The first time I stumbled on Kôrnerpark I imagined it to be Paris: the grand lime trees, the bubbling fountain, the palm-lined terrace… If Orangerie was open then it may have been just enough to convince me. The elegant interior and arched windows are a relief from the bustle of Hermmanstrasse and Karl-Marx-Strasse just blocks away. Orangerie was opened in May 2022 by owners Simon Braus and Max Gerolstein (who previously ran Kreuzkölln bar Schwelgerei). Before that time, the space was a cafe called Zitronencafé which lay dormant before Simon and Max reopened it with their all-day cafe and bar concept. The building was originally designed to be an old orangerie, though it never operated as one. The high ceilings and rooms that meander into one another make the compact venue feel both spacious and intimate.
The interior, designed by Jacqueline Spiers, mixes high bar seating and more relaxed seated tables. Some glow under a neon red sunset-like arch, others underneath hung lamps and printed artworks. The terrazzo bar and walls, washed with forest greens, beige and pink, feel classy and modern. You can come for your morning coffee and cake (we loved the homemade lemon poppyseed), sample the weekly-changing lunch dish or end the day with cocktails and antipasti to match. Head Chef Finia Ulmer has designed a succinct and delicious (all vegan!) menu with antipasti and a rotating seasonal dish. Our recommendation? If you’re a sweet cocktail drinker try the peach and rose spritz, or if you prefer them a little more bitter, go for the Herrlich spritz with Campari, grapefruit and passionfruit. Then find a seat in the window and spend a few hours grazing on antipasti and gazing at one of Berlin’s most beautiful parks to add a little sophistication to your sunny day.
Text: Savannah van der Niet / Fotos: Robyn Steffen
Orangerie Neukölln, Schierker Str.8 (in Körnerpark), 12051 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Tue–Sun 11–0h
@orangerie_nk
