Prenzlauer Berg Berlin – All our local tips

For all those girls (and some guys) who are suckers for frilly skirts and ruched dresses, then a visit to Besserdresser would be in order.

Here you can puruse this bijou boutiques rails for made to measure dresses, tops and gowns in an array of stripes, polka dots, bows and floral prints. The boutique exudes the air of a candy shop and though the dresses do have a vintage inspired flair, they are by no means retro in a caricature sense. Just the right balance of old and modern meshed into one.

If you have time I would recommend getting the Andrea Faupel (owner and designer of BD) to create something unique for you. You can’t miss her, she is never without her trusty tape measure slung around her neck.

Otherwise if you are only in town for a short while, amongst Andrea’s own Pret a Porter designs are a host of other young designers as well as a selection of shoes on offer from cult brand Fly London.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Besserdresser | Shopping | Average Dress € 130.00
Lychener Strasse 10 | Prenzlauer Berg | +4930621815
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 18:30

This café & créperie has a pleasant underlying 19th century romantic atmosphere.  On entering you are greeted by a beautiful art nouveau mural of a young girl covered in garlands of flowers in her windswept hair by Mucha. Further back is a cosy corner decorated with a chic chandelier, warm red velvet seating and drapes.  You can imagine a modern day Rainer Maria Rilke penning his poems whilst enjoying a fragrant coffee.

Not only does this café offer delicious homemade cakes, tarts, and fresh breakfasts; but there is also an adjoining Florist that sells a beautiful array of flowers and plants. Fresh flowers are also used in some of the café’s specialities, like the fragrant fresh rose tea, which is a must!

If you head there with a friend for breakfast, I recommend one of their breakfasts for two menu trays, where various breakfast standards and fresh fruit are presented attractively on quaint tiered silver trays.

In summer take advantage of their large outdoor terrace to enjoy the sunshine. If you enjoy a good read, then you can borrow a book from their mini library, with books donated by customers and staff. The books are sweetly housed in the hollow of a tree trunk nest to Anna Blume’s terrace area for your reading pleasure.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafe Anna Blume | Coffee & tea, Shopping, Snacks, Restaurants (European)
Kollwitzstr. 83 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493044048749
08:00 – 02:00 daily

Morgenrot is one of the many cafes in Kastanienallee. It has a few tables outside, self service and mostly punk music. The atmosphere is relaxed and intimate around the small wooden tables.

What makes Morgenrot a special stop?
- One can borrow here a one chess-set-lacking-a-pawn.
- One can have here wonderful vegetarian brunches (until 15:00) for customer-decided-prices between 4 and 8 Euro.

Additionally, the cafe hosts cultural and political discussions – it is an open space which welcomes and supports such initiatives. This openness, the affordable prices, the great breakfasts and the vicinity to the Volksbuehne im Prater theatre (see the Volksbuehne article) make it worth while to me.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Café Morgenrot | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Brunch from € 4.00
Kastanienallee 85 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493044317844
Tue – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – 10:00 – 03:00, Sat 11:00 – 03:00, Sun 11:00 – 01:00

The window is covered up by paper and the entrance hidden. It looks like a shop under construction but every minute people go in and out. This is Dr. Pong: Prenzlauer Berg’s Ping Pong-Bar.

When you first enter, you get the feeling that this is not an official bar but a member’s only club. The Spartan interior includes little more than a ping-pong table and some chairs. The walls are empty, but the club is crowded. Upon further exploration, you will find a bar, a small lounge and a DJ stand. No luxuries here, just a comfortable, cozy grotto that offers a remarkable alternative to all the normal bars where you just sit, stand or talk.

In the bar’s main room, people with table-tennis paddles run in circular fashion around the ping pong table, playing one of our favorite children’s games, but usually in a big group. Most of the people are not professional players and some have never even played before, so don’t worry if you don’t hit the ball (and as a good excuse, you can always say that beer makes you lose your body control). Anyway, there is always a new round, which gives you the chance to show your hidden talent.

One of the bar’s owner’s interests is, according to the bar’s manifesto, “losing the definition between game/sport and partying”.  A “healthy addiction” to beer and ping pong makes you definitely want to come back to this inconspicuous place.

By the way, you don’t need to bring your own ping pong paddle; you can borrow one at the bar for a deposit of 5 euro.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Dr. Pong | Bars, Relaxing | Beer € 2.00
Eberswalder Str. 21 | Prenzlauer Berg
Mon – Sat 20:00 – open end, Sun 14:00 – open end

On the go and want a snack that is tasty, reasonably priced and yet also healthy? Then Hot Dog Soup should be right up your alley. This is a small and friendly snack bar where you can get a range of yummy hot dogs and soups (sorry for stating the obvious).

Standard menu classics are, Tomato, Mulligatawny and Chilli soup, with a rotational seasonal choice. Recently I enjoyed a delicious autumnal wild game soup and can also wholeheartedly recommend the Danish, Kraut and Chilli hotdogs…yum. Of course vegetarian and vegan options available on request.

I used to frequent the Hot Dog Soup in Friedrichshain (Grünberger Str. 67) about once a month when I visited my hairdresser around the corner, always treating myself a post haircut nibble.

The second branch has on Raumerstrasse(Prenzlauerberg) has recently  closed, i am not sure if this is temporary or if its closed down for good, so to guarantee hotdog/soup pleasure the one on Grünberger Strasse (Friedrichshain) is a sure shot.

One added and charming facet, which are comics. Self published comics from local Berlin comic artists hang from loose strings on the walls for customers reading pleasure.  You can grab a delicious organic Danish hot dog and leaf through a comic or two.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Hot Dog Soup & Comix | Snacks | Hot Dog € 2.00
Grünberger Str. 67 | Prenzlauer Berg
Mon – Thu 12:00 – 23:00, Fri – Sat 12:00 – 00:00, Sun 12:00 – 21:00

I adore wine and this cosy wine bar/restaurant is literally next door to my apartment, making it a prime location to spontaneously head off for a decent a meal with friends or to wile away a Sunday late afternoon snugly tucked in the corner with a glass of Rioja and a good book on my own.

‘Im Weinstein’ has an inviting ambiance with old wine barrels and dusty bottles circling the interior; added to this are simple brown wooden tables and benches set to a background of soft candlelight, creating a warm and cosy atmosphere.

With a fine selection of wines from Bordeaux to Blaufränkisch, Chardonnay to Riesling, this cosy bar avoids the haughty and intimidating air that can be the fate of good wine bars. The waiters are informed and friendly without the smug pretensions of many a sommelier.

They also serve rustic and tasty European cuisine; seasonal dishes such as scallops served with marinated carrots or braised shoulder of wild boar.  My favourite snack, which I’m addicted to, is their take on garlic bread: pan fried German black bread in butter, served generously smeared with freshly chopped wild garlic and olive oil. A tasty accompaniment to a glass of red, but make sure you take a breath mint with you for afterwards.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Im Weinstein | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (German) | Main meal from € 7.50
Lychener Strasse. 33 | Prenzlauer Berg | +49304411843
Mon – Sat 17:00 – 20:00, Sun 18:00 – 02:00

The Kastanienalle is a long lively road lined wtih an abundance of cafes, restaurants and trendy shops; half of the street resides in Prenzlauerberg and the other half in Mitte.  I kind of have a love hate relationship with this street, on one hand its’ a prime location for people watching as you have a coffee, with its mix of fashionistas, young 30 something parents with their bugaboo strollers and locals that have lived here even before the wall came down.

On the other hand Kastanienalle can be tiresome, with the constant flux of painfully hip youngsters sporting their asymmetric hairstyles and nu rave chic, strutting down the street like runway models, which has lead to my friends and I sardonically renaming it Casting-allee. (Gee I’m starting to sound like an old age pensioner)

Despite this, there are a host of little spots that make it well worth a stroll down. You can always find cutting edge new fashion designers showcased at the Temporary showroom, where Kastanienallee meets Schwedterstrassse; or if you are more of a modern classicist there is also a small branch of womans’ prêt-a-porter brand Thatchers.

On a warm sunny spring or summers day/eve it is always pleasant to pop into the Prater beer garden (located near the Eberswalderstrasse end of Kastanienalle) and take in the sunshine with a nice pint of radler and a schnitzel.

There are also a couple of oddball, for want of a better word, ‘post-modern’ shops that don’t actually sell anything, like the Apple Macintosh shop that is never open and displays broken and outdated computer models in the window.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Kastanienallee | Bars, Relaxing, Shopping
Kastanienallee | Prenzlauer Berg
24 hours daily

It’s criminal and incomprehensible to visit Germany without trying a Bratwurst, Bockwurst or more specifically to Berlin a Currywurst! It’s madness – unless of course you’re vegetarian, vegan or have cholesterol issues.

‘Wenn’s um die Wurst geht – Tradition mit Geschmack’ – This funny little German play with words (hard to translate the joke – trust me it’s funny) is the slogan for Konnopke’s Wurst Imbiss, one of the oldest and most popular snack bars in Berlin.  It’s certainly a family affair at Konnopke’s, it will be celebrating its 80th birthday on 4th Oct. 2010.

Located under the U-Bahn rails next to Eberswalderstrasse station, I pass by this snack bar (actually looks more like a snack train carriage) every day – from early morning to evening there is regularly a long line of hungry construction workers, tourists, and locals waiting for their dose of calorific German fast food.

Nothing like the oily meaty aroma wafting across the street in the early morning, but seriously if you want to sample a decent German sausage you have to head here.

They also recently won the ‘Gastro Award’ in Berlin and Brandenburg within the Imbiss category…so if that’s not sausage certification for you, what is.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Konnopkes Wurst Imbiss | Snacks
Schönhauser Allee 44a | Prenzlauer Berg
Mon – Fri 06:00 – 20:00, Sat 12:00 – 19:00

It doesn’t happen very often that a very old brewery inhabits places for culture and night life – but here it does. The Kulturbrauerei (literally “Culture Brewery”) is one of these places Berlin is so much loved for (see it as a recipe for Berlin’s venues: Take something old, but don’t tear it down and build new – recycle! Leave it unfinished or renovate and rebuild it – keeping the old spirit and looks in order to create a new (but still old) place; an interesting, historical and architectural landmark.)

I think the Kulturbrauerei is one the highlights of these sort of places. It is a complex of former brewery buildings (boiler house, machine house, stable, canteen,…) that are now host to the places we can find there now:
Night clubs, cafes, bars, a cinema, theatres, an important concert house, a dance school, a billiard saloon, a cooking workshop, but also companies such as publishing houses, a bicycle hire shop (Berlin on Bike also offers guided tours on bikes) and many others.

Fans of old architecture will definitely enjoy Kulturbrauerei which is a wonderful example of the long period of historism. The 1889 complex has a bit in common with a castle from the middle ages. The renovation, completed in 2000, kept the old brewery air and hence made it one of the nicest and most important cultural platforms in Prenzlauer Berg and surely in whole Berlin, too.

The website is user-friendly, in German and English and comes up with cool moving surround views. See here for the cultural program and opening times as well as the presentation of each venue.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Kulturbrauerei | Art & culture, Bars, Cinemas, Music, Theaters
Knaackstraße 97 | Prenzlauer Berg
Daily

I am always grateful that I live in Prenzlauerberg, as my apartment is always a stones’ throw away from all my favourite places, luckily enough Mauerpark flea market counts as one them.  On a lazy Sunday morning I can leisurely brunch in a local café beforehand and mosey on down to Mauerpark to look out for a good deal or two.

Everyone from students to local’s camp out at their market stalls early Sunday morning (as the market opens from 07:00-17:00) selling their household brick-a-brack, clothing, music instruments, bicycles, records and more at a bargain prices. Throw in a couple of snack stands into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a leisurely Sunday.

In the summer I enjoy browsing through records, finding some quirky second hand shoes from the 70’s/80’s or buying some bargain furniture/pictures to decorate my apartment with.  Then I have a cool beverage and a warm pretzel in the beer garden located between the flea market and park.

Fear not, the Mauerpark Flohmarkt stays open even in winter months, where market stall sellers keep warm with a flask of tea and die hard bargain hunters dare Berlin’s biting cold, warming themselves up with a tasty and comforting Glühwein.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Mauerpark Flohmarkt | Shopping
Bernauer strasse 63-64 | Prenzlauer Berg
Sun 07:00 – 17:00

This delightful retro inspired bar is a recent discovery of mine, after trying to find shelter from the down pour of a sudden torrential rain storm, as I was walking down the Kollwitzstrasse one evening.

Inside i came across a warm and cosy watering hole, with an almost Twin Peaks feeling interior. There are red velvet furnishings, an old 50’s TV and eclectic mix of patterned wallpaper. You can make your self comfortable chatting as you sip a cocktail or two, with the Andrews Sisters, Billie Holiday or Johnny Cash playing in the background.

I warmed myself up with a reasonably tasting Whiskey Sour. Cocktails are fairly priced and tasty, but this depends on the bar tender.   I have had great cocktails and friendly service and other times underwhelming ones served with a slice of attitude.

Don’t let this put you off, it is well worth a visit on a cold evening or in the summer take advantage of the terrace area directly on the Kollwitzstrasse.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Scotch and Sofa | Bars, Relaxing | Whiskey Sour € 5.50
Kollwitzstrasse 18 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493044042371
14:00 – till late daily

St George is a small English book store in Woertherstr. The place is packed with new and second hand books in English.

Last time I stopped there I got Bukowski’s ‘What matters most is how well you walk through the fire’. I opened the book by chance and got to stare at two white pages. And remembered I wanted to write about the place.

However, such a location has an ability of weaving its own story. And on top of everything, the team behind the books is very friendly. Every now and then, they also organize evenings meant to bring people together, to read each other or to each other.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
St George | Shopping | Bukowski’s book. € 6.00
Wörtherstr. 27 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493091798333
Mon – Fri 11:00 – 29:00 , Sat 11:00 – 19:00

Not far from Mauerpark, this is quirky shop occupies two shop fronts right next to each other on the Eberswalderstrasse , hosting a collection of items (mainly clothing) ranging from the 40′ s – 80’s apparel.

German speakers may deduce from the name that ‘Stiefelkombinat’ (Boot collective) specialises solely in boots, but you would be mistaken, as the name is a bit misleading.  They do of course have a range of cowboy, biker or ankle boots on offer but as well as that they house a very good range of men’s vintage clothing.  It’s a great find as the vintage market is over-saturated in woman’s clothing, so to find a place that has such an extensive and exclusive selection of men’s apparel is quite a treat.

They have beautiful suits for men from the 40’s and 50’s; a collection of stylish hats to match and their shoes are well maintained, with a choice of leather brogues.  Amusingly enough there’s a small selection of high waisted male ‘Y’ front underpants hung up by the doorway, wafting in the wind as you enter/exit the shop.

In the second space next door, you can find old DDR brands like VEB Berliner damenmode, Leipziger Kunstpelzmoden or Dresdener Hutmoden. They also have vintage tube radios, decorative lighting, nick knacks, posters and magazines for sale as well.  If you love vintage you will love Stiefelkombinat, I know it satisfies my vintage cravings at least once a month.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Stiefelkombinat | Shopping
Eberswalder Str. 21-22 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493051051234
Mon – Fri 09:30 – 22:00, Sat 09:30 – 22:30

Normally I tend to have a penchant for cast-offs from the 30’s and 40’s, but in the case of VEB Dress Faktor it’s hard for me to resist the colourful and eclectic offerings from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s on display in this shop.

Actually Dress Faktor is linked to a set of three other such shops in the Prenzlauerberg area all about 200-300 meters apart from each other and part of the VEB Orange group. All three specialise in an assortment of DDR second hand clothes, furnishings and accessories.

There is the VEB Danz Schuh (Danziger Str. 2)- A small mix of shoes and coats
VEB Orange (Oderberger Str. 29) – DDR posters, furniture and accessories
Dress Faktor (Schliemannstrasse) – Woman’s apparel – Dresses, shoes, stockings and hats.

There is a plethora of colourful dresses/outfits in synthetic fabrics encircling the shop on entering. Everything from voluminous tulle and satin cocktail dresses with puffy sleeves to polyester trousers and jumpsuits, which are reminiscent of the bionic woman’s wardrobe.  Having a bit of an obsession with shoes of every ilk, their selection of shoes is also formidable.  Rows upon rows of high heels, peep toes, sandals, Mary Janes, and boots.

Dress Faktor (as well as Danz Schuh and Orange) are not only places where you can snag a bargain on retro  clothing or furniture, but through their collection also captures a sense of history, giving visitors a small glimpse into the day to day being and styles of DDR period Berlin.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
VEB Dress Faktor | Shopping
Schliemannstr. 46 | Prenzlauer Berg | +493097886886
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 20:00

Fra Rosa is one of 3 branches of the Weinerei restaurant/café collective all located 100m apart from each other on Zionskirchplatz.  It has that typically cosy and inviting Berlin DIY style, as if you had just walked into someone’s living room.  Its’ eclectic mismatched furniture and random decorative accessories are all set against the backdrop of paint chipped walls with red toned fresco style murals depicting lascivious half dressed femme fatales – a knowing nod to Toulouse-Lautrec style illustrations.

I have to be honest when I was first introduced to the Weinerei I was a bit sceptical, especially the whole concept they present of renting your wine glass for the evening for 2 euros and drinking to your hearts content.  This made me ask the natural question ‘what’s the catch’?  Well after many visits I can safely say there isn’t any; you rent your glass and at the end of the evening it’s up to you to bestow upon the establishment and staff a fitting contribution at your own discretion. Needless to say failure to do so is a mortal sin and social faux pas!

It is not only wine that is on offer, there is a fixed lunch and an evening three-course menu available everyday, and I have to say it’s pretty decent.  Brazilian Head chef Hugo de Carvalho describes his style of food as ‘con-fusion’ cooking

Sit down, rent a glass and keep the vino flowing…Prost!

“Come, thou monarch of the vine, Plumpy Bacchus with pink eye.”  William Shakespeare

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Weinerei | Bars, Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Fusion) | Glass rental € 2.00
Zionskirchstr. 40 | Prenzlauer Berg | +4917628209047
12:00 – 16:00 & 20:00 – till late daily

I love their concept: Every night a DJ, comfy seating, concise design, cheap beer.

First time I entered – I was so surprised about the atmosphere. A room that is completely soaked in reddish and orange illumination, walls that are covered with cool photos printed on canvas and flowers on the tables. I got a nice feeling about “Zu mir oder zu dir” (engl. “To my place or to your place”).

I quickly felt comfortable. It must have been the designer’s priority to have cosily designed couches and chairs. It seems here one is much rather supposed to lay down than to sit.

The music is not at all too loud but always contributes perfectly to my mood. I wanted to give tips to the DJ for playing such good music but he refused: He is hired anyway. I heard him playing anything between minimal techno and “Mack the Knife”. But it always works. Nothing for dancing, but for chilling out.

More impressions about the venue: Check the website – “Impressionen” includes the slide show.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Zu mir oder zu dir | Bars | Beer 0.5 l € 2.50
Lychener Str. 15 | Prenzlauer Berg
From 20:00 – open end daily