In an unassuming corner of Sprengelkiez lies the best-kept secret of this city’s tiny Taiwanese food scene. The light-flooded, incense-laced interior of Cozymazu — filled with latticed wood lanterns, traditional Taiwanese art and wicker chairs — invites you to escape into an inspired sensory experience. In designing her restaurant’s concept, owner and chef, Wei-En Chan drew upon her nostalgia for the diversity of Taiwanese food culture and her grandparents’ cooking — from scratch, organic, MSG-free. The resulting (veggie- and vegan-friendly) menu reinterprets Taiwanese street food and other classics. Like taro tapioca dumplings served with roasted shiitake mushrooms, coriander, crispy onions and a dark vinegar-garlic glaze. Or the recent addition of hearty bowls like the “Cha Pao Fan”: steamed rice in broth with matcha, salmon filet, edamame and lotus root. Come by on a weekend morning for brunch, accompanied by a variety of fine Oolong and other teas, served in a tiny set. Highlights of the set menu option include the homemade peanut milk, spiced tea eggs and hot steamed raw sugar cake. No detail goes unnoticed in the dishes’ preparation and presentation. As far as culinary ambassadors go, Wei-En is doing her homeland more than proud. (Text: Anna Dorothea Ker / Photos: Mina Aichhorn)

Cozymazu, Sprengelstr.39, 13353 Berlin-Wedding; map

Tue-Fri 12-22h, Sat-Sun 10-22h

A cemetery perhaps isn’t where you’d expect to find a bustling, cozy eatery. Yet from morning coffee to a nightcap, 21gramm is here to satiate your thirst and hunger throughout the day — pulling off each menu at a consistency that’s rarely seen at its all-day-dining counterparts. We visited one evening in early autumn, and were torn between taking a seat in the charming brick courtyard — complete with string lights and blankets — or in the vaulted interior, which owners and friends Jeremias, Daniel and Tilmann painstakingly renovated, choosing to leave a few gothic-lettered passages of scripture on the walls in honor of the building’s original purpose as a chapel. Whenever you visit, it’s all about the platter here — think creative twists on the classic cheese and meat boards for brunch. From 18-22h, a simple evening menu turns an after-work glass of wine into dinner: Our salad with flambéed goat’s cheese and caramelized walnuts was full of flavor and paired perfectly with a glass of Jülg 2017 Grauburgunder. Oh, and the name? Yes, it references the alleged weight of the soul. (Text: Anna Dorothea Ker / Photos: Pamina Aichhorn)

21gramm, Hermannstr.179, 12049 Berlin-Neukölln; map
Mon-Fri 8-24h, Sat-Sun 10-24h

There’s been a bit of a buzz around Wedding since the opening of Arno Brandlhuber’s mixed-use Lobe Block — a staggered concrete building in a quiet corner of Humboldthain that’s home to ateliers, studios, agencies, and apartments. Its resident restaurant and “platform for creative experiences” is Pahr, founded by Jessica-Joyce Sidon and Caecilia Baldszus (who trained in the kitchen at Forsthaus Strelitz), and currently serving a simple, vegetable-focussed lunch menu and all-day coffee during the week. Think Albatross sourdough with housemade Obatzda, Zwetschge plums, coriander and chili, carrot galette with melon and za’atar, or a pumpkin bowl with spinach, radicchio, dukkah, and tahini. Many elements here support local: Coffee beans come from the nearby Coffee Circle, The light-flooded interior is filled with sleek tables by Tatkraft in Reinickendorf, and two large-scale artworks by Peter Klare, whose studios are located in the Uferhallen, adorn the towering walls. The French word “par” (“by”) as in “par excellence” inspired this establishment’s name, and if its first two weeks of service is anything to go by, we’re looking forward to watching it grow — with dinner service, workshops, and a whole lot more to come. (Text: Anna Dorothea Ker / Photos: Pamina Aichhorn)

Pahr, Böttgerstr.16, 13357 Berlin-Wedding; map

Mon-Fri 9-17h, follow on Instagram for updates.