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HEARTY ALPINE CLASSICS IN SLEEK GASTROPUB SETTING — TRIO

HEARTY ALPINE CLASSICS IN SLEEK GASTROPUB SETTING — TRIO

Berlin has a new inn! Well, almost: this pub is very modern indeed and has none of the usual wood tavern tropes. It goes by the name of Trio and – appropriately enough – has three owners, Eva Alken, Clemens Roesch and Vadim Otto Ursus (of Otto restaurant fame). In the team’s own words, the restaurant is sited “behind the Volksbühne” and features a large glazed facade. Inside, the discreetly cozy rooms with dark red tables, wooden chairs and large counter in the middle make you feel right at home. The name Trio doesn’t just refer to the founding threesome (and the neighboring bar, Drei): the menu itself has a rule of three, comprising la carte starters, main courses and desserts. To start, there’s a classic sausage salad or a refreshing chicory salad with fine vinaigrette and walnuts. The taste of the walnuts alone proves that the team attach great importance to quality sourcing.

The main course includes south German and Alpine classics like mushroom and venison goulash and Backhendl. You can round things off with an apple strudel, which tastes exactly as it should. But even if you’re not that hungry, Trio hits the spot. Take a seat at the beautiful counter and ring out the day with a plate of frittata soup accompanied with a beer or glass of light red wine. Speaking of wine, the Slovenian bottles on the menu are great fun, their modern freshness contrasting well with the dishes. In short: with a Trio like this, you are always in good company.

Text: Laura Storfner & Nina Trippel / Photos: Robert Rieger

Trio, Linienstr.13, 10178 Berlin–Mitte; map
Fri–Mon 18–23h 

@trio.berlin

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FRENCH CHEESE SPECIALITIES TO GO AND WINE AND SMALL PLATES TO STAY — CAMIDI SHOP AND BISTRO

FRENCH CHEESE SPECIALITIES TO GO AND WINE AND SMALL PLATES TO STAY — CAMIDI SHOP AND BISTRO

In summer, this small bistro beckons you with cheese and wine on the terrace. On colder days, Camidi provides a cozy living room feel with a charming bar and fireplace. But it’s not just its unpretentious and honest atmosphere that makes this place worth a visit – it’s the delicious cheeses they sell too. The large counter at the front offers an extensive selection of mostly French specialty cheeses, as well as salted butter, ham and salami. You can get the items to go, but we recommend grabbing a table and assembling your own cheese plate or having owner Niusha create one for you. Niusha and her business partner Français have known each other for ten years. Français had a small creperie in Kreuzberg where Niusha was restaurant manager. Together they came up with the idea of a cheese bistro, traveling to Paris to gain knowledge and inspiration about the world of cheese at a fromagerie. Now they have brought this culture to Neukölln. We recommend the oven-baked St. Marcellin and salad or a cheese and/or charcuterie platter with fresh bread and butter. You can accompany this with a glass of cremant or natural wine from Camidi’s small but lovingly selected drinks selection. In summer, the patio doors are open, and with a table of cheese and wine, this laid-back street feels almost Parisian. 

Text: Laura Iriondo / Photos: Robyn Steffen

Camidi, Leinestr.54, 12049 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Wed–Sat from 12h, Sun from 14h. To reserve a table, call 030 91469209.

@camidi_berlin

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INNOVATIVE FUSION DISHES COOKED ON AN OPEN WOOD FIRE — KRAMER

INNOVATIVE FUSION DISHES COOKED ON AN OPEN WOOD FIRE — KRAMER

If you’re looking for a restaurant that brings heat to your palate, Kramer is the place to go. Given its location – in the middle of the Kreuzkölln melting pot – it’s fitting that this eatery is a cosmopolitan affair. The food blends Japanese and Filipino cuisines with a Mexican touch, while the kitchen centers on a big open grill fired by the original fuel: wood. The kitchen is staffed by a five-strong team originating from Argentina, Italy, Japan and Germany and led by Fabian Kramer, who has created an experimental dinner menu full of charred, smoky flavors. As for the dishes: how about gently smoked celery mushroom lasagne and a charred beetroot with avocado habanero cream? Or duck dumplings in their own broth served with kimchi and hollandaise?

The food comes in ceramic tableware made by Fabian himself, while the interior is equally creative, with purple tones and a dark-meets-light atmosphere. The addition of plants watered by an automatic irrigation system gives the place a laboratory-turned-glasshouse vibe. To accompany the food, there’s barrel-aged wine by the sommelier Ben Tobis as well as mezcal negronis and mezcal sours. Kramer takes reservations, but you can also drop in for a drink, a few light bites or – our favorite – fully-fledged dinner and drinks. Wood-fired heat to warm our bones? Yes please! 

Text: Dave Alcantara / Photos: Robyn Steffen

Kramer, Pannierstr.41, 12047 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Wed–Sat 18–23h

@kramerrestaurant

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ALL-DAY BRUNCH IN LAID-BACK, SUNNY SURROUNDINGS — VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN DINING AT BLUMENTAL

ALL-DAY BRUNCH IN LAID-BACK, SUNNY SURROUNDINGS — VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN DINING AT BLUMENTAL

At Blumental it’s back to the roots. The historic building with its red brick façade used to be a workers’ canteen. Now it’s a place to get together and eat well – very well. Located away from the hustle and bustle of Kreuzberg on Engeldamm, the cafe and restaurant is entered via a yellow curtain which leads to a relaxed and spacious interior. It’s full of nice details, like the pastel paint and the turquoise bar with a terrazzo counter. Then there’s the open kitchen, where the (all-women) team create their dishes. Examples include the “Amore Ajvar” with sourdough bread, kale chips, pickled onions, sun dried tomatoes, baby spinach and ajvar. It’s already one of our favorites and is perfect for brunch and lunch.

If you’re not quite in chill mode, no problem: Blumental is creating an area for co-working, and you can already bring your laptop and sit on one of the sofas and get a few things done. For sustenance you can order a freshly squeezed juice or a slice of homemade cake (we recommend the chocolate and raspberry). Best of all, if you don’t manage to finish your dish, the rest goes into a zero-waste machine to become compost. The collective behind the cafe has lots of food experience and a lot of energy: almost everything here was built and designed by the team and their friends. This vibe makes Blumental not just cozy, but highly inviting too. Whether it’s brunch for two or coffee with the whole clique, there’s room for everything here.

Text: Dave Alcantara / Photos: Robyn Steffen

Blumental, Engeldamm 64, 10179 Berlin–Mitte; map
Wed–Sun 9h–18h

@blumental_berlin

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FANTASTIC PHO IN A FUN SETTING: KOTTI DANG — RECOMMENDED BY HANS KRESTEL

FANTASTIC PHO IN A FUN SETTING: KOTTI DANG — RECOMMENDED BY HANS KRESTEL

You can often find me at the Vietnamese restaurant Kotti Dang on Kottbusser Damm. The fragrant, colorful dishes from central Vietnam are delicious, homemade and fresh. The colorful neon light at the entrance showing a mountain of bowls piled on top of each other is appealing in itself (there’s another inside). When it’s crowded, you feel like you’re dining at a bustling market, in part because of the fake chickens in cages hanging from the ceiling. Diners are greeted at the entrance by the typical Than Tai (an altar to the “God of Wealth”) with offerings. Kotti Dang’s major strength is its large soups with rice noodles: Pho Dac Biet, or simply “P3,” a huge pho with tender beef and homemade meatballs, is one of their most popular dishes, accompanied by a bouquet of fresh herbs and fresh chili, limes and pickled onions – practically a side salad. You should definitely try Bò Kho, a spicy beef goulash with noodles, served with a pot of pandan leaf tea – perfect for late winter days. There are also 12 vegan dishes on the menu.

Owner Phuong Dang, who always wears colorful glitter nails, is the first to open in the morning and the last to close at night. Phuong, who has lived in Berlin since 2010, arrived with her husband and nothing but a backpack and has been running the restaurant since 2018. She enjoys being a hostess, and it shows. Her husband and other family members help out in the kitchen, but she is the charming face of the team. Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, she has also been helping refugees from Ukraine and letting them stay with her. Every other Tuesday, you should eat here and then walk to the Neues Off Kino, 10 minutes away, where they show East Asian films. Coupled with the great food at Kotti Dang, it makes for the perfect Tuesday night out.

Text: Hans Krestel / Photos: Robyn Steffen

Hans Krestel works in communications for cultural institutions. He is currently caught up in Berlinale fever, reviewing films as part of the reader jury for the Tagesspiegel newspaper.

Kotti Dang, Kottbusser Damm 73, 12047 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Thu–Tue 11h30–23h

@kotti.dang
@inthemood.berlin

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