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DOTORI — THE ANJU BAR WHERE KOREAN TAPAS MEET NATURAL WINES, CASUAL AMBIENCE INCLUDED
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DOTORI — THE ANJU BAR WHERE KOREAN TAPAS MEET NATURAL WINES, CASUAL AMBIENCE INCLUDED

The Korean Anju Bar Dotori is one of my latest favorites, not only because the wine and food are great, but also because Chi and Dax are the most welcoming hosts around. You may already know Chi from Personal Chef Berlin catering and her kimchi workshops, Dax from the supper clubs and pop-ups the two have been hosting together since last year. Far from crowded restaurant corners, past a music bar that promises the best of punk and rock in Weißensee, you probably only come this way purposefully. Dax stands at the blue counter and pours us natural wine and soju – Chi brings filled plates from the kitchen, because: “In Korea, you don’t drink without anju on the table!”. Anju are small dishes that you share with friends and family at the table alongside your drinks – similar to tapas. Korean pancakes with kimchi and scallions, Dotori Jelly, a traditional jelly made from acorn flour, along with sides like kimchi, roasted seaweed and a bowl of rice – at Dotori, the two have put together a “menu for two” of their anju favorites.

In addition, there are other dishes depending on the season: Dakgalbi, Korean Fried Chicken, Gimbap – the list goes on. And then there’s this insanely great wine list: here, wine doesn’t just taste mineral or dry, but is also “fun & glouglou,” “uplifting,” or just “really spectacular.” For non-wine drinkers, there’s also craft beer and lemonades. And of course: lots of soju. Dotori feels new, familiar, open and light. It’s the little things – as is often the case – that make this place so special: the wine list with its fun yet fitting descriptions, the two tipsy acorns on the menu that give you an inkling of how the evening might end, and the interior design you’ll want in your own home. If you’re looking for an alternative to your usual aperitivo evenings – far from crowded restaurant corners – then I highly recommend Dotori.

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Dotori, Gustav-Adolf-Str.159, 13086 Berlin–Weißensee; map
Thur–Sat 17h30–23h

@dotori.berlin

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UNKOMPRESS — LISTENING BAR MIXING NATURAL WINES, NYC DRIP COFFEE AND ANALOG-ONLY SOUND
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UNKOMPRESS — LISTENING BAR MIXING NATURAL WINES, NYC DRIP COFFEE AND ANALOG-ONLY SOUND

The afternoons and evenings at Unkompress, a refined little listening bar in Kreuzberg, are always divided into 15–20 minute intervals. Why? Because, as vinyl fans (and anyone of a certain age) will know, 15-20 minutes is roughly the length of one side of an LP. The bar falls silent for a moment as owner Kevin Rodriguez takes a break from serving NYC-style drip coffee and Oaxacan mezcal to turn over the record. This combination – classy drinks and even classier sounds – first originated in Japan, where listening bars have been an institution since the 1950s. More recently, they began trending in New York, which prompted Kevin, a music collector and audiophile from New Jersey, to open one in Berlin in February 2023. The rules here are simple: one (vinyl) album at a time, BPM no faster than 115 and a genre slant towards jazz, soul and (laid back) disco.

The musical specifics of Unkompress might pass you by if you’re just here for a post-work tipple with friends, and that’s totally ok. There is plenty on the menu (natural red wine from Tenerife, Brooklyn Lager from…Brooklyn) to keep everyone amused. Fun too is the interior, which goes heavy on the wood and light on the sharp edges. All the furniture is rounded – a nod, perhaps, to the smooth waveforms of analog sound. Kevin will happily tell you about said sound, and how his custom 300B valve amp from Japan does such a good job of reproducing it. After that, it’s time to get comfy. And believe us: with a seat by the window, a liberal pour of organic fizz and Sade’s sexy-smooth “Diamond Life” filling your Spotify-weary ears, you’ll certainly want to stick around for the B-Side…  

Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Unkompress

Unkompress, Fichtestr.23, 10967 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Wed–Sat 14h–late

@unkompress

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MIES, SUNDOWNERS & I: AFTER-WORK DRINKS ON THE TERRACE OF THE NEUE NATIONALGALERIE — RECOMMENDED BY UWE BUHRDORF
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MIES, SUNDOWNERS & I: AFTER-WORK DRINKS ON THE TERRACE OF THE NEUE NATIONALGALERIE — RECOMMENDED BY UWE BUHRDORF

It wasn’t so long ago that one of the city’s boldest buildings was surrounded by fencing: immediately shrouding the entire Kulturforum. What a loss. Fortunately that’s over now, and it’s about to get even better: every Thursday and Friday, restaurateur, artist and bar owner Johannes Gruber invites visitors to the Sundowner Bar on the terrace of the Neue Nationalgalerie. From the mobile bar, designed and specially built by sculptor and UdK professor Karsten Konrad, Johannes and his colleagues serve drinks as casually as they have for many years in their Kreuzberg bar Mysliwska, another pearl of urban nightlife. From the terrace, you can sit with the vastness of the Kulturforum in front of you, the daring architecture of Mies van der Rohe behind you, or vice versa… it doesn’t get much better than that. To make your time even enjoyable, combine your time there with a walk through the museum’s permanent collection and become inspired by encounters with great paintings. An afternoon like this helps us remember why we want to live here and not somewhere else. The Sundowner Bar: the ideal place for a vacation in your own city.

Uwe Buhrdorf is the owner of the small, fine event agency Die Wellenmaschine (The Wave Machine) and moves skillfully between brand, corporate and culture events. He is also an event organiser.

Text: Uwe Buhrdorf / Photos: David von Becker, Thomas Bruns & Cottonbro / Credit: Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

Sundowner-Bar on the terrace of the Neue Netionalgalerie, Potsdamer Str.50, 10785 Berlin–Tiergarten; map
The bar is at the back of the gallery building. Every Thurs & Fri 18–21h30.

@neuenationalgalerie
@staatlichemuseenzuberlin

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MATERIAL — CAFE TURNED BAR SERVING COFFEE, NATURAL WINE AND EXPERIMENTAL BAKES
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MATERIAL — CAFE TURNED BAR SERVING COFFEE, NATURAL WINE AND EXPERIMENTAL BAKES

Not far from Kollwitzplatz there is a cafe turned wine bar turned…well let’s just say it’s a nice place with lots of potential. Material is its name, and you might already know it as somewhere where you can buy Spanish natural wine from a guy called Carlos. Both the natural wines – filling one of the walls – and Carlos remain but since April 2023 they have been joined by Ebrahim who has helped turn the space into a haven of natural wine and coffee. The quality of the drinks is so good that Material works both as a cafe and as a wine bar. Ebrahim and Carlos couldn’t be more different in their ways, but encountered together they make the most wonderful and harmonious company. Carlos talks about his natural Spanish wines and their makers – all of whom he has met personally over the years – in just the kind of subtle, serene way you’d want in this environment. Ebrahim, meanwhile, is brimming with ideas, thoughts and stories. His love of experimentation is reflected in the interior: a colorful mix of vintage furniture, exposed brick walls, bright tiles and small details. The design somewhat resembles Kajumi, Ebrahim’s first cafe which he opened in Helmholtzkiez in 2020.

As with Kajumi, Ebrahim and Carlos created a lot of the furniture at Material themselves. There’s the large wooden table in the middle of the room that the pair transformed into a centerpiece using leftover tiles from the kitchen. Then there are the funnel-shaped cups and plates with playful illustrations by Ebrahim’s girlfriend Anchi Bub. As for the coffee, the Farben Kaffee served comes from Ebrahim’s own roastery in Brandenburg. You order it according to color: the brown coffee has chocolate and hazelnut notes, the yellow brew is sweet and sour, while the blue brims with floral flavors. The pastries are made by the 11-strong team working in an open kitchen. The philosophy is all about breaking the rules: the team experiment with different textures and techniques to create their multi-layered laminated doughs and in-house sourdough. “Making it simple” is the motto, but the baked goods are anything but ordinary. The cafe (well, cafe-bar) is set to open on 01.05.2023 with a selection of four comfort food dishes, including croquetas made with leftover sourdough and whipped ricotta with aubergine, oysters on the side and roasted nuts. Whether you come with company or alone, for a morning coffee or a post-work wine, Material offers the perfect place to unwind, discover and – most importantly – savor…

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Material, Schönhauser Allee 156, 10435 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Daily 8–1h

@materialberlin

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SPRITZ ON THE TERRACE OR ANTIPASTI INSIDE — ORANGERIE NEUKÖLLN IN KÖRNERPARK FOR COFFEE, LUNCH AND COCKTAILS
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SPRITZ ON THE TERRACE OR ANTIPASTI INSIDE — ORANGERIE NEUKÖLLN IN KÖRNERPARK FOR COFFEE, LUNCH AND COCKTAILS

The first time I stumbled on Kôrnerpark I imagined it to be Paris: the grand lime trees, the bubbling fountain, the palm-lined terrace… If Orangerie was open then it may have been just enough to convince me. The elegant interior and arched windows are a relief from the bustle of Hermmanstrasse and Karl-Marx-Strasse just blocks away. Orangerie was opened in May 2022 by owners Simon Braus and Max Gerolstein (who previously ran Kreuzkölln bar Schwelgerei). Before that time, the space was a cafe called Zitronencafé which lay dormant before Simon and Max reopened it with their all-day cafe and bar concept. The building was originally designed to be an old orangerie, though it never operated as one. The high ceilings and rooms that meander into one another make the compact venue feel both spacious and intimate.

The interior, designed by Jacqueline Spiers, mixes high bar seating and more relaxed seated tables. Some glow under a neon red sunset-like arch, others underneath hung lamps and printed artworks. The terrazzo bar and walls, washed with forest greens, beige and pink, feel classy and modern. You can come for your morning coffee and cake (we loved the homemade lemon poppyseed), sample the weekly-changing lunch dish or end the day with cocktails and antipasti to match. Head Chef Finia Ulmer has designed a succinct and delicious (all vegan!) menu with antipasti and a rotating seasonal dish. Our recommendation? If you’re a sweet cocktail drinker try the peach and rose spritz, or if you prefer them a little more bitter, go for the Herrlich spritz with Campari, grapefruit and passionfruit. Then find a seat in the window and spend a few hours grazing on antipasti and gazing at one of Berlin’s most beautiful parks to add a little sophistication to your sunny day.

Text: Savannah van der Niet / Fotos: Robyn Steffen

Orangerie Neukölln, Schierker Str.8 (in Körnerpark), 12051 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Tue–Sun 11–0h

@orangerie_nk

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