Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [103]
Cafe Wintergarten im Literaturhaus (Map; 882 5414; Fasanenstrasse 23; mains €8-16; 9.30am-midnight) You don’t have to be the literary type in order to enjoy a coffee or light lunch at this genteel art-nouveau villa. Get a dose of Old Berlin flair in the gracefully stucco-ornamented rooms or repair to the idyllic garden. Breakfast is served until 2pm.
Engelbecken (Map; 615 2810; Witzlebenstrasse 31; mains €8-18; 4pm-1am Mon-Sat, noon-1am Sun) This lakeside charmer gets top marks for its impeccably crafted German soul food. Locally sourced organic meats and produce find their destiny in classic pork roast, porcini strudel or duck with caramelized onions. Reservations essential.
Bond (Map; 5096 8844; Knesebeckstrasse 16; mains €8-30; lunch Sun-Sat, dinner nightly) If you’re in Berlin On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, you’ll impress The Living Daylights out of your date at this chill designer den decked out in royal purple, ebony and gold. The standard menu is heavy on, well, standards, like grilled meats, club sandwiches and burgers, but the specials are more inventive. Cheap it ain’t, but remember, You Only Live Twice.
Moon Thai (Map; 3180 9743; Kantstrasse 32; mains €10-17; noon-midnight) This is our favourite Thai nosh spot in the western city. Sunset-coloured walls accented with exotic art create an upbeat ambience that’s a perfect foil for dishes so perky they might get you out of the doldrums. Anything revolving around duck or squid gets top marks.
Duke (Map; 683 154 000; Nürnberger Strasse 50-55; 2-/3-course lunch €13/18.50, mains €18-28; 11.30am-midnight) Hotel restaurants tend to be a snore but not this contender at the Ellington Hotel. Chef Carsten Obermayr pairs punctilious craftsmanship with local farm-fresh ingredients resulting in such dishes as lamb medallions with artichokes and potato-olive puree.
Other recommendations:
Jules Verne (Map; 3180 9410; Schlüterstrasse 61; breakfasts €4-10, mains €8-19; 9am-1am) Global menu bistro where Flammkuchen (Alsatian pizza), Austrian schnitzel and North African couscous are all perennial bestsellers.
Mr Hai & Friends (Map; 3759 1200; Savignyplatz 1; mains €8-16; 11am-1am) Stylish Vietnamese restaurant packed with trendy locals lusting after the fresh and aromatic fare.
Natural’ Mente (Map; 341 4166; Schustehrusstrasse 26; mains €8-12; lunch only) Uses only organic ingredients for daily changing menu of vegetarian, vegan and macrobiotic dishes.
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Schöneberg
Habibi (Map; 215 3332; Goltzstrasse 24; snacks €2.50-5; 11am-3am Sun-Thu, to 5pm Fri & Sat) This perennially popular snack shack makes soul-sustaining felafel that pair perfectly with a freshly pressed carrot juice.
Trattoria á Muntagnola (Map; 211 6642; Fuggerstrasse 27; mains €12-20; dinner) Everybody feels like family at this convivial joint where dishes burst with the feisty flavours of southern Italy’s sun-baked Basilicata region. Many fine ingredients are imported straight from ‘the Boot’ and turned into pizzas, pastas and rustic mains like garlic-braised rabbit. Nice touch: the olive-oil trolley.
Renger-Patzsch (Map; 784 2059; Wartburgstrasse 54; mains €13-20; dinner) This off-the-beaten-path neighbourhood restaurant exudes a refreshing earthiness that matches its robust menu. Try big-hunger mains like red-wine-braised ox cheeks or snack on their excellent Flammkuchen.
Cafe Einstein Stammhaus (Map; 261 5096; Kurfürstenstrasse 58; breakfast €6-15, mains €15-23; 9am-1am) Schnitzels, noodles and warm apple strudels – you’ll find them all at this classic Viennese coffee house in a historic garden villa once owned by a 1920s German actress. The setting is stylish but the staff could lay off the snootiness.
Other good nosh spots:
Ousies (Map; 216 7957; Grunewaldstrasse 16; small plates €3-9, mains €10-18; dinner) Bubbly and