With more and more fancy and eclectic dining experiences popping up in Berlin, I sometimes yearn for solid, traditional German dishes. Jäger & Lustig in Friedrichshain offers just that and more: it is one of the few places in Berlin focused on wild game meat hunted in the surrounding forests of Berlin and Brandenburg. On the menu are flavorful fresh meats such as venison, rabbit, duck and wild boar prepared in authentic German style. The relaxed candlelit interior has a cozy mountain lodge restaurant feel, with dark ceilings and wood wall panels in muted earth tones decorated with rustic deer antlers and taxidermies. Outside, half of the space is a beer garden – perfect for a pit stop after work for a quick drink and some snacks – while the other half serves the same dishes as the restaurant. The location has seen many phases: in GDR times it was known as the only wild game restaurant in East Berlin, where elites would hunt and bring their kill to be served later that day. After the wall came down, the venue housed a number of businesses including a gallery and a heavy metal music venue before reopening as a restaurant in 2019.
As well as German staples such as Königsberger Klopse, Berliner Leber, Jägergulasch and Brandenburger veal schnitzel, the menu features yummy vegetarian options including seasonal white and green asparagus. One of the specialties is Sunday roast (Sonntagsbraten), but make sure you come early: when it’s gone, it’s gone. Everything here is made in-house and chef Sven Jahn uses his own grandmother’s recipes, lending the menu a touch of home cooked authenticity. Though vegan and vegetarian diets continue to increase in popularity, game meats are making their mark in the culinary industry for their health benefits (lower cholesterol, higher Omega-3 fatty acids) and flavor. All this goodness is served up in style by manager Ansgar Niklas for a feast that’s fit for the hungriest of hunters.
Text: Rei Matsuoka / Photos: The Dude for Food
Jäger & Lustig, Grünberger Str.1, 10243 Berlin–Friedrichshain; map
Mon–Sat 12–0h, Sun 12–22h30
