Korean cuisine has so much more to offer than bibimbap and barbecue. Talented chef Sooyeon Choi proves this with Choi, a successful restaurant cum wine bar that opened in January 2019 in Kollwitzkiez. Hailing from South Korea, Soo combines her culinary roots with a passion for boutique wines, served with skill and love. Expect authentic Korean cuisine, with family recipes given a modern interpretation by Soo and her mother, all served on local ceramics in enchanting surroundings. Soo, who learned to love wine within a few years of moving to Germany, offers a refined selection to harmonize with the aromatic profile of her Korean food. You can order the dishes à la carte, but I recommend you indulge in one of their well-balanced six-course fixed menus, available in vegetarian, fish or meat options. Plates include steamed Thuringian Duroc pork with mild onion pickles, beef tartare with sesame oil and blanched radish, homemade tofu with fried lotus root, and crispy dumplings with spicy cabbage salad. Immerse yourself in authentic Korean food culture and reserve a seat at the U-shaped solid wood bar in the middle of the action. (Text: Lisa Strube / Photos: Mina Aichhorn)

Choi, Fehrbelliner Str.4, 10119 Berlin–Prenzlauer Berg; map
Tue–Sun 18–24h
@restaurantchoi

Jewish cuisine from throughout the diaspora finds its home at the newly opened restaurant, Beba, at the Gropius Bau. You feel the warmth of the staff and the care put into the feel–good food as soon as you sit down. Dishes are inspired by manager Shani Leiderman’s grandmother (and namesake of the restaurant), Beba, an avid Argentinian cook whose cultural ties across Russia, France, Turkey, and Morocco give the menu its multicultural blend. Must tries by chef Anat Barak include the sourdough bruschetta with piquant beet horseradish and the unique take on a caesar salad with perfectly seasoned chicken and caramelized walnuts for the right amount of crunch. Pastries are provided by Cynthia Barcomi, an American baker who has spent over 20 years building her career in Berlin. For the interior styling, you can thank costume designer Daphna Munz. Shani Leiderman, a first time restaurateur whose career has been patchworked across cooking, catering, acting, music and business, spent four years at indoor farming company InFarm and decided to bring this tech to Beba. They grow all greens in beautiful indoor gardens, harvesting them right before they’re used to maximize freshness. It’s this willingness to experiment that brings a new energy to the Gropius Bau. (Text: Michael Rice / Photos: Mina Aichhorn & Mathias Voelzke)

Beba at the Gropius Bau, Niederkirchnerstr.7, 10963 Berlin–Mitte; map
Wed–Mon 10–19h
@gropiusbau