park has a comfortable smokers room/section; so you do not have to be subjected to smoking outside in freezing temperatures or relegated to the back of the building like naughty school children, as is the case in many establishments.

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Gorki Park | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Russian) | Breakfast € 8.00
Weinbergsweg 25 | Mitte | +49304487286
09:30 – 02:00 daily

My favorite backyard (see the Backyards article): Haus Schwarzenberg.

One could say there are two cafes/bars, two shops, a gallery, a cinema, a museum…But that wouldn’t be enough to describe the importance of Haus Schwarzenberg. For getting a proper feeling of the cultural Berlin you have to go there.

Here is where Otto Weidt saved lives of deaf and blind Jewish workers from Holocaust in his broom and brush workshop. Find out more about this historical place in the “Museum Blindenwerkstatt Otto Weidt“.

The memorial “Stille Helden” honors and commemorates those people who, like Otto Weidt, risked their own lives to rescue prosecuted Jewish people from assured death.

Go further through to the second backyard. Here’s the lovely cinema “Central” (see this article). Also, you have the café “Kaschemme” which is “turned” into a bar and renamed “Eschschloraque” at 20:00 (see this article), a place with an alien-like decoration and really friendly staff.

Above the “Eschschloraque” is the “Neurotitan” – an extremely unique shop and gallery that sells, supports and exhibits all kinds of works of local artists, be it paintings/drawings, CDs/records or t-shirts/tops, books or other stuff.

Other places in Haus Schwarzenberg that are also worth going to are the “Anne-Frank-Zentrum” – an exhibition about the life of the Jewish girl whose diary became so famous and the lovely “Café Cinema”.

Finally, take some time to look at the walls. Most of Berlin’s famous street artists, such as Alias, El Bocho, Karl Toon or Vectorian, are present here.

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Haus Schwarzenberg | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Coffee & tea, Music, Shopping
Rosenthaler Strasse 39 | Mitte
Daily

Russians know how to party. One of the most famous ones in Germany is the writer Wladimir Kaminer. He came to Berlin in 1990 and started a Russian Disco at the Kaffee Burger near Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz 8 years ago.

It didn’t take a long time until the Russendisko turned into a real Berliner institution. The two DJs, Kaminer and Yuriy present famous Russian Pop, Hip Hop, Rock, Ska and Reggae twice a month on Saturday.

Thanks to Kaffee Burger, which used to be frequented by actors, authors and singers in the 70’s, the atmosphere is authentic. Old velour wallpaper, dark wooden chairs, leather lounges and dim light make this place perfect for Russian parties where Vodka flows freely and the joint is always jumping. An old GDR-list of beverages on the wall and the huge soldier’s head next to the checkroom remind you of times when one part of Germany was run by a socialist regime.

But anyway, nostalgia fits the Russian mentality, so the Kaffee and the Russendisko go perfectly together. The place’s popularity proves it: people from all over the world dance together to the beat on the rather small dance floor. Hot air and lots of romping people create a frenetic party atmosphere that generally gets started around midnight and lasts until 4 or 5 in the morning.

Aside from Russendisko on Saturday nights, it’s also worth it to visit Kaffee Burger for other events. Almost every day they offer readings, live music, movies or parties. Kaffee Burger Bar itself is always open on Friday and Saturday evening.

The next Russendisko dates you will find here.

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Kaffee Burger | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music | Entry fee € 5.00
Torstraße 60 | Mitte | +493028046495
Fri – Sat 22:00 – open end, Sun – Thu open during events

Martin Gropius Bau was built in 1881 as Museum for applied arts and reopened after the renovation of war demolitions in 1981. Since 2001 it is one of the projects of the Berliner Festspiele cultural organization. It is located in the heart of Berlin, close to Potsdamer Platz and it is an imposing building. The venue welcomes the viewer with a mixture of elegance, comfort and good art.

MGB is a distinctive and established art space which finds itself in between a museum (as it does not have a permanent own collection) and a gallery (as it does not sell works of art).

It is a venue for many international exhibitions (covering photography, archaeology, art history and contemporary arts) and its profile makes it comparable with the Grand Palais in Paris and Royal Academy of Arts in London. All in all, Martin Gropius Bau is a must.

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Martin Gropius Bau | Art & culture, Bars | On average € 6.00
Niederkirchnerstraße 7 | Mitte | +4930254860
Wed – Mon 10:00 – 20:00

Calling all urban cowboys, Rock n Rollers and 50’s enthusiasts, Roadrunners Paradise is the place to be. This gig venue is where it’s at, if you’re looking for quality live classic Rock n’ Roll, Bluegrass, Country or Rockabilly music. You need not dress like or be a vintage enthusiast to feel at home (though it does help), as there is something very welcoming about roadrunners. Perhaps due its location, hidden away from passing traffic, it creates the feeling of an exclusive and friendly members club, feels like a bit of an insiders secret tip.

Located just off Saarbrücker Strasse in Mitte, tucked away at the back of commercial courtyard right next to an Alpha Romeo car workshop. You realise you’re there once you see the impressive variety of classic American cars parked outside, from Chevrolets to Cadillac’s.

This place has great acoustics and hosts both national and international acts; I recently saw a great Bluegrass band from Memphis perform here, as well as a rockabilly quartet from Hanover and Miss. Mospy a local Berlin Burlesque performer.

It’s charm also lies in the stylishly quaint decorative touches, like a vintage Harley Davidson mounted on the wall, pictures of Elvis, Herb Ritts and Charles Bukowski in classic gilded frames.

As Roadrunners hasn’t got fixed opening times, it is worth checking the website to see the concert schedule, generally it is always open Saturdays and costs 10 euros entry for enjoyable night of 50’s era inspired bands and DJ’s.

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Road Runners Paradise | Bars, Music | Entry € 10.00
Saarbrückerstr. 24 | Mitte
Check website for opening times

On weekends you can party everywhere else, but Thursday night belongs to Sage Club. For some people it’s their after-work relaxing zone, for others it’s better than Saturday because the club gets crowded early. Every Thursday Sage Club, located inside the U-Bahnhof Heinrich-Heine-Straße, turns into a music fest for finest Indie rock, Alternative and Metal.  But not only DJs reign this three floor venue.

The main floor is dedicated to live upcoming bands. After that Britpop, Indierock and All time favorites can be heard in the hall. The so-called Dragonfloor satisfies those addicted to a harder pace.  Here Metal, Hardrock and Hardcore are the DJ’s specialties. Downstairs you’ll find a smaller booth where Classics and Alternative music are played. But you better keep track of yourself and your friends: Sage Club is quite big and it’s not unusual for you or your friends to get lost in the crowd.

The interior of the Sage is reminiscent of a dominatrix studio. Every Friday and Saturday the club hosts KitKat, a techno-party that’s geared for anyone who dresses up in leather, latex, glitter, glamour and extravagant clothes (or no clothes at all). But of course this special interior fits well for Rock’n'Roll too.

The special attraction of the Sage Club is the swimming pool in the smoking/lounge area. Unfortunately a big sign forbids you to get in but the view into the deep blue water helps you come down after excessive dancing.

Make sure to get to the club before 22:00 for free entry (and don’t be put off by a possible long queue), after 22:00 you have to pay 6 € to get in.

If you need some great food on the next day keep in mind that Sage has also a restaurant. It doesn’t remind you at all on the dirty Rock Club. This place is rather chic, stylish and a little expensive – a hanseatic dream in white. But have a look at the wSage restaurant website and be sure to book before you come.

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Sage Club | Bars, Music, Restaurants | after 22:00 € 6.00
Köpenicker Straße 76 | Mitte | +49302789830
Thu 19:00 – open end

Stattbad Wedding was a public swimming pool complex, but the story here is about what it is today. A place for site-specifc installations. A place for parties. A place for performances. A place for filming. A place for what you can imagine building there. Because the managers of the space are open for your suggestions.

Of this assured me Jochen Küpper, cultural manager at Stattbad Wedding. The first time I met him was for a short interview, or better say, he answered a curiosity call. We set down on a couch by the swimming pool. The light was warm and we were surrounded by fishing nets, which managed to provide intimacy to the conversation, despite the constant movement around us. The place was getting ready for a weekend event. Jochen works around the clock for the Stattbad, no wonder he has nights catching him sleeping there.

Stattbad Wedding is a contemporary cultural centre, so its definition remains open. There is however a focus on urban arts. One of the first exhibition openings I have attended there was a urban affairs show spread throghout the swimming pool and the lockers. Alive butterflies were flying everywhere. Incredibly cruel and beautiful. The second time I’ve been to the Stattbad was an underground experience – we were literally under the swimming pool. Imagine pipes everywhere, video installations, bars and music which lasted til the morning. The space does offer unfolding possibilities.

Go there to be surprised. Or to surprise.

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Stattbad Wedding | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Relaxing, Festivals & events | Ticket +/- € 4
Gerichtstrasse 65 | Mitte
Please make sure to check the website

Go to Kunsthaus Tacheles! If I was to recommend you one place in Berlin to go to – it would be the Tacheles!

This ruin is basically the rest of a 1909 shopping mall. The rest of it which still exists today has survived bomb hits in WW II and plans of blasting. That could be avoided in 1990 by an initiative of artists, called “Tacheles”. As time passed it became a place full of life and a very important Berlin art center.

You should check out the Kunsthaus (= art house) Tacheles for many reasons:
- an extremely special, creative, alternative and lively place
- galleries and studios of at least 50 here working artists
- the wide range of their interesting art: paintings, sculptures, photos, collages, installations, videos
- High End 54 – a bar and cinema screening non-mainstream movies (program)
- the “panorama bar” on the top floor and the Café Zapata downstairs
- the “Goldener Saal” (”Golden Hall”): a huge and flexible hall for any sort of performing arts
- the backyard with the beer garden: full of interesting details such as sculptures and installations
- the architecture of the building (protected as a monument)
- here you can really feel the way the city of Berlin ticks
- uniqueness, independence from money

The website of Tacheles is partly in English, German and Spanish; other languages appear out of the blue. Though without structure about the languages, you’ll get on with the site to find out more about Tacheles.

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Tacheles | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Theaters
Oranienburger Str. 54-56a | Mitte | +49302826185
Daily

One play I have seen there some time ago was a jam session and had an improvised open ending, which slowly transformed into a competition: who will last longer? The actors improvising on the stage, or the spectators invited already to leave? It was not until after midnight that the curtain was down.

Volksbuehne is an experimental theatre. Like any experimental endeavor, it is not for everybody. Expect most of the times live filming, simultaneous video projections and loud music.

The theatre has another small stage in Kastanienallee, the Volksbuehne im Prater. This is right next to the Prater beer garden, which is a delight during warm days. Besides the great plays, there is a wonderful gigantic wooden table next to the bar in the Volksbuehne im Prater. While waiting to enter the play, the spectators can sipp a drink around this table – this circle gives an uncanny warm feeling and it creates a familiarity among people who haven’t met before.

Note: The plays are in German.

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Volksbuehne | Bars, Relaxing, Theaters | Students € 3.50
Linienstraße 227 | Mitte | +4930240655
Plays almost every day of the week

The alternative look of the Zosch’s façade seems not to belong in the tidy area of Oranienburger Straße. You could imagine it in Friedrichshain or Kreuzberg but Mitte has turned more or less into the home of fancy chic in the last years. The Zosch is one of the survivors of the first pubs that established itself after the political turnaround in 1989. And it still remains true to itself. The staff and the people are down-to-earth and the interior is rustic. But the attention belongs to the music.

Downstairs in the cozy cellar which reminds you of an old larder in a medieval castle, mostly every night jazz bands or songwriters play. The atmosphere is familiar even if the pub is full of people. The big wooden tables and benches almost fill out the whole room and the place is quickly crowded.

Especially on Wednesday evening when the Goethe Institute of Berlin holds its student’s regulars’ table in the pub. But normally Zosch is a place where you find a lot of native people. It’s not overcrowded by tourists and most of the bands playing here are from Berlin. The Zosch is always trying to satisfy different tastes of music. Not only jazz but also songwriters, blues or gypsy bands enter the small stage.

Every Wednesday the band La Foot Creole which is committed to New Orleans Jazz plays in the Zosch’s catacomb.

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Zosch | Bars, Music, Snacks | Beer € 2.00
Tucholskystraße 30 | Mitte | +49302807664
16:00 – open end daily