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Is a small, sweet dessert part of your perfect meal? Unfortunately, the selection in many restaurants can be pretty disappointing. Still, I usually order one (how could I not?). Most cafés are already closed in the evening, ice cream parlors are still on their winter break, and it rarely feels worth making a detour to another spot just for something sweet. That’s how Xiu Jan, Tuan Anh, and My felt too. They missed having a place where you could get high-quality desserts late at night and end the evening in a calm, sweet way. That’s how the idea for the AO pop-up came about, which the trio opened in November 2025. AO Café serves Japanese-inspired desserts and drinks in the heart of the Simon-Dach neighborhood, just a stone’s throw from Shōdo Udon Lab, My’s Japanese restaurant specializing in homemade Sanuki-style udon and tempura. AO is a separate concept, even if the location makes it the perfect follow-up spot. First, slurp udon, then have a matcha at AO, and to top it off, share a fluffy cake. The focus is on classic Japanese creations such as strawberry shortcake, matcha mille-crêpe, and roll cakes. Everything is light and airy, exactly as you’d expect from Japan. Part of that comes down to the flour, which the team imports directly from Japan. It creates the texture that turns their shortcakes and roll cakes into the fluffiest possible treat.
The drinks menu combines classics with the café’s own experimental creations. Alongside matcha and hōjicha lattes, there’s the kinako dango latte, a milk drink with soybean powder and handmade dango. Other bestsellers include the hazelnut hōjicha latte (delicious!) and, yes, the kinako dango latte. All milk drinks can be made with oat or coconut milk at no extra charge, making them easy to order vegan. The yuzu and matcha cheesecakes are made with vegan cream cheese, and the chocolate mille-crêpe is also entirely free of animal products. The menu is set to change seasonally, with a new offering already planned for spring. The trio is also thinking long-term. Eventually, the location is set to become Bluen Bar, focusing on Japanese-inspired cocktails and drinks. The pop-up was originally planned to run until the end of January 2026, but thanks to the positive response, the trio now intends to keep the current concept running until May 2026. And I’ll admit, sometimes I skip the restaurant part altogether and just meet my friends here for something sweet.
Text: Robyn Steffen / Photos: Robyn Steffen & David Frank
AO, Wühlischstr.34, 10245 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
@ao.cafeberlin
How did I learn to love my myopia? By using my glasses as an aesthetic statement, as opposed to a mere optical aid. When it comes to buying a new pair, the stakes are accordingly high. One person who understands this better than most is Yutaro Fujiyama, optician and owner of Optik Fujiyama in Moabit. Bespectacled himself, the Japanese-born specs expert opened the contemporary eyewear store in October 2025 after qualifying as an Optikermeister in Düsseldorf. His smallish shop is quietly premium – all teak cabinets and clean white walls – but what stands out are the frames. The majority are from Japan, though not, Yutaro insists, because he is Japanese himself, but because the country simply makes the best frames. Yutaro is keen to point out special details, such as the Titanika and Taylor with Respect models that are cut from a single sheet of titanium. Or there are the Matsuda frames, whose temples feature tiny embellishments and micro-perforations for a delicate, precise look. Many of these glasses are as light as a feather, though there are some chunky acetate models for those fond of flamboyance. Once you’ve made your pick, Yutaro will test your eyes and help you configure your Zeiss lenses with every coating, tinting, thickness, and finish you could possibly imagine. For me, this is the best part: combining frames and tints to make the kind of specs people comment on. It’s the deal I’ve made with myopia – if I can have glasses this strong, I’ll settle for weak eyesight.
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Sophie Doering
Optik Fujiyama, Emdener Str.3, 10551 Berlin–Moabit; map
@optik_fujiyama_berlin
When I first moved to Berlin in 2022, one of the first things I needed after settling in was a haircut. Desperately. I booked an appointment at a salon on a whim and almost immediately regretted it. After showing the result to my friend, she recommended a salon she swore by. That’s how I ended up booking my first appointment at Marc-Antoine Hairstudio Gallery in Prenzlauer Berg. And now I feel obligated to pass on the recommendation. Marc-Antoine Hairstudio Gallery is (as the name suggests) a place where hair and art meet. From the beginning, founder Marc-Antoine didn’t want to create a classic salon, but a space that celebrates individuality, creativity, and human connection, while still offering professional craftsmanship. He brings over twenty years of experience as a hair stylist, shaped by work in the Paris cinema and the theatre scene, followed by the opening of his studio over a decade ago in Berlin. Before the scissors appear, you sit down and talk through exactly what it is you want out of your hair transformation. What you want, what you don’t, how you style your hair, how you want to feel. The approach of the team of four is personal and intuitive, focusing on the individual rather than current trends.
Face shape, lifestyle, personality, and energy guide every collaboration between the stylist and client. Then, an unhurried head massage follows, the kind that almost makes you doze off in uninterrupted bliss. The cut and styling are done with care and close attention to how your hair falls and moves, keeping in mind that no two hair structures are the same. I walked in seeking change and left confidently with a natural, effortless haircut that suits me perfectly: a soft wolf cut with layers for extra dimension, trimming the damage while keeping my length. And in case you need a haircut elsewhere: after establishing his studio in Prenzlauer Berg, Marc-Antoine expanded his practice to Istanbul with his partner, Mehmet, where they opened MM HairStudioGallery.
Text: Stefania Basano / Photos: Elisabeth Rogov
Marc-Antoine Hairstudio Gallery, Kopenhagener Str. 66, 10437 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
You can book appointments via Fresha or Instagram.
@marcantoinehairstudiogallery
My little sister’s favorite was “The Last Unicorn”, the animated film based on Peter S. Beagle’s novel. For weeks, she performed her own interpretation of the title song in her bedroom, and my parents had to put the VHS tape in the VCR again and again. The enchanting story of the mythical creature had completely captivated us. We weren’t the only ones back then, and we certainly aren’t today (in fact, we haven’t been for centuries). Unicorns have always enchanted those who pay attention to them, feeding the stories woven around them. The exhibition “Unicorn. The Mythical Beast in Art” at the Museum Barberini takes this remarkable career seriously, tracing the unicorn’s path through culture. Around 150 works and objects are on display, from travelogues describing unicorn sightings to medieval altarpieces and contemporary positions.
The unicorn appears as a Christian symbol of purity and chosenness, as a miracle cure, or as a wild, untameable animal. Paintings by Maerten de Vos (imposing), Titian (classical), and Arnold Böcklin (creepy) meet works by Magritte (domestic), Marie Cécile Thijs (realistic), and Olaf Nicolai (emo). My personal favorite is Wild Man on a Unicorn from 1473–1477 (wonderfully eccentric). Manuscripts, tapestries, sculptures, video works, and cabinet-of-curiosities objects show how the unicorn has oscillated between belief, science, and projection. Even the famous “unicorn horn” exposed as a narwhal tooth in the 17th century did nothing to diminish its fascination. What remains, ultimately, is a creature that never existed. Hovering somewhere between myth, pop culture, and longing, the exhibition presents the unicorn not as a fairy-tale figure, but as a mirror of cultural fantasies. The film from my childhood is just one version of this. This exhibition offers many others.
Text: Inga Krumme / Credit: Italian (Veneto) Virgin with Unicorn, ca. 1510, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet (Master of the Housebook), Wild Man on a Unicorn, 1473–77, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Olaf Nicolai La Lotta, 2006, VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2025
Museum Barberini, Humboldtstr. 5-6, 14467 Potsdam; map
“Unicorn. The Mythical Beast in Art” until 01.02.2026
@museumbarberini
Have you seen them? They’re popping up everywhere right now, tucked between Kiez life, winter grey, and New Year’s resolutions: Accountable posters. Take Warschauer Brücke, with slogans like “Happy New Year to self-employment” or “Tax detox”. Big ideas for the new year meet head-on with a to-do many people would rather postpone. That’s no coincidence in a city where an especially large number of self-employed creatives, designers, and freelancers work. Going solo promises freedom, plenty of opportunities for self-fulfillment, and even a bit of fun. But then there’s the question of finances. For many, everything to do with financial planning, admin, taxes, and the rest isn’t exactly easy. Fortunately, there’s a modern solution. The team at Accountable has taken on this very issue and bundled everything into one app. Banking, bookkeeping, and taxes all in one place. After all, you want to write invoices, scan receipts, and make payments directly. Ideally, via real-time transfers from a business account with a German IBAN. A virtual debit card for Apple Pay and Google Pay is included, too.
And if things are going well, you’ll want to keep an eye on your taxes. You have to. Automatic tax reserves: done. Bookkeeping runs in the background and stays GoBD-compliant. Receipts are practically recognized on their own, and incoming payments too. When it’s time to get serious. Submit income tax, VAT, or trade tax directly in the Accountable app, complete with real-time calculations, deadline reminders, and AI tax support. Yes, these are exactly the topics people love to procrastinate. But since apps often promise a lot, and you might be promising yourself a lot too, the best move is to try it first. Test Accountable for six months, then see where you stand with your business plan and milestones.
Text: Massimo Hartmann / Photos: Accountable, Shvetsa
For more information, visit Accountable and use the code “6MONTHSBERLIN” to get a free six-month trial.
@accountable.de
ANMELDUNG