Blue cheese and mussels, celery and spritz – two combos that had never really occurred to me…until now. I am officially a convert, and will be making regular trips to Helmholtzplatz’s Muschel Bar, which has been serving seafood delights since January 2023. The name says it all: this place serves mussels (blue mussels to be precise) and little else. It’s all very consistent and to the point. Owner Martin is an experienced restaurateur, having previously run the Gasthaus Figl pizzeria on Urbanstraße. Martin decided to start a completely different business, one reduced to a single dish: moules frites! The mussels here are served on simple enamel plates and eaten at high wooden tables that give the place a bar-like feeling. Outside, you can make yourself comfortable at one of the little bistro tables. This setup wasn’t the original plan: the intention was to open a Levantine bistro, but life intervened and the venue – a former Imbiss – reopened as a mussel bar.

Small decorative objects behind the counter and on shelves bear witness to the previous plans, while cast-iron pots – used to prepare the mussels – highlight the current dish of choice. With a tiled floor and an eclectic matte-earthy color scheme, the eatery looks authentic and at ease. It’s a fun place to meet up with your mussel-loving friends (not too many, though: the restaurant is small). We ate our way through all three menu items and would be hard pressed to say which was our favorite. There’s the light white wine and vermouth mussels or the classic Provençal version with tomato, fennel, celery and saffron. We were big fans of the blue cheese mussels, which, we learned, are actually a classic (clearly we are due an educational trip to the French coast). All three plates are enjoyable, homemade variations on the classic recipes. There’s little crazy, new and wild about this place – it’s all unpretentious, unhip, rustic, casual and delicious. Besides the french fries (a must), we also tried the poutine (one portion is more than enough for one person). The dish will also keep vegetarians happy: instead of chicken gravy, this French-Canadian comfort food is made with homemade blue cheese. If you do end up in a food coma (not unlikely), barman Sven will be happy to serve you a tart celery kombucha or celery spritz with sparkling wine – our aperitif trend for 2023. One thing’s for sure: you’ll leave this mollusc Mecca full and in a good mood.

Text: Nina Trippel / Fotos: Savannah van der Niet

Muschel Bar, Dunckerstr.10, 10437 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Wed–Sun 17–22h

@muschelbar

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

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