If I had to eat one dish for the rest of my life, it would probably be tacos. For a long time, I could only dream of places like the Taquería Orinoco and the carnitas meat tacos at the famous Mercado de Medellín market in Mexico City. Luckily 2021 has seen Berlin welcome some new taco-based additions: at Markthalle Pfefferberg, Taqueria El Oso serves up excellent tacos “al pastor” with pork and pineapple while on Maybachufer, Victoria Tacos has a vegan take on the dish with king oyster mushrooms. My favorite however remains the Sabor a mí food truck, which has moved from Friedrichshain to the courtyard by the Acud cultural center in Mitte. The atmosphere there is so warm and relaxed it’s become my second home.

That this Mexican stand is a family business becomes obvious as soon as you join the order queue: you see Mario Vázquez cooking and his wife Ellen Häring de Vázquez taking care of the bookkeeping and communication while their son Pablo and his team manage sales and organisation. We recommend ordering three tacos and eating your way through the menu, which includes the original carnitas, a vegetarian option with hibiscus flower and a hibiscus juice drink to complete the experience. Sabor a mí shares space with Señor Ceviche’s trailer, whose Peruvian creations are also excellent. The food is served on beer benches in the open air, and if you’re lucky, there will even be live music playing. 

Text: Laura Storfner / Photos: Sophie Doering

Sabor a mí, Veteranenstr.21, 10119 Berlin–Mitte; map
Wed–Fri 17h30–22h, Sat–Sun 13–21h

@saboramiberlin

If you’re after authentic Sri Lankan cuisine, Sathutu is not the place for you. Why? Because this South Asian restaurant is all about contemporary crossover cuisine, blending dishes from Sri Lanka with flavors from closer to home. Founder and owner Lisa Baladurage has Sri Lankan roots and teamed up with head chef Jana who brings the German influence with her curry balls and cheesecake. Not only are these combos rare on the Berlin food scene, they’re also delicious: the signature Colombo Chicken with its fresh curry leaves will make you forget any other fried chicken exists. If you prefer something lighter, go for the grilled prawns with yoghurt dip, which pairs perfectly with the summery Green Juice cocktail with Arrack, a spirit made from palm juice and rice. The margarita – served in a plain glass – is on point too. Simple is the name of the game décor-wise: Sathutu’s color scheme incorporates creamy white tableware with sage tables and turmeric yellow artworks. You can enjoy your food outside on beautiful Rykestraße, a quiet street with an almost holiday-like atmosphere.

The interior is minimalist and elegant, with a touch of London cool – no surprise since Laura studied at the city’s Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. Having gained experience working at a Sri Lankan restaurant, she opened Sathutu with her partner Julian Bächle in June 2021. After a memorable meal, we took home a jar of the seasonal chutney (in our case apricot) which we had enjoyed with papadums as an appetizer. That will tide us over until we return for the lunchtime Egg Hoppers (if you’ve ever been to Sri Lanka you’ll know what they are). What spin will this innovative team put on them? We can’t wait to see!

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Julian Bächle

Sathutu Rykestr.15, 10405 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; Stadtplan
Wed–Fri 16–22h, Sat & Sun 10–22h

@sathutu.berlin