Heinz “Cookie” Gindullis has done it again. The club-owner-turned-restaurateur has opened up a grand gourmet playground in the former Cookies, a legendary club that started as a pop-up and survived Berlin’s nightlife for nearly two decades. Following his success together with the young and talented head chef Stephan Hentschel at their other locations – Cream, one of the first proper vegetarian restaurant in town, and Chipps, an all day breakfast joint – comes Crackers. This is a place for glamorous party people who are grown up and ready to wine and dine in a hedonistic metropolitan atmosphere. Start the night with their signature red beet watermelon vodka drink, beautiful ceviche or a whole steamed artichoke, and devour the perfectly cooked pink tender fillet. As the night moves closer to the wee hours, DJ will start to spin dancy tunes by the bar, perhaps as an ode to the past, and some guests will get up to shake a leg – and why not? The night is young and so are we. (Text: Rei Matsuoka / Photos: Sven Hausherr)

Crackers, Friedrichstr.158 / Unter den Linden, 10117 Berlin-Mitte
Daily from 18h; DJ nights: Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat; 21-3h

Hyun Wanner, former co-owner of Kimchi Princess and has opened up a new restaurant near Monbijou Park. The venue he chose was empty for six years before an open kitchen was installed to showcase contemporary Korean cuisine at Dae Mon. Lightly sauteed sashimi-quality yellowtail flown in directly from Japan, served not more than 48 hours after being caught along with freshly grated real wasabi, is truly impressive. Grilled white halibut with crunchy mini calamari on the side served on a bed of pearl barley will knock your socks off. If you’re more into turf than surf, choose between Black Angus or Wagyu, served as a perfect grilled steak, tartar, or bulgogi. Kobe beef sashimi is a must, too. Fresh ingredients from the highest quality is what makes Dae Mon’s dishes so exceptional, allowing them to focus on their natural flavors. The daemon in me is whispering in my ear to go back for more. (Text: Nina Trippel)

Dae Mon, Monbijouplatz 11, 10178 Berlin-Mitte; map

Mon-Sat from 18h

The pop-up restaurant Anton Kocht is a place for old-schoolers to dare learn. Served by a young team, they offer regional classic German cuisines with a twist made from pure organic produce. Anton, though just 22 years of age, has already worked with chef Tim Raue after finishing his training at the renowned restaurant Vau. While Anton cooks, his father looks after the wine selection which consists of around 170 – all of which are German, and can be ordered by the glass. The ever-changing menu offers familiar yet wonderfully revisited dishes: yes, we’ve heard this a trillion times, but it really works here. The lemon mousse served along “Forelle Müllerinnen Art” (trout meunière), made from whole cooked pureed lemons, is extremely aromatic; the ordinary dessert “Kalter Hund” turns into a single slice of heavenly cookies with creamy white chocolate that melts immediately in your mouth. Every guest may choose from three or four course menus with 12 options overall to personalize it. My favorite is the “Gemischter Satz” by Krebs Weiss and the assorted cheese by Fritz Llyod Blomeyer, a perfect ending to my meal. If young German cuisine is this sovereign, there’s no need to fear future benchmarks. (Text: Eva Biringer / Photos top & left: Sasha Kharchenko)

Anton Kocht, Winterfeldstr.36, Berlin; map

Open until 31.12.2014: Wed-Mon, 16-22h