A place that is accessible to everyone, but especially to those who usually have to go without. This is the concept behind Wanda. Wanda are Marion Klammer and Moritz Schwenk. Both have worked for several years in upscale Michelin-starred restaurants (including Horváth, where they met) and launched their own project at the end of May 2024: a brunch pop-up offering all gluten-free and vegan dishes. Marion herself has suffered from coeliac disease since birth — with Moritz, she has created a place where a gluten-free diet is taken seriously. Here, the techniques and knowledge they have gained from Michelin-star cuisine combine with affordable prices to make them accessible to all in the old premises of Lode & Stijn, which closed at the end of last year (2023). The menu includes hearty dishes for late night party goers, as well as light dishes for those who want a balanced, healthy brunch. Seasonality is also important to Marion and Moritz. The menu changes regularly, aside from signature dishes which remain but are slightly adapted from time to time. The “Chicken 5000”, is a twist of the classic fried chicken with oyster mushrooms. Then there’s the French toast, which is served with blueberries and ice cream.

Like the food menu, the drinks at Wanda remain straightforward: good coffee, lemonade and non-alcoholic spritz. For the cocktails, they go with the classics: Espresso Martini and Bloody Mary. The pop-up is scheduled to run until the end of November this year — it’s a test run for Marion and Moritz. For me personally they are asking an important question: what does accessible cuisine really mean? Even if you don’t have dietary restrictions, stop by and see for yourself what gluten-free and vegan dishes have to offer. For all those who do have allergies, I can tell you one thing: your visit will feel a bit like your own birthday party back when you were a child, where once a year you got to choose what was on the menu and picked all your favorites.

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Wanda, Lausitzer Str.25, 10999 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map

@wanda.berlin

Admittedly, I try to avoid this area, and if I get lost there, it’s only to get to the nearest neighborhood as quickly as possible. But since February 2024, there’s now a reason to stop here: The Brasserie Dandelion. The bright, open restaurant is an oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Warschauer Straße. High ceilings, plenty of plants, and light-colored wood create the perfect ambiance for this. Qingqing Hu, owner of Dandelion, studied architecture and specialized in gastronomy design. Naturally, she played a significant role in the interior design. The simplicity of form, functionality, and particular attention to detail characterize the brasserie’s interior and the dishes she and Chef Troy Lopez put on the menu. The dishes at Dandelion are inspired by Japanese cuisine but incorporate new influences, including those of the chef. Troy was born in Jamaica and has lived in Berlin for 25 years. After studying literature in New York, he moved to Paris, where his cooking career officially began. Since then, he has been cooking “passionately, romantically, and with an extra dose of pragmatism”. You may have tasted his work at Rosa Caleta, a small restaurant with Jamaican-European fusion cuisine on Muskauer Straße, where he was the head chef and co-founder.

Qing and Troy started on Warschauer Straße with Sandos. They now offer an extensive menu ranging from starters and shared dishes to hot and cold main courses and desserts. The menu remains diverse: you can enjoy traditional dishes such as tantan ramen, vegetable tempura, or cold soba noodles (served with ice cubes, just like in Japan). There are also fusion dishes derived from traditional recipes and enhanced with experimental and diverse influences. One of the classics is the miso carbonara with udon noodles, coated in a creamy sauce of parmesan, egg yolk, and miso, served with crispy fried bacon and shimeji mushrooms. New dishes are already being planned — I’m particularly looking forward to Nikkei cuisine, which combines Peruvian and Japanese influences. Once you’ve visited Dandelion and met Qing and Troy, I’m confident that Warschauer Straße will no longer be an annoying stopover but a final destination.

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Brasserie Dandelion, Warschauer Str.36, 10243 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map

@brasserie_dandelion