Not so touristy X-Berg

This is literally the Kreuzberg
This is the literal Kreuzberg

Kreuzberg Statue

Burgers, cafés, ice cream parlors, cute individual shops, markets, a huge mixture of people… If I could go to Kreuzberg and it’s neighboring districts (Neukölln, Friedrichshain) every single day, I definitely would – giving all of this a “try”.  That’d keep me busy for enough time and after that I’d have my perfect selection for eating and shopping my way through a bunch of days!

Kreuzberg

The last few days here, I spent strolling through streets searching recommended eateries, visiting events and discovering beautiful markets and parks.  Here’s my first guide of where to eat and go (from the short period of time I had to discover)… If you want a spoiler, (or need detailed info) scroll to the bottom ☟

Landwehr Canal, the north shore, Maybachufer, the south the Paul-Lincke-Ufer, cuts through the middle of Kreuzberg.    On its north end is Markthalle IX – a huge old warehouse hosting street food, breakfast markets, farmers markets and occasional special events.

Berlin Coffee Festival in the Markthalle
Berlin Coffee Festival in the Markthalle

Nearby is Görlitzer Park.  A wonderful hilly, grassy, area for skateboarders, beautiful views, a casual stroll or a visit to the pet zoo by the playground… Or like me:  Bike race down one of the hills and try to get as far as possible without pedaling!  Of course that’s sort of hard in the mid afternoon when there’s a ton of people, but still worth a try ☺︎

Görlitzer Park

Less than five minutes away is Five Elephant.  A very cute café and coffee roastery.   Supposedly they make Berlin’s best cheesecake – and I believe it!  I wanted it really badly and tried twice but both times they were sold out.  There were people finishing their last piece…unfortunately I didn’t find anybody who couldn’t finish that rich, creamy slab of cake.  Thus, although I haven’t managed to test them yet, I’m not hesitating to recommend Five Elephants.   But make sure not to come in the evening like I did ☹  However, Trattoria Venezia I’ve tried multiple times.  A very down-to-earth neighborhood pizzeria with pizzas larger than the table that never disappoint!

Trattoria Venezia

On my way there I walked down Glogauerstraße (coming from the north).  They had three or four little cafes all on one block that looked super cozy and yummy…

Along the canal you can watch locals hanging around, playing bocce ball or check by a market.  Namely, the second largest of Berlin with more than 120 vendors.  It’s known as the Turkish Market, but technically it’s just a farmers market with fresh and oriental produce.  Saturdays is smaller market known as a fabric market though they also have art, Japanese street food and amazing Crazy Bastard Hot Sauce to taste!

Crazy Bastard Hot Sauce

South of the Maybachufer I found myself repeatedly coming back to: Dieffenbachstraße, Körtestraße, Graefestraße, and Schönleinstraße, for good reason!  For example a Canadian (very exotic) pizza by the slice at Ron Telesky, Ice Cream at Anna Durkes, Fräulein Frost, Eis Manufaktur or Die Eismacher.  The latter sells flavors like Ube and Pandan, (usually used to spice rice in Asia).  Le Bon is a fancy little restaurant on the corner of Boppstraße and Schönleinstraße.  I’m dying to try their breakfasts (you should make sure to get a reservation if you’re desperate though).  Geist im Glas is next on the lists.  A cocktail bar at night, but American breakfasts on the weekend.  There’s only a choice of three dishes, but that makes them more exquisite.  This whole neighborhood also has many individual little shops and a mixture lots of international influence.  Amongst the mixing cultures though there are still the local kiddies running around with three scoops of Ube (the bright purple yam ice cream from Die Eismacher).

Further south hitting Kreuzkölln (the in-between of Kreuzberg and Neukölln) is Herrfurthplatz.  We went to Schiller’s Burger there – a small diner with beef, veggie and vegan burgers all named after some work of Schiller’s.  Mine was called Anmut & Würde, known as an influential philosophical essay or – a warm, hearty, soft and crunchy sweet potato burger.

Schiller Burger outside

Schiller Burger burgerJust across the round about is Mos Eisley.  In cooperation with Zwei Dicke Bären they serve real ice cream sandwiches.

Mos Eisley

2 Dicke Bären

But they’re pure ice cream is famous too, since they sometimes have flavors like Gin-lemon-rosemary or beer.  My favorites were Cheesecake and the Sicilian Pistachio.

 

More details on these venues:

Markthalle IX: Street Food Thursdays, Farmers Markets, Events, Breakfast Markets… on Eisenbahnstraße 42-43, 10997 • website

Görlitzer Park is here

Five Elephant: coffee roastery, best cheesecake • Reichenbergerstr. 101, 10999 • open Mo-Fr: 8:30am-7pm, Sa & Su: 10am-7pm • their website •

Trattoria Venezia: humongous, delicious pizzas • Liegnitzer Straße 28, 10999 • open Tu-Su: 5pm – 11:30pm

Markets Maybachufer: Turkish/Farmers Market Tu & Fri 11:30am-6:30pm • Saturday Fabric Market 11am-5pm • location •

Ron Telesky: Canadian pizza by the slice, exotic creations • Dieffenbachstraße 62, 10967 • Tu-Su: 12:30pm-10pm •

Anna Durkes: exquisite italian ice cream • Graefestraße 80, 10967 • Tu-Su: 1pm-8pm •

Eismanufaktur: delicious ice cream • Graefestraße 7, 10967 and 5 more locations • Mo-Th: 11am-8pm, Fr-Su: 11am-10pm • website

Fräulein Frost: cute ice cream shop • Friedelstraße 38, 12047 • Mo-Fr: 12pm-8pm, Sa-Su: 1pm-8pm •

Die Eismacher: ice cream, flavors you’ve never heard of before • Körtestraße 10, 10967 • everyday 2pm-6pm •

Le Bon: special breakfast, brunch and dinner • Boppstraße 1, 10967 • Tu-Fr: 10am-3:30pm, 6:30pm-11pm, Sa-Su: 9:30am-4:30pm • website

Geist im Glas: cocktails or brunch •  Lenaustraße 27, 12047 • Mo-Fr: 11am-4pm, Sa-Su: 11am-4pm, 9pm-4am (Su to 3pm) • website

Schiller Burger: beef, vegan, casual  • Herrfurthstraße 7, 12049 and more • everyday 12pm-12am • their website •

Mos Eisley: ice cream sandwiches (in coop with Zwei Dicke Bären), sometimes alcoholic flavors • Herrfurthpl. 6, 12049 • everyday 12pm-10pm • website

Lily Burger: beef, vegan, tallest burger in the world • Urbanstraße 70, 10967 •  Mo-Th, Su: 12pm-12am, Fr-Sa: 12pm-1am • (not mentioned in post, but here’s a pic I quickly made of the inside when I walked by 😉 •

LIly BUrger

 

 

 

 

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