Recommendation Roundup

Before coming to Berlin, I learned about the feature on Apple Maps where you can save things to a “Guide”, which is basically a map of places you want to go in a certain area.  I wouldn’t describe myself as someone who’s particularly apt with technology, so it’s these sorts of developments that go a long way in my digital life. For about a year before departing, adding to my “Berlinspo” guide was my go-to procrastination task; bored in class or avoiding an assignment would lead me to Pinterest, blogs, and Reddit pages telling me the places I couldn't miss during my time in Berlin. As a result, I have 272 places saved in my guide. 

Now that my days here are seriously dwindling, I’ve decided to take stock of the places on my guide that I haven’t been able to make it to yet. So, this post will be a semi-curated list of spots the internet or people I’ve met here have strongly recommended that I myself haven’t tried. 

1. Sword Master Noodle: My friends and I were walking around Wedding one day and popped into this little Korean snack store. My friend–who spoke Korean–talked to the guy who worked there about this city’s lack of authentic Korean cuisine. He recommended this place that’s in our neighborhood and specializes in handcut noodles. 
2. Gardens of the World: I don’t recall who recommended this spot, but it’s a 250 acre park with different garden styles: French, Spanish, Japanese, Balinese, American, Italian and a rose garden. There’s also a cable car that takes you around which I think would be SO quaint and cute.
3. Nhas City Chicken: This fried chicken spot was recommended to me by a local who described it as the German equivalent of Chick-Fil-A. I walk by this place all the time but there’s always a line that wraps around the block. I need to wait in it eventually, but I might have to make this a solo adventure because a lot of my friends here are vegetarian or vegan. Reviews say the prices are reasonable and the food and service are toted as some of the best in the city 
4. Zagros Gemüse Kebap: Another place that has a constant line wrapping around the block because it apparently recently blew up on TikTok, this Kebap store is supposed to live up to the hype, according to another local who recommended it to me. They did jack up the prices after their internet fame, but reviews say it’s worth it. I am on a mission to try as many döners as I can before I leave–I started a little review blog where I rate each one I try–so I’ll be curious to see where this one falls. 
5. Rüyam Gemüse Kebap: This was recommended to me by a friend who went here and has not stopped raving about their falafel since. It’s really close to my house and I’m honestly embarrassed I haven’t been yet. But @Lili I promise I will go before I leave.
6. Gallery Utermann: This space opened in 1853 as a book and stationary store but is now operating as a gallery, publishing house, and cultural hub. They have a collection of work from Wassily Kandinskys, Käthe Kollwitz, Otto Mueller, Fritz Winter, Pablo Picasso, Erich Heckel, and other figures from the Die Brücke and Bauhaus groups. My friend went here and said it was well worth it, and I think they have a student discount.
7. Metzer Eck: This one is a bit embarrassing because it’s the pub directly across the street from where I live. I learned from this newsletter called “Slow Travel Berlin” that it’s actually the oldest pub in Prenzlaurberg. We haven’t been because we’ve heard they aren’t the friendliest to the non-German tourist crowd–which is fair–but I want us to face our fears before we leave.
8. Cafe Finovo: I found this place from Pinterest because of how much its outdoor area resembled a fairy garden. Tucked away in a small house with ivy covering its walls, this cafe and flower shop seems like a hidden gem I need to uncover.
9. Burgermeister (the original one): Far from a hidden gem, Burgermeisters are everywhere in this city, but the one on Oberbaumstraße is the original. Recommended to me by Rachel who works at IES Abroad, you’re supposed to go here for the most authentic Burgermeister experience.
10. Kino International: Another place I’ve walked by hundreds of times but never been able to catch a movie, Kino International feels like the crown jewel of Karl-Marx-Allee. The building’s GDR-era modernism is a relic of socialist-luxury that still stands today and reminds me of why I love Berlin; where else could I see The Drama with Zendaya in a building that once epitomized Socialist sophistication?