Between luxury boutiques and rows of hotels, historic shopping centers and international restaurants, there has been one more stop on my Ku’damm list since the end of last year (2023): Hou Tang. Hotpot à la Chengdu is served here – a fire pot that is a true classic in East Asia, especially in winter. The restaurant’s interior is reminiscent of Asia’s tea rooms and bustling marketplaces. Take the tiled corridor that you share with waiters and their serving trolleys is narrow for example. Traditional handicrafts such as bamboo weaving and Guo Hua paintings, red lanterns and neon lettering adorn the room creating an exciting atmosphere. Hou Tang is practically straight out of China, and people have long been queuing up to get a table. What makes it so popular? There are many reasons but above all is that everyone can enjoy a shared hotpot exactly as they like it. Here you don’t have to choose just one broth, the hotpot can be subdivided as you wish with the help of small partitions, saving you the headache of deciding who in your group likes it spicy (and who likes it over-spicy), who only eats vegan food or who has allergies. We end up with three different broths in the pot: the spicy version with Szechuan pepper, dried chillies, star anise, cloves and cumin, where you can choose the level of spiciness yourself; a pork bone broth, and a vegan tomato-based version.

And then the real choices begin, because the list of ingredients is long: beef, lamb, pork, shrimps, meatballs, noodles, quail eggs, mushrooms, pak choi, tofu skin – you’ll find all the classics, but I’ve also discovered a lot of new things here too. You can also put your own sauces together at a help-yourself counter: soy, sesame oil, oyster sauce, fermented tofu paste, spring onions, garlic and ginger – you can mix everything to your liking. If it all sounds too overwhelming, there is also a guide to traditional sauce mixtures hanging above the counter. Drinks and desserts are also catered for. The homemade lemonade adds balance to the spicy food and the jasmine milk tea is so delectable it’s almost dessert (but only almost). Don’t miss out on the desserts because the shaved ice is the perfect way to cool down after a hot firepot. Every street has an end, but Ku’damm feels endless – Hou Tang brings the Chengdu of the 1930s to the boulevard of Berlin’s West – and with it on your list, you’ll discover Ku’damm’s final destination.

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Hou Tang, Kurfürstendamm 175, 10707 Berlin–Wilmersdorf; map
Mon–Sun 12–23h

@houtang_hotpot

It’s barely Christmas and people are already asking what your plans are for New Years. Half your friends are out of the city, the other half are starting to text in the group chat to see what the plans are. Stress less: we’ve been keeping an eye on tips for you and here are some easy options to have a special evening… Want somewhere with dinner and the party all in one? Listening bar Anima is celebrating their first new years after opening this year, with a 4-course meal complemented with a wine pairing by Ritual Wine. You’ll need to reserve a spot, and after dessert they’re clearing the tables and opening to all to dance in 2024, (though you’ll be first to have a cocktail in your hand for the firework view of the spree…). Oh, Panama is also offering a dinner-party combo. This restaurant makes modern German cuisine and for New Year’s they have a 5-course special menu. There are two options: the regular menu which includes pike perch and venison with brioche dumpling, or the vegetarian which stars pumpkin with celeriac garum and celery cutlet with black cabbage. After, step next door to Tiger Bar for the afterparty.

Thinking more about food than the party? St. Bart are doing a 4-course menu for New years complete with bubbles, wine and cocktails. If you want to end the night Michelin, Bonvivant also has a 6-course vegan and vegetarian menu. If a non-stop buffet sounds more your style, Open House is the place to be with shared plates and bottles of wine all night long. Want to end your year with some classical music? The Berlin Philharmonie is doing a New Year’s Concert, and streaming it live in concerts across Germany. Okay, if you’re still here you’re more of a night owl… If you’re only thinking of the dancing part of the night, Torte Bar might be more your style – they’re throwing a party with Nadine Hemming and Imad. Or simply wander the streets and follow the sound of the fireworks.

Text: Savannah van der Niet / Photos: Robyn Steffen & Carmen Triana

@anima.berlin
@oh.panama
@st.bart.pub
@bonvivantberlin
@openhouse.berlin
@berlin.phil
@torte.ber.berlin