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It’s hard to believe this historic lido, with a history spanning over 100 years, lay dormant for so long. After more than two years of renovation, one family has given new life to the grounds and continues to develop it, step by step. Today, the lido is once again a place to spend an afternoon by the water, with French-inspired dining, a newly created sandy beach, and a long pier. Families are just as welcome here as anyone else, with a shallow swimming area for kids. The whole site is wheelchair accessible and designed as an open meeting place for everyone. It’s a little oasis by the water where the noise of the city falls away and you feel like you’re on vacation. Halensee itself belongs to the small Grunewald chain of lakes and, after extensive restoration work, is once again considered a swimming lake with excellent water quality.
Das Halensee is divided into several areas, each with its own characteristics. At Bistro Soleil, sit under trees and order simple, seasonal dishes. For a more leisurely meal, Brasserie Chez Manu serves classic French cuisine with a seasonally changing menu. The day café La Lune opens soon too. Or head straight to La Plage with its new sandy beach, lounge chairs and a bar right by the lake. I particularly liked the long pier. The perfect place for an aperitivo. Stay a little longer and you’ll notice it’s not just about swimming and relaxing here. On Thursday evenings, there are Pilates classes on the pontoon. Some people just set up with a laptop by the water. Das Halensee is only a few minutes’ bike ride from Ku’damm. For lunch, for a drink, or simply for a few relaxed hours by the lake.
Text: Meta Leschik / Photos: Aditya Christian
Das Halensee, Koenigsallee 5a/b, 14193 Berlin–Grunewald; Map
@dashalensee
Berlin certainly isn’t lacking in culinary diversity, but pan-African cuisine often remains under the radar. One More Chapter in Friedrichshain has made it its mission to change that. Just a five-minute walk from Ostkreuz station, One More Chapter opens a space dedicated to pan-African cuisine and literature. Right next door is its sister bookshop, InterKontinental. In 2018, three Berlin-born women — Stefanie Hirsbrunner, Karla Kutzner and Venice Trommer — opened the bookshop. What they felt was missing in Berlin was a place for literature from Africa and the diaspora. When the restaurant space next door became available, the idea emerged to expand the concept. Why immerse yourself in Africa’s stories alone when the continent can also be discovered through its cuisine? Today, head chef Sibusiso Mntambo from South Africa crafts a menu that combines diverse African culinary traditions with international influences. The team is complemented by South African writer Niq Mhlongo, who contributes his literary perspective. It’s a multifaceted concept that, amid the many bars and cafés surrounding Ostkreuz, radiates a sense of calm. Bookshelves, wooden furniture, plants and warm lighting echo the atmosphere of the bookshop next door. Browse the shelves, then take a break and enjoy a meal.
After travelling through Africa’s literary landscapes at InterKontinental, the journey continues on the plate. The Afroncini, inspired by Italian arancini and made with jollof rice and peanut sauce, captures this idea perfectly. Our highlight is the One More Chapter Bowl with plantain, peri-peri rice and peanut sauce. To finish, be sure to try the fried Plantain Pops with homemade banana-vanilla ice cream. On warm days, pair your meal with the house-made ginger beer or the Earl Grapefruit Shrub, best enjoyed outside at one of the large wooden tables. With a drink in hand and a book on one of the sofas, One More Chapter feels like a living room in the heart of Friedrichshain.
Text & Photos: Isabelle Marten
One More Chapter, Sonntagstr.26, 10245 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
@onemorechapterberlin
For me, a haircut hovers somewhere between necessity and indulgence. Charles Edward disagrees. For him, it’s more like a basic right. Everyone deserves a great haircut, which is exactly why he opened his own Neukölln salon in June 2026. Charles Edward is from the UK. London, to be exact. While the salon is elegant — mid-century furniture, softly tinted walls, wood shelving — the man himself looks more like a young Alexander McQueen, with neon shorts and sporty sneakers. Why Berlin and not London? Life here, he says, is still manageable. Berliners love to complain about rising costs, but they’re nothing next to what he’d be facing back home. Charles has called Berlin home for more than twelve years now and found this generous space on a side street in Schillerkiez, which had been vacant for a long time. Three chairs up front, and in back, a washroom that’s more like a mini-spa — birdsong included.
If you come looking for the latest hypebeast fade or something more avant-garde, I might not be your best guide. But the mullets are having a moment here, too. Classic cuts, expertly done, are more up my alley, and this is, unmistakably, a salon with high standards. What matters most is suitability, and getting there takes an honest look in the mirror, together. That grounded honesty is, for me, more relaxing than the birdsong, the wash, the head massage, and the good music combined. And you might catch Charles behind the decks somewhere, DJing instead of holding scissors. If you’re feeling like you deserve a fresh haircut now, let’s do this. P.S. I haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on the list: getting my color done by Agathe, the salon’s second talent. If you’ve already been, let us know.
Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Mirko Meister
Charles Edward, Weisestr.12, 12049 Berlin–Neukölln; Stadtplan
@charlesedwardhairsalon
In the mid-2010s, Bobby Kolade was one of Berlin’s most promising emerging fashion designers. Celebrated as a rising star, he won prestigious awards and presented his collections at Berlin Fashion Week. Until, towards the end of the decade, he suddenly disappeared from the fashion calendar. Now, Kolade is back. And this time, he returns with a powerful message that challenges our consumer-driven society and exposes the environmental impact of the West’s second-hand clothing exports on the African continent. At the same time, he demonstrates the immense potential hidden in the resources that are discarded every day. For his label Buzigahill, founded in Uganda in 2022, Kolade works exclusively with garments sourced from Owino Market, the vast second-hand market in the capital, Kampala. These are clothes originally manufactured in Europe or North America that have ended up threatening both the local environment and Uganda’s traditional textile industry. According to WasteAid, an astonishing 90,000 tonnes of used clothing are discarded in Uganda each year. The uncomfortable truth is this: the world does not need more clothes, it needs radically new ideas for what to do with the ones we already have. Kolade has a vision. At Buzigahill, discarded shirts, suits, T-shirts and jeans are transformed into contemporary designs that are sent back to their original senders in Europe. Here, sporty minimalism meets craftsmanship and history, while sustainability goes hand in hand with upcycling.
The look of each collection is shaped by the daily discoveries at the market, making every garment a handcrafted one-of-a-kind. It’s circular fashion with a detour, but one with enormous potential. Born in Uganda to a German-Sudanese family, Bobby Kolade studied fashion design in Berlin before returning to Africa in 2018. Since 2025, he has once again been presenting his collections at Berlin Fashion Week. Together with filmmaker Nikissi Serumaga, Bobby Kolade co-hosts the podcast Vintage or Violence. In each episode, the two examine the promises and pitfalls of the West’s culture of clothing donations while unpacking the realities of Uganda’s second-hand clothing trade.
Text: Olga Blumhardt / Photos: Ken Dumevi, Baronova Studio, Dominik Odenkirchen
Buzigahill
@buzigahill.official
After a cup of Bolivian coffee, slip into a radio dead zone, then head on to a film night, pick up a taste of the Balkans by the Spree, make a quick stop for sourdough, and get poetic. Greetings from Mexico and around the world. Here are CC’s calendar picks. Today (06.08.), we’re starting with a new opening: Boliviana is celebrating its grand opening on Winsstraße. Together with Caraya Coffee and MiskiSimi, the new spot is bringing a taste of Bolivia to Berlin with specialty coffee, handmade empanadas and Bolivian wines. Further south, Tundi is launching a new open series at Sfera. Starting today (06.08.), it’s all about dancing, and above all, getting behind the decks yourself. Thursday Open Deck is for everyone who wants to bring music, experiment or simply meet other DJs. No guest list, no barriers, just an open space for sharing music. Every Thursday. From Mexico City to Berlin: Discos Movimiento invites you to From Mexico with Love at Ohm on Friday (07.08.). The collective brings an idea we like more than any trend: music as a reason for friendship, conversation and temporary community. Behind the decks this time is Eduardo de la Calle, who has spent more than twenty years exploring the outer edges of techno between machine funk, science and philosophy; Orion, known for deeply personal sets; and Bluecommand, whose genre-fluid sound resists easy categorization. Lara Fein completes the evening with her warm and intuitive approach to DJing. Equally delicate and organic are the jewelry pieces by Berlin-based artist Carolin Dieler. On Friday (07.08.), she opens her studio for the soft launch of her new collection, Shallow Waters. Her work explores the relationship between humans and the ocean. For anyone who enjoys browsing through stores, Cop Me If You Can is worth a visit on Saturday (08.08.). To mark its sixth anniversary, founder Leon Teke is opening the archive of his Kreuzberg vintage shop for a one-day anniversary sale. Since 2020, he’s been collecting exceptional pieces, with an eye for Jean Paul Gaultier, as well as designs by Miu Miu and Prada. In-store only, cash only. And there’s another anniversary worth celebrating: ten years of Funkloch.
On Saturday (08.08.), the collective is moving to Beate Uwe with a KüfA (kitchen for all), workshops and a long night of music. Blondisco opens with Italo, house and an ’80s vibe, followed by G4ukler with disco and a touch of mischief. Later, Kaffee & Asche bring bass, energy and trance to the dance floor. A little further along the Spree, The Balkan Crew (08.08.) brings together artists, collectives, DJs and craftspeople from different parts of the Balkan region at Holzmarkt25. For one day, the focus is on food, music, craftsmanship and encounters — with DJ sets, a poetry-inspired session featuring voices from the Balkans, and workshops ranging from embroidery to self-defence. From a friendly chat to a poetic interlude is only a small step. Poetry Meets brings The Cavemen back to Berlin on Saturday (08.08.). Since 2014, the international, multilingual format has been connecting poetry, music and short films, this time featuring, among others, Naima Nazir (co-founder of Roots) and Khadim Ndome on vibraphone. If you’d rather start the night with a film, Mubi and C/O Berlin invite you to the Summer Night on Saturday (08.08.). Between exhibitions, drinks and open-air cinema, the program features We’re All Going to the World’s Fair by Jane Schoenbrun, followed by a musical set from Lacaty. The event is part of The Lure of the Image and explores digital image worlds, media and the question of how images shape our perception of reality. Admission is free, and drinks are available while supplies last. On Sunday (09.08.), skip the usual hangover breakfast and go for sourdough instead. At the Atelier Doughsourdough pop-up, Vasya presents her freshly baked bread either as a breakfast plate with Comté and blackcurrant jam or as a Porzina sandwich (a Trieste speciality) with pork neck and horseradish. On Sunday, a detour to Oderberger Straße is also worthwhile: La Grande Table hosts a pop-up at Danish Design Germany (08.–09.08.), serving a trio of small dishes paired with matching wines. Expect creations such as melon and coconut ceviche and a tiramisu made with green peas and goat cheese. Just drop by!
Text: Emma Zylla / Photos: Cherie Birkner, Luna Schaffron, Lacaty, La Grande Table, Moritz Hoegemann, The Cavemen
ANMELDUNG