Dinner at Merold on Pannierstraße is a revelation, and we mean that literally: each bite offers a deep dive into owner Jonas Merold’s cooking philosophy. Following training as a chef under Tim Raue and a stint at Coda, Jonas set about starting his own restaurant. The small corner eatery that resulted opened its doors in November 2021. Inside, it features a casual interior that is full of contrasts, with a stainless steel bar, dark wooden chairs and linoleum tables. Using fairly-produced products from regional partners, Merold makes dishes with unique flavors and intense aromas that stay with you long after you’ve taken a bite. Sample the likes of onions with buckwheat and black garlic, chestnut dough ravioli with mushrooms and leeks and Jerusalem artichoke ice cream with apple and rapeseed oil. The food blends small with large and savory with sweet, but there’s one interesting feature that runs through the whole menu: fermentation.
The restaurant’s full-time fermenter uses home-grown koji mushrooms as a way to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. It’s a kind of culinary magic that Jonas will gladly share with you – along with the products, production methods and dishes he serves up. As for liquid accompaniment, you have a selection of biodynamic and low-sulfur (natural) wines at your disposal. They combine with the food for a dinner experience that brings flavor and fervor in equal measure.
Text: Arne Meyer / Photos: Bildermanufaktur Ralph Keller, Boisix & Merold
Merold, Pannierstr.24, 12047 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Tue–Sat, 19–23h
@restaurant_merold
