In the morning it’s eggs and coffee; at noon it’s pasta and a glass of Ulysse orange wine; at midnight the bar is packed, cocktail in hand. Magma on Reichenberger Straße is a place where you can come any time of day. First and foremost, it’s a neighborhood spot — somewhere you can drop by spontaneously or plan a whole evening.
Behind the Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar in Kreuzberg are Manuel Strebinger and Sebastien Nentwich. Manuel grew up in Austria, has lived in Berlin for fourteen years, and has already opened Palazzo Ventidue, a guesthouse in Puglia. Sebastien spent fifteen years in Paris and moved to the city a year ago. Neither of them comes from gastronomy. Manuel worked in brand strategy and Sebastien in the creative industries. Magma is their first project together, and they’re learning something new every day. After half a year of renovation, Magma opened in June 2026. The idea came from travelling through Paris, Italy, and beyond — from places that felt less like restaurants and more like a second home. You come in for a glass of wine and end up staying for hours.
They see Magma as an all-day bar with a kitchen rather than a restaurant with a bar. And the name fits: warm, fluid, and always moving. It’s calmer during the day, lively at night, and full on the weekend. The food is pescatarian and Mediterranean, but not strictly Italian or French. Evan Hamilton, head chef from Los Angeles, was previously behind Lucky You Studios in Berlin. He develops the menu, treating the Mediterranean as a playground rather than a strict set of rules. A few favorites stay, and the rest are adjusted with the seasons. If you’re coming for breakfast, order the Magma Dust Toast: three scrambled comté eggs dusted with sun-dried tomato powder. The eggs are soft and creamy, and the powder adds the perfect hint of acidity. As a snack, we had the Alici dello Chef: anchovies with salsa verde, which were perfect with the whipped butter and sourdough bread.
For the mains, the miso Caesar salad was umami and light, a classic taken in a new direction. The troccoli with red prawns was creamy and almost too pretty to eat. The sea bass was delicate and flaky. We drank Ulysse, Magma’s own orange wine, named after Manuel and Sebastien’s Italian greyhound, who has become somewhat of a mascot. Here the wine matters as much as the food. Manuel and Sebastien travel to meet winemakers, taste with them, and bring back bottles that are hard to find in Berlin. And Ulysse came out of a collaboration with Martin and Anna Arndorfer in Kamptal.
Always save room for dessert and drinks. We had the waffle with whipped cream, peaches and the most delicious honey butter that melted in your mouth. And since Magma is a bar first, we couldn’t skip the drinks. For me, a great espresso martini is how I know a bar makes great cocktails, and Magma’s passed the test with flying colors. And their twist on a Negroni is a bit less bitter and smoother than the classic, which I also appreciate. The space feels like it grew over time, mixing pieces found in Italy with those made especially for Magma.
Next up, they want to build out the daytime and weekend side, but without the usual brunch format. Think eggs, waffles, pasta, Mezcal Marys and wine, plus coffee roasted in Italy. On weekends, that means long lunches that slide into afternoon drinks. They’re also building closer ties to Berlin’s creative scene, so look out for more collaborations with winemakers, chefs, and friends. Simply stop by whenever you feel.
Text: Stefania Basano / Photos: Aditya Christian
Magma, Reichenberger Str.111, 10999 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
@magma.berlin
