Berliner restaurants top 10

Berlin has lots of great food, but it isn’t always as easy as you might think to find where to eat German food in Berlin. It’s such an international city and there are so many other types of cuisine. But if you’re looking for the best German restaurants in Berlin, I’ve got a helpful list here from many years of living in Berlin.

Remember that Germany is regional, so food in one part of the country will be different from another. Berlin has its own traditional German food, but since it’s a big city, you’ll also find German restaurants in Berlin that focus on various regions of the country.

Keep reading for my suggestions for where to eat German food in Berlin.

Where to eat German food in Berlin

It can be really hard to find good Germany food in Berlin. But after living here for many years and hunting for the best Schnitzel, I’ve found quite a few quality German restaurants in Berlin for you to try. And of course, there’s more to German food than just Schnitzel, so try a few different things.

It’s always good to make a reservation ahead of time. Check their websites or Google map listings for booking options, which are sometimes conveniently online.

Some of these Berlin German restaurants are quite popular and book up in advance. This means it can be difficult, if not impossible, to walk in at the last moment and expect to find a table.

There are even a few (Schnitzelei, I’m looking at you) where we couldn’t get a table even 3 days ahead. Germans are planners, embrace it.

Most have options to book a table online, but if you have to call, ask if they speak English. Or ask the front desk at your hotel to call for you.

>>Read: 51 Tasty German Foods to Try: What to Eat in Germany

Berlin German food map

All the places I mention in this post are included on this map of German restaurants in Berlin.

Are you a celiac? Pick up one of these super detailed gluten free restaurant cards that you can show to restaurants in Berlin and Germany to help you eat safely during your trip. They’re written by a celiac and translated by native German speakers.

Schnitzelei

Schnitzelei is a German restaurant in Berlin I had heard about for ages before we finally got around to trying it. And it was totally worth the hype.

The restaurant focuses on Schnitzel, so it’s not a huge menu, but it also means they’re really, really good at it. It was probably the best Schnitzel I’ve ever had.

I ate the traditional Wiener Schnitzel (veal, Viennese style) and my husband had one that was marinated in a mustard-horseradish sauce. Both were excellent choices.

They have several different options, plus a few things that aren’t Schnitzel. And there are vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Schnitzelei is a little expensive, but for a nice meal, especially one this delicious, I think it’s worth it.

Bonus: As they seated us, they offered us a free welcome drink of either a small beer or an Apfelschörle. Nice touch!

Lemke

Lemke is a good choice for a German restaurant in Berlin as well as a brewery. They have traditional German food, and since they brew their own craft beer, you can find some interesting options to drink, including a tasting flight.

There are three locations in Berlin to choose from. One is very close to Alexanderplatz, one is near Hackescher Marktplatz, and the third location is right near Charlottenhof Palace.

This means you can get to one easily on either side of Berlin after a day of sightseeing. If you’re in Berlin in warmer months, check out their beer garden.

Overall we like the atmosphere at Lemke. The Alexanderplatz and Hackescher Markt locations are very close to each other, so if I had to choose, I’d go with Hackescher Markt.

Check out our full review of Lemke craft beer pub and restaurant and where to find craft beer in Berlin.

Gaststätte Sophieneck

Located in Mitte, this restaurant has a real German pub vibe to it, and luckily the food it wonderful too. Expect large portions and a lively atmosphere.

My Schnitzel, pictured above, was actually supposed to come with a fried egg on it, but I asked them to skip it. It was still so much food!

They also have Thuringer sausages with potatoes, local Berlin specialties, like Berliner Bouletten, and several other hearty dishes. Their drinks menu includes German beers and wines, as well as some from other countries.

Location: Große Hamburger Str. 37, 10115 Berlin Mitte

Mutzenbacher

First of all, this is actually an Austrian restaurant, not a German restaurant. But the cuisines are so similar, and lots of dishes go back and forth across the border.

Mutzenbacher is one of our favorite places in Berlin to eat German food (fine, Austrian food) because the food is so delicious and the restaurant is cozy. It’s a few blocks away from the East Side Gallery, but doesn’t at all feel like a touristy place or location.

The portions are rather large, with a Schnitzel taking up an entire plate. The Spätzle is especially delicious and filling. Note that sides are ordered separately.

It’s well worth making a reservation at least a day or two in advance because it’s a small place, and they book up.

Location: Libauer Str. 11, 10245 Berlin Friedrichshain

Schwarzwaldstuben

Schwarzwaldstuben is another great place to eat traditional German food, and it’s centrally located in Mitte. I feel like it’s just far enough from the big tourist sights to keep it from feeling like a tourist trap while also being close enough that you’re not spending forever on transport to get there.

The Black Forest is the Schwarzwald in German, and at Schwarzwaldstuben you’ll find traditional German food from the Black Forest region. It’s a small menu, but you’ll find Schnitzel, Maultaschen, Flammkuchen, Spätzle, and several other specialties.

There was a nice atmosphere here, and the staff were friendly. Like most places on this list, it’s worth making a reservation, especially if you want to eat there on the weekend.

Location: Tucholskystraße 48, 10117 Berlin Mitte

Restaurant Kurhaus Korsakow

If you’re exploring Friedrichshain, this is another great Berlin German restaurant to try. It’s located on Boxhagener Platz, so it’s in a lively area.

We like the rustic atmosphere, and the outdoor tables are wonderful in warm weather. Luckily the food is also delicious, and they have some local Berlin specialties.

While we waited for our food, they brought us a small bread basket with some interesting spreads. Our Schnitzels came with a choice of potatoes, either potato salad or Bratkartoffeln, which are pan fried potatoes.

Jäger & Lustig

This German restaurant has quickly become one of our favorite places to eat in Ostkreuz where we live. They have a large beer garden that’s really wonderful in the summer, and you can order from the restaurant’s full menu from most of the beer garden area.

Inside Jägerin & Lustig has a modern hunting lodge sort of vibe, like artsy, obviously-not-real animals on the walls. We’ve had several things off their menu, and so far everything has been delicious.

It’s located a few blocks from the Boxhagener area and not too far from the East Side Gallery, but it’s not a particularly touristy area. If you’re hoping to go on a weekend or you want an outside table in the summer, make a reservation ahead of time.

Location: Grünberger Str. 1, 10243 Berlin Friedrichshain

Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt

Augustiner am Gendarmenmarkt is a Bavarian style German restaurant on the edge of the beautiful Gendarmenmarkt square. They have lots of seating both outside and inside.

Their menu is extensive, and you can order Schnitzel, pork knuckle, pretzels and obazda (a delicious spread) and much more. You can also order 1 liter steins of beer. Some of the servers were wearing traditional Bavarian clothing, but others were not.

If you’re planning a Berlin and Munich itinerary, I’d recommend waiting until you’re in Munich to eat Bavarian food. But regardless, this Bavarian German restaurant in Berlin has great food, beer, and wine.

Location: Charlottenstraße 55, 10117 Berlin

Brauhaus GEORGBRAEU

Brauhaus Georgbräu is in Nikolaiviertel, and it can be a bit touristy. But if you are, in fact, a tourist, you might be near this area and looking for a good place for dinner.

We thought the food was pretty darn good despite it’s touristy location. My Schnitzel was average, definitely not the best one on this list, but the potato salad was fantastic, and Andy’s sausage with potatoes and sauerkraut was really wonderful.

Pro Tip: This is a brewery as well as a German restaurant, so stick with their delicious beer. I was not impressed with their house wine, and for some reason their bottle options were only French wines even though Germany has excellent wine.

Location: Sprinter 4, 10178 Berlin Mitte

Prater Biergarten

Prater is one of the most well known beer gardens in Berlin, and it’s a great place to go to relax with a beer and some traditional German food. Go up to one window to order a sausage and the other window to order your beer.

It’s simple food and tasty beer from their own brewery, with a lively yet laid back atmosphere.

They also have an indoor restaurant with bigger meals of local Berlin German food. The restaurant is open all year round, but the Biergarten is only open in warmer months.

Location: Kastanienallee 7-9, 10435 Berlin Prenzlauer Berg

Schleusenkrug

This is another beer garden, but it’s one with more robust options for German food on the menu. Sure, you can order a sausage if you want, but they also have heartier dishes like Schnitzel.

You can’t beat the location of Schleusenkrug. It’s on the western edge of Tiergarten park, and the setting is simply beautiful.

Location: Müller-Breslau-Straße 14b, 10623 Berlin Mitte/Charlottenburg

Café am Neuen See

Another wonderful beer garden that has enough food for a meal is Cafe am Neuen See. It also happens to be located in the western side of Tiergarten, so the surroundings are wonderful.

If you’re in Berlin in summer, or even late spring or early autumn, this is a good choice for a laid back meal with a beer. They have German dishes like Flammkuchen, but also some not-so-German things like pasta.

Cafe am Neuen See also has quite a spread for breakfast. You can order pancakes, waffles, and many other delicious things if you come in the morning.

Location: Lichtensteinallee 2, 10787 Berlin Mitte

Curry 61

While most of the German restaurants on this list are sit down places for bigger meals, I had to include at least one currybratwurst restaurant in Berlin. Currywurst is something you should try in Berlin at least once, though you’ll see it in other parts of Germany too.

It’s basically cut up sausage with homemade ketchup and curry powder. Different places have different recipes for the ketchup and the curry blend, but Curry 61 is a favorite among locals in Berlin.

This is a great meal if you’re in a hurry or you’re in Berlin on a budget.

Location: Oranienburger Str. 6, 10178 Berlin Mitte. Curry 36 is another good one to try, and they have a few locations around the city.

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this list of the best German restaurants in Berlin is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!