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Tranquil is the first word that comes to mind. An oasis amidst bustling Berlin, Witty Stories is inspired by fairytales and rightly so, it’s the quaintest café I’ve come across. Tucked away at Perelsplatz Park in Schöneberg, getting there is half the fun as you first enter the flowering park. Originally a pitstop for horse and cart travelers, horses would drink from the trough that still sits in the garden. It was renovated in 2020 with a slow but progressive start and Chris, the owner, is adamant about maintaining the relaxed pace. However, as summer is fast approaching, people are flocking outdoors and alfresco dining, and this spot, quite literally, takes the cake. Witty is a small cottage with primarily outdoor seating amongst rose bushes. They serve a variety of cakes and coffees. The berry tart and lemon carrot cake are particularly delicious. Sat outside, flat white in hand, the park can be peacefully taken in — classic people-watching and views of the water fountain. Here, there’s a hint of magic in the air. If you’re after something that pairs well with a sunny afternoon, Witty Stories offers a variety of sandwiches and savory snacks along with soft drinks and spritzes. It’s a seasonal café that’s open seven days a week and will extend its hours from July. Be sure to get the full experience when the roses are in bloom in the upcoming weeks!
Text & Photos: Ruby Watt
Witty Stories, Perelsplatz 1, 12159 Berlin–Friedenau; map
@wittystories.berlin
Over the past few years, it’s as though everyone and their mum have taken a turn at the pottery wheel, and many have stuck with it. Ceramics as a hobby, a profession, a meditative practice, or an art form — anything is possible. The Berlin ceramicist community is growing steadily, and so is the collection on my shelf. Give me every wobbly mug, every sculpture, every hand-formed vessel. Pottery is the new black, and I’m all for it. Last year, a handful of Berlin-based artists and designers came together under the name Ceramic Salon to visit each other’s studios. It was about coming together, exchanging ideas, and, of course, visibility. Now, with the exhibition format Formed, this visibility is being extended to the public. In the former Rossmann drugstore in Gesundbrunnen, the exhibition opens tonight (05.06.2025) and runs through the weekend, offering a cross-section of contemporary ceramic practice in Berlin. From functional to sculptural, hand-built to wheel-thrown to 3D printed.
Among the featured artists: Anton Rahlwes, who creates vessels from imprints of found objects; and Keegan Luttrell, whose work explores vulnerability and protection by revealing hidden forms of the human body in clay. You’ll also find poetic geometric shapes, bowls and vases — the straight line has a god, and her name is Wendy Taylor. Then there’s Marten Herma Anderson, whose earthy, floral sculptures are a love letter to his grandmother’s garden on the island of Rügen. Formed shows what happens when clay is allowed to take shape and just how diverse the ceramic scene in Berlin has become. Whether you’re a hobby potter, design enthusiast, or simply a fan of vessels like me, head to Wedding and see how far a little clay can go.
Text: Inga Krumme / Photos: Anton Rahlwes, Marten Herma Anderson, Wendy Taylor
Former Rossmann Gesundbrunnen, Brunnenstr.105–109, 13355 Berlin–Wedding; map
Formed Opening 05.06.2025 18–22h, Opening hours 06.–07.06.2025 12–18h, 08.06.2025 12–16h
@ceramic.salon
What started as a casual idea in the unused front of a Berlin agency has turned into one of the city’s most exciting new spots: Café Tonton — a café, creative hub, and community space all in one. Founders Gilbert Ngom and Jonas Soho are deeply rooted in culture, community, and street activation, driven by a mission to bring people together. Along with Domenico Siena, a coffee lover from Cologne, they turned an empty room into an inspired vision. The former office in Mitte was fully transformed into a modular space that constantly reinvents itself. Café up front, office in the back. In between is a flexible zone for events, dinners, brand activations, and storytelling — whatever the community needs. The name Tonton is a nod to their Cameroonian roots. In many African cultures, Tontons (uncles) are natural storytellers, full of humor and wisdom. “Every friend of my dad’s was a Tonton. The kind of guys with wild stories and big personalities.” That’s the spirit of this place: stories, vibes, and real connections. Even the interior reflects the energy — functional and stylish. The counter and furniture are custom-designed and locally built, with a built-in sound system, plenty of outlets, and a modular setup. And then there’s the team (probably the coolest in town). Good music, chill vibes, best service. Besides coffee, you’ll find matcha, special drinks, fresh pastries, and if you’re lucky, Son Le Huu behind the counter (a legend in Berlin’s coffee scene). Calm, precise, full of know-how, and always with a smile. Let the good times roll.
Text: Kira Kim / Photos: Café Tonton
With a background in architecture and exhibition design, Kira Kim designs spaces that bring people together and works on projects with Klub Maison. She is well-known in Berlin Mitte, always up-to-date and well-connected.
Café Tonton, Tieckstr.1, 10115 Berlin–Mitte; map
@lecafetonton
@kiraheejungkim
Even if summer is still a little way off, one of our favorite project spaces officially declares the season open on Saturday (07.06.2025). The Tropez team is once again bringing an exhibition, including performances and workshops, to the Sommerbad Humboldthain. The concept has proven its worth, as we can no longer imagine a visit to the outdoor pool in Wedding without art between a dip in the water and a break for chips. Parasite is this year’s title. We can expect a summer of non-conformity, in which new and unexpected things are created, and thus also an eloquent image for Tropez as a space that breaks the rules of classical exhibiting. It starts in the entrance area, where artist Amine Habki, known for his textile works, has installed colorful disruptors by the lockers. Some artists focus on outdoor pool culture in its purest form. Maya Mann’s giant swimming ring sculpture, which has already been exhibited at the Whitney Museum in New York, can’t be imagined anywhere else but near the edge of the pool. Get active on the new mini-golf course by the Sundays collective, which also functions as a walk-in work of art. Dancer Tilhenn Klapper translates the open-air chaos and noise into her choreographies, while Arthur Chruszcz takes over the sunbathing lawn with his pantomime piece. Even if we are still dreaming of 35 degrees, with Tropez, summer has officially arrived.
Text: Laura Storfner / Photos: Ink Agop
Tropez at Sommerbad Humboldthain, Wiesenstr.1, 13357 Berlin–Wedding; map
Parasite 07.06.–07.09.2025. Opening 07.06. 14–18h with live music, entry until 17h.
@tropez_tropez
The prim, plain gardens in front of Hamburger Bahnhof are once again popping off to 120+ bpm this summer with the return of the Berlin Beats series of open-air DJ sets. Taking place over 12 evenings from June to August, the free music program features gigs by electronic music heavyweights and kicks off with the open house days on 13–15.06.2025. There will be free entry to exhibitions all weekend, a B2B set by alys(alys)alys and STILL, as well as artist talks, guided tours and workshops. The gigs continue every Thursday night (19–22h) with a line-up of heady, high-energy sets centered on Berlin techno, electro and club. Picks include fast pan-African polyrhythms from Nkisi, Freddy K’s late night analog techno, precision-cut electro from Detroit icon DJ Stingray 313 and Sarah Farina’s genre-hopping bass/jungle/beats. Besides music, there will be food and drink and of course the art exhibitions, though you’ll need a ticket for those. The current shows – Klára Hosnedlová’s giant installation for the Chanel Commission and Ayoung Kim’s first solo exhibition Many Worlds Over – are open until 20h on Berlin Beats nights and offer a quiet retreat from the sonic redlining outside.
Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Alex Rentsch, Guarionex Rodriguez Jr., Liv Latricia Habel
Hamburger Bahnhof, Invalidenstr.50–51, 10557 Berlin–Moabit; map
Berlin Beats is held every Thursday from 19.06–28.08.2025, 19–22h (gallery open until 20h).
@staatlichemuseenzuberlin
ANMELDUNG