In the 19th century, the city of Mumbai (then Bombay) heaved with grand dining rooms run by Parsi emigrants. Nicknamed Bombay or Irani cafés, they served diverse traditional dishes, each with their own signature flair. This is the concept of Charlottenburg’s new haunt, Bunty’s, which opened in October 2018. Owner Suhasish “Bunty” Chakraborty and head chef Rajbir Singh have designed the menu to read like a culinary journey through the Indian subcontinent, adapting to market availability, seasonality and dietary preferences. We began with delicately spiced housemade chai and a fresh mango lassi before indulging our taste buds in an extravaganza of rich spices, textures and flavors. Our main course featured battered kale served with tamarind chutney, mint yoghurt and pomegranate, followed by marinated fish steamed in banana leaves and a South Indian hopper (a thin, crispy pancake made from rice flour and coconut milk) with vegetable curry. The service here is as warm as the food is satisfying; the interior embodies a pared back elegance. We’re calling it: Bunty’s is single-handedly ushering in a new era for refined Indian dining in Berlin. (Text: Anna Dorothea Ker / Photos: Pamina Aichhorn)

Bombay Café Bunty’s, Knesebeckstr.18, 10623 Berlin-Charlottenburg; map

Tue-Fri 12-23h, Sat-Sun 17-23h

Named after the loan shark from the Rocky films, Neukölln’s latest pizza-slinging joint has been full from day one. It could be thanks to the pink neon sign on its inviting pumpkin-colored exterior, outside which a Vespa is often parked. Or the Prosecco on tap and range of Italian spritzes. Not to mention its perfectly crispy organic sourdough pizza base recipe, which is fired at a slightly lower cooking temperature than the classic Neapolitan style. But what we suspect keeps the punters coming back for more is Gazzo’s buffalo milk offerings: Manifested in the mozzarella di buffala starter — plump, silky and served with chunks of colorful tomatoes. Or atop several of the nine pizzas — together with, for example, roasted aubergine, caramelised garlic and onions and pecorino. Autumn specials like nutty charred kale, smoked provolone, caramelised onion and organic mountain parmesan make it hard to stick to just one pizza. But sacrifices are sometimes worth making — like for the (Brandenburg) buffalo milk soft serve, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. It’s indulgent, and leaves you feeling in high spirits — as does the cheeky interior of this establishment, which feels like it’s been a fixture in this neck of the woods for far longer than just two months. (Text: Anna Dorothea Ker / Photos: Augusta Leigh)

Gazzo, Hobrechtstr.57, 12047 Berlin-Neukölln; map
Tue-Sun 17-22h