Exploring Berlin: Hanging Out in Kreuzberg

Following the spirit of our Exploring Berlin series we want to look at another district today and show you our favorite places there. This time we chose the one that we are surrounded by the most as our office at Blogfabrik is located right in the middle of it. I’m talking about Kreuzberg of course, probably one of the most popular districts of Berlin at the moment.

People who come to Berlin just love it here. It’s buzzing and it’s relaxed at the same time. It offers everything from delicious food, compelling art, pulsating nightlife and cultural entertainment. But apart from all of that Kreuzberg is particularly good for one thing: Just hanging out and having a good time. So we drove around in the past days dropping by the most beloved hang-out spots of the Berliners and snapping some photos for you. By the way all of the photos in this feature have been taken with the new Sony Xperia Z5 smartphone (versus the Z1 or my SLR that I normally use) which is being presented at the IFA these days. But now let’s dive into our favorite places in Kreuzberg.

Hanging out in the Green

Kreuzberg has an array of parks and stretches of green that are perfect to just hang out in the sun with a drink (probably Club Mate) and some friends. The Görlitzer Park, that used to be a train station, is one of the most beloved places for this. It’s a quirky place that has a vibrant atmosphere and a wild mix of cultures and people that get together here. Another favorite place is the area along the Landwehrkanal, especially the green(ish) stretch along the Planufer, the Admiralbrücke and the Böcklerpark. It’s probably the place in Berlin with the highest amount of swans and rubber boats.

One more unique green hang-out is the urban farming project Prinzessinnengärten at Moritzplatz. Walking in will feel like a visit to some alternative magic land. You have lots of funny grow houses and planters full of fruits, vegetables, salads, herbs and flowers. It’s like a urban oasis full of life and nature. There is a beergarden beautifully embedded into a small forrest, info points and some participative gardening projects.

Hang out and Eat

Kreuzberg is full of culinary delights from all over the world, a lot of them from Arabic countries and Asia, but also Latin America and Mediterranean Europe. You will find a lot of easy going joints with cheap yummy food that you can take away and munch in one of the above mentioned hang outs. Or you go to one of the many great restaurants and cafes. For breakfast we love Ora at Oranienplatz, or 3 Schwestern at Mariannenplatz. When it comes to lunch we love Mundvoll, Chez Michelle and Kimchi Prinzess. For coffee and cake you will find some delights at Goldmarie near Admiralbrücke, Chocolateria Sünde at Heinrichplatz. For ice cream go check out Eissalon at Lausitzer Platz or the delicious Popsicles of California Pops at Falckenstein Straße. For dinner we recommend an Italien set menu at Nudo at Lausitzer Platz, a fancy contemporary German dish at Volt at Paul-Lincke-Ufer or delicious pulled pork burgers at Dudes Delikatessen at Schlesische Straße. Of course there is a ton more, but these are just a few we could think of from the top of our heads.

Marvel at Art

Kreuzberg is full of street art, murals and alternative art projects that are fun to check out. The Kunstraum Kreuzberg at Mariannenplatz, inside the former Bethanien asylum, hosts exhibitions and creative events all the time. Künstlerhaus Bethanien at Kottbusser Damm used to be inside the old asylum but they separated and now have their own space where they show contemporary art by emerging talents.

But what Kreuzberg is most know for is its graffiti and street art that you will see literally everywhere. There are some very big iconic murals by internationally renowned artists such as BLU, Os Gemeos, ROA, and Victor Ash. And than there are a couple of new ones near Moritzplatz by Agostino Iacurci and local artist duo Various & Gould. Apart from the big ones you will also find a ton of small artworks all over the district that are always fun to discover. Some more about street art murals in our mural feature.

Hanging out at Night

The area of Kottbusser Tor is one of the most pulsating nightlife spots in the city. You have so much variety there in terms of bars and clubs, it will be hard to decide. We personally love the Fahimi Bar, Möbel Olfe or Würgeengel for drinks. To dance there is Südblock, SO36 and Queen Qotti. Near by at Moritz Platz you have the Prince Charles club and around the corner St. Georg and Ritter Butzke. Occasionally you can also catch a nice party at Backyard near Prinzenbad and of course there is always something going on in all the bars and clubs around the Landwehrkanal when it crosses Schlesische Straße with places like Ipse, Chalet, White Trash Fast Food and Club der Visionäre.

So I hope we could give you some options on where to best hang out in Kreuzberg. Of course there are a ton of more great places. Do let us know in the comments below which are your favorite hang-outs in Kreuzberg.

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<a href="https://www.iheartberlin.de/author/admin/" target="_self">Frank</a>

Frank

Author

Frank is the founder and editor-in-chief of iHeartBerlin. He takes photos, makes videos, and writes texts mostly about what's going on in Berlin. His vision and interests have shaped iHeartBerlin since its conception back in 2007 - and he hopes to continue bringing you the best of Berlin for many years to come.