Berlin has become my second favorite city in Europe (after Paris). There’s a buzz in Berlin: young artists are coming to the city from all over the world (because rents are low) and for fans of new architecture, there’s a lot to see: the Jewish Museum by Daniel Libeskind, the Reichstag Dome pictured above, just to name a few. In addition, the city has good infrastructure (excellent public transport, bike paths, free Wi-Fi in many cafes, high-speed broadband and the impressive new Central Station).

On the gastronomic side, it’s never going to be like Paris but I was very pleased to find Thai and Vietnamese restaurants everywhere. The Italian and French restaurants I tried were all superb. Shopping is also a pleasure. You will find small boutiques run by young entrepreneurs selling beautiful one-of-a-kind items. The eastern part of the city has not been overwhelmed with chain stores (yet). That may change in the future so you should come to Berlin now.

Here are my favorite restaurants, cafes, bars and boutiques organized by neighborhood.

Mitte:

Makoto
Japanische Nudeln
Alte Schoenhauserstrasse 13
10119 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 97 89 38 57
laid-back restaurant serving Japanese ramen, rice plates

Cavallino Rosso
Hannoversche Strasse 2
10115 Berlin
+49 30 27 90 8314
www.cavallino-rosso.de
(closed Sunday, reservations necessary)
Italian

Boetzow Privat
Linienstrasse 113
10115 Berlin, Germany
+49 117 465 5251
neighborhood bar and restaurant, German food

Cacao Sampaka
Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse 3 / Unter den Linden
10178 Berlin
+49 30 847 12 476
(close to Alexanderplatz)
www.cacao-sampaka.de
chocolate bonbons from well-known Barcelona store

Shiro i Shiro
Rosa-Luxemburg-Str. 11
10178 Berlin
+49 30 9700 4790
(reservations necessary)
www.shiroishiro.com
Japanese-Euro fusion

Honigmond Restaurant
Tieckstrasse 12
10115 Berlin
+49 30 28 44 55 77
(reservations necessary)
www.honigmond.de
(Königsberger Klopse — meatballs in caper cream sauce)
German food

Hasir
Oranienburgerstrasse 4
10178 Berlin
+49 30 2804 1616
www.hasir.de
Turkish

Weinbar Rutz
Chausseestrasse 9
10115 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 24628760
(reservations necessary)
www.rutz-weinbar.de
wine bar serving tapas, gourmet food

Marcann’s
Invalidenstrasse 112
10115 Berlin, Germany
(breakfast, lunch)
delicious sandwiches, croissants, omelettes

Galeries Lafayette Berlin
Friedrichstrasse 76-78
10115 Berlin, Germany
Food hall has French bistro, luscious pastries, wine and champagne bar

Ambulance Bar
Oranienburgerstrasse 27
Berlin, Germany
funky little bar with DJ

Monsieur Vuong
Alter Schoenhauser strasse 46
10119 Berlin, Germany
+49 308 72643
www.monsieurvuong.de
Vietnamese, Asian

Restaurant Maxwell
Bergstrasse 22
10115 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 280 7121
www.mxwl.de
New German cuisine

Bangaluu
Invalidenstrasse 30
+49 30 8096 93077
www.bangaluu.com
restaurant, bar, dancefloor

103
Kastanienallee 49
Berlin
+49 30 4849 2651
bar restaurant, perfect for hanging on the sidewalk watching people

Shops

RSVP
Mulackstrasse 14
10119 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 280 94 644
Exquisite notebooks, pens, writing paper, cards and other paper products
www.rsvp-berlin.de

Neurotitan
Rosenthalerstrasse 39
Berlin
CDs, DVDs, books, comics in run-down graffiti filled building

Prenzlauer Berg:

Gugelhof
Kollwitzplatz / Ecke Knaackstrasse 37
10435 Berlin
www.gugelhof.de
+49 30 442 9229
(reservations necessary)
Alsatian

i Due Forni
Schoenhauserallee 12
Berlin
Pizza

Oki
Oderbergerstrasse 23
Berlin
+49 30 4985 3130
German-Japanese

White Trash Fast Food
Schoenhauserallee 6-7
Berlin
bar, nightclub with live music
www.whitetrashfastfood.com

Kreuzberg:

Osteria no. 1
Kreuzbergstrasse 1
+49 30 786 9162
Italian

Haifischbar
Arndtstrasse 25
Berlin
+49 30 691 1352
www.haifischbar-berlin.de

Friedrichshain:

Lemon Grass
Simon Dachstrasse 2
Berlin
Thai restaurant

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Here is a Google map with my favorite hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes and shops in Berlin.

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Berlin has become one of my favorite cities because there’s so much to do and compared to other European cities like Paris, Amsterdam and London, it’s affordable. In the past ten years, old buildings have been renovated, but it has not been turned into a museum. Architects such as Normal Foster (Reichstag dome) and Daniel Libeskind (Jewish Museum) have been commissioned to design edifices in Berlin, and even the ones that seem a bit kitschy such as the Sony Building, work very well in the end.

Berlin has attracted many young designers and artists from around the world because they can still find apartments and atelier space that don’t require bankers’ salaries. Result: a vibrant arts scene, lots of cool bars and restaurants, fabulous boutiques and bookstores.

If you are going to Berlin, I recommend staying for several days to enjoy the city. To help you find a hotel, here are my favorites. I’ve already posted one review for Miniloft Mitte, where I stayed, but I also checked out a few more for you categorized by district (Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain). At the end of this post, you will find a Google map that also lists my favorite restaurants and bars.

(1) Mitte: The old historical center of Berlin.  I like the north and northeast of Mitte.

Arte Luise Kunsthotel
Luisenstrasse 19
Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49 30 284 480
www.luise-berlin.com

Lux 11
Rosa Luxemburg Strasse 9-13
Berlin, Germany
+49 30 936 2800
www.lux-eleven.com

Honigmond Restaurant Hotel
Borsigstrasse 28 (corner Tieckstrasse 12)
Berlin, Germany
+49 30 284 4550
www.honigmond-berlin.de

Honigmond Garden Hotel‎
Invalidenstrasse 122
10115 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 284 45577
www.honigmond-berlin.de

art’otel berlin mitte
Wallstrasse 70-73
Berlin, Germany
+49 30 240 620
www.artotel.de

Hotel mitArt
Linienstrasse 139-140
Berlin, Germany
+49 30 28390430
www.mitart.de

The Circus Hostel
Weinbergsweg 1a
Berlin, Germany
+49 30 283 914 33
www.circus-berlin.de

And of course, my favorite apartment (see our review):

Miniloft Mitte
Hessische Strasse 5
10115 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 847 1090
www.miniloft.com

(2) Prenzlauer Berg: this district is northeast of Mitte. It is a residential beautiful district with terrific restaurants and night life.

ackselhaus & bluehome
Belforter Strasse 21
10405 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 443 37633
www.ackselhaus.de

Hotel Greifswald
Greifswalder Strasse 211
10405 Berlin, Germany
+49 30 4427888
www.hotel-greifswald.de

(3) Friedrichshain: Berlin’s up and coming district with lots of funky cafes and restaurants.

Eastern Comfort hostelboat Berlin
Mühlenstrasse 73-77
10243 Berlin, Germany
+ 49 30 667 638 06
www.eastern-comfort.com

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Here is a Google map of my favorite hotels, restaurants and bars in Berlin.

View Larger Map

Berlin has become one of the most fascinating cities to visit in Europe. There is a lot of edgy new architecture amidst so much history. Better yet, it is a very lively place because a lot of young people came to the city and opened clothing and design boutiques, bars, and restaurants.

Berlin has always attracted a young, alternative, creative crowd of artists and designers. Now that more visitors are coming to the city to enjoy, boutique hotels and chic B&Bs have been popping up in various districts.My favorite has to be the Miniloft Mitte in central Berlin, only a 10-minute walk from the new Hauptbahnhof (Central Station), which itself merits a visit because it is a stunning glass structure that looms over the empty space stretching between Mitte and Tiergarten.

Miniloft Mitte consists of four apartments, two of which are in the new building, which recently garnered several architectural awards. The extrovert is the larger of the two loft apartments in the new building. The owners of Miniloft are founders of the architectural firm called Deadline.

• Vibe: modern industrial chic, minimalist interior filled with light and stylish furniture.

• Pros: located in the Mitte district of Berlin, it is close to public transport and within walking distance of a lot of cool shops, restaurants, bars, museums and galleries. Mitte and the neighboring district of Prenzlauer Berg are the best places to stay in Berlin. The owners are architects and their work is stunning. The apartment is large and has everything you need, including fast Internet access (wired). Prices are reasonable. You would pay far more in a standard chain hotel room with much less space.

• Cons: nothing really unless you expect room service.

Another thing: the owners pay a lot of attention to detail to make your stay enjoyable. They have a little book in the apartment where they list their favorite cafes and restaurants in the neighborhood, interesting walking tours that include architectural gems of Berlin (with an excellent map), as well as practical places like grocery stores to fill your fridge.

Miniloft Mitte
Hessische Strasse 5
10115 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 847 1090
www.miniloft.com

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Here is a Google map of my favorite hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and shops in Berlin.

View Larger Map