When you come to Kin Dee, you must come with an open mind as you’ll encounter Thai food like you’ve never seen it before. The seemingly nontraditional dishes taste authentic and familiar, but at the same time completely elegant and new. Charming head chef Dalad Kambhu was raised in Bangkok and lived in New York before making Berlin her home not so long ago. As fate would have it, she quickly teamed up with the restaurateurs of Grill Royal fame and together ran a successful Thai pop-up at Dóttir in 2016. Earlier this year, Kin Dee found a permanent home in Tiergarten after Edd’s Thai Kitchen closed its doors – perhaps marking a new era for Berlin’s Thai cuisine scene. Opting to offer contemporary and innovative dishes using mainly local and organic products, Dalad’s team went away from the must-have ingredients found only in Asia, but still keep true to the flavors of Thailand. Never have I eaten green curry with such tender slow cooked beef and crisp deep fried eggplant — it was a truly eye-opening dish. With a prix-fixe menu and unique bites, like the octopus confit in ka-prao sauce, I’d say Kin Dee is a more than welcome Thai cuisine game changer. (Text: Rei Matsuoka / Photos: Sven Hausherr, Robert Rieger c/o Freunde von Freunden)

Kin Dee, Lützowstr.81, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten; map

Tue-Sat 18-22h

From Tel Aviv to Berlin, Night Kitchen is the latest addition to the House of Small Wonder and Zenkichi family, co-owned by Gilad Heimann and Shaul Margulies. Presenting modern Mediterranean cuisine in a friendly atmosphere in the quaint Heckmann-Höfe, perfectly portioned share plates span from a melt-in-your-mouth tomato carpaccio with Turkish Tulum cheese and crispy quinoa to meaty octopus à la plancha with Jerusalem artichoke and dots of vibrant chili oil. All plates can be ordered à la carte, but we suggest you sit back, relax, and let the chefs do their thing by opting for the “Dinner with Friends” – a fixed price, family-style menu for the whole table, where dishes whiz to your table all night long from the open kitchen. Whether you dine in the atmospheric garden under the stars or choose the cozy bustle of the dining room, Mitte’s newest hotspot for a relaxed night of eating, drinking, and reveling in the company of good friends and family is Night Kitchen. Open to the public from tomorrow (8.9.17). (Text: Devan Grimsrud / Photos: Luke Marshall Johnson & Boaz Arad)

Night Kitchen, Oranienburger Str.32, 10117 Berlin-Mitte; map
Mon-Sun 17-24h

It’s all too easy to overlook dining options in hotels, but Michelberger Restaurant is an incredible example of what you might be missing by doing so. Tiled walls glow with warm light from starlike orbs that dangle from the ceiling, and long communal tables are bedecked with flowers, candles and inviting place settings. The food reflects the effortless space with dishes that are refined in their simplicity – a true homage to the quality of Michelberger’s ingredients. From the house-cured duck breast, sliced thin to delicately shelter fragrant melon and finished with fresh herbs to the smooth, smoked mashed potatoes topped with slightly sweet fermented peach and salty, crispy bits of black pudding, Chef Alan Micks takes you on a journey using solely organic ingredients, that are, where possible, locally sourced and seasonal. Pair that with an attentive, knowledgeable service staff, and you’ve got a restaurant that’s raising the bar on approachable modern dining in Berlin – one just happens to be in a hotel. (Text: Devan Grimsrud / Photos: Luke Marshall Johnson, Michelberger Hotel & Restaurant)

Michelberger Restaurant, Warschauer Str.39, 10243 Berlin-Friedrichshain; map
Tue-Fri 7-22h, Sat 8-22h