I discovered Café Botanico last summer when strolling around Neukölln. As with anything great in Berlin, the outside frontage of the cafe doesn’t look like anything special. But inside lies a 1000 sq. m magical wild garden where herbs, fruits and vegetables are grown and a beautiful cafe which cooks up the ingredients into homemade, Italian-inspired plates. The garden there is said to be the only one in the city with an organic certification. With over 200 edible plants, there’s plenty of room for creativity in the kitchen. Dishes change with the seasons and are mostly plant-based, vegetarian or vegan. The fresh pasta with wild herb salad is one of the best meals I’ve had in Berlin. Guided tours of the garden can be arranged too, if you want to deepen your botanical knowledge. When you visit, make sure to drop in on the bee colonies which feed on the flowering herbs. Their mild and sweet honey is used in the kitchen and is available to buy in the cafe. Sustainable, seasonal and local food doesn’t get much better than this. (Text: Chanyu Xu / Photos: Johanna Rademacher-Flesland)
Chanyu Xu has been living in Berlin for over a decade. She is the founder of female-focused natural nutrition and beauty company Her1.
Café Botanico, Richardstr.100, 12043 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Tues–Sun 12–22h
@cafebotanico
