News
from: Berlin Tourism Marketing North America
www.visitberlin.de
Source: Kirsten Schmidt
Published: February, 2009

ABOVE: Take public transit to a Berlin restaurant, and you won't need to say "Nein" to beer or wine.

Dining in Berlin: trends, news, and insider tips

LOS ANGELES -- Those craving traditional comfort foods may certainly indulge in roast pork knuckles, calves liver, dumplings or sauerkraut in Berlin. However, 20 years after the fall of the Wall, Berlin's cuisine, much like the city -- has reinvented itself, offering up lighter and fresher fare, "öko" (organic) options, star-rated dining and an impressive selection of international and ethnic choices that now dominate the city's dining scene.

In 2009, visitors to Berlin are invited to sample the city's many food varieties, explore food trends, and experience the wide range of culinary options.

A new interpretation of fast food in Germany's organic capital

With health and environmental consciousness becoming more mainstream, the demand for fresh, regional and organic food has arrived in Berlin's fast-food sector. Offering a popular alternative to burgers or sausages, busy Berliners now have a wide range of organic fast food choices.

With five locations in Berlin, Gorilla Natürlich FastFood is Germany's first organic fast food chain. Promoting sustainability, natural foods, and regional products, menu items are 100% organic and include sandwiches on whole wheat bread, salads, and soups. For location information, see www.gorilla-natuerlich.com.

Even Berlin's popular "curry wurst" can now be enjoyed by health-conscious diners. Witty's Currybude at Wittenbergplatz serves up a high-quality organic sausage drenched in the typical ketchup-curry sauce made from natural ingredients. Round off this almost guilt-free snack with a refreshing organic beverage.

Yellow Sunshine serves strictly vegan or vegetarian burgers, fries, muffins and other fast-food favorites. Open 24/7, Fresh 'N' Friends organic supermarkets and boutique restaurants emphasize fresh, regional, and organic ready-to-eat foods, fair trade practices, and sustainability.

Foodorama on Bergmansstraße in Kreuzberg goes even one step further, calling itself the first certified "climate-neutral" organic restaurant, using seasonal and regional products, and operating in thermally insulated rooms. (www.yellow-sunshine.com, www.freshnfriends.com, www.foodorama.de).

Top of the line: Exclusive private dining at Tim Raue's "Krug Room"

Since October of 2008, acclaimed chef Tim Raue offers private dining of the highest standards at the Krug Room. Located within the "Ma" and "Uma" restaurants at the Hotel Adlon, the luxuriously furnished and completely private dining room holds a maximum of eight guests. Every course is personally presented and served by Raue and his Maître d' wife Marie-Anne. No other staff is present, but guests have a view of the kitchen via a camera feed.

Raue offers delicacies and ingredients so rare that they can only be offered to a small number of guests. Items on the menu include sea cucumber from the Catalan coast, fish maw from Hong Kong, and murahata melons from Japan, paired with the finest Krug champagnes and the rarest and most exquisite wines. A menu for eight starts at Euro 2,500, with no upward limit. Open Tuesday to Saturday, by request only. (www.ma-restaurants.de).

A dozen Michelin stars shine in Berlin's gourmet heavens

The 2009 edition of the Michelin Hotel & Restaurant Guide once again awarded twelve stars to Berlin's gourmet restaurants.

Boasting three Michelin stars in 2009, the Hotel Adlon for the first time ever has received the highest distinction for its restaurants the Chinese-inspired Ma Tim Raue, the Italian restaurant Gabriele with chef Björn Alexander Panek, and Lorenz Adlon for chef Thomas Neeser's culinary art à la francaise.

Head chef Christian Lohse of the Fischers Fritz seafood restaurant in the Regent Hotel was again honored with two stars for "outstanding cuisine". It should be noted that only 30 restaurants in Germany have ever achieved two or three stars.

Additionally, the restaurants Facil, First Floor, Hûgos, Margaux, Rutz, Vau and Vitrum have successfully retained their star in the current edition of the Michelin Guide, winning over the demanding Michelin inspectors over with their culinary masterstrokes. (www.facil.de, www.firstfloor.palace.de, www.fischersfritzberlin.com, www.gabriele-restaurant.de, www.hugos-restaurant.de, www.hotel-adlon.de, www.ma-restaurants.de, www.margaux-berlin.de, www.rutz-weinbar.de, www.vau-berlin.de, www.restaurant-vitrum.de).

Culinary journey through seven continents in Berlin

Contributing greatly to the Capital's culinary landscape, Berlin's cosmopolitan citizens find their origins in over 180 countries. International cuisine in Berlin is much more than pizza, Chinese take-out and skewers of grilled meat. The city's ethnic and specialty restaurants offer high quality dining journeys around the globe, from the frozen tip of Scandinavia, grasslands of southern Africa and peaks of the Himalayas to the Australian Outback and skyscrapers in the USA.

Detailed information on Berlin's many international restaurants is available upon request from Berlin Tourism Marketing.

Dine for less: Money-saving tips from Berlin Tourism Marketing

With very competitive hotel rates, a subsidized culture, and low overall cost of living, Berlin is known to offer one of the best values on the continent. To save even more without sacrificing quality, Berlin Tourism Marketing is offering the following dining tips:

Indulge in Breakfast. Many hotels include elaborate breakfast buffets in their overnight rates. Fill up on healthy fresh breads and jams, local cheeses, eggs, and a seemingly endless choice of cold cuts.

Go for lunch specials. Hungry after a morning of sightseeing? Lunch is the main meal for many Germans, and you will notice business people flocking to nearby restaurants for a midday hot meal. Look out for daily lunch specials posted outside the local eateries, often including a salad, a hearty main course and dessert for under Euro 15.

Gourmet dining for less at lunch. Craving top cuisine for less? Many of Berlin's top and star-rated restaurants offer lunch specials for considerably less than their dinner options.

Tax and Service included. The price you see on the menu is the price you'll pay. In Germany, tax and service charges are already included in the posted price. Tips are given as a sign of appreciation and patrons typically round up the bill (5-10%).

Dine away from the tourism hot spots. For local dining and lower prices, get away from the main tourism areas, and seek out your favorite local restaurant in one of Berlin's many charming side streets.

Get the Berlin Welcome Card. The popular city pass not only offers free public transportation and discounts for many tourism sights; but also includes discount coupons for many local restaurants.

For more information on Germany's capital city, go to Berlin Tourism Marketing's Web site at www.visitBerlin.de.

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