Areas | iHeartBerlin.de

How to be More Sustainable in Berlin

by Guest Author | Charlottenburg, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg, Schöneberg, Shops

As far as sustainability goes, we’re super lucky to be living in Berlin. I’m reminded of this every time I speak to friends and family back home. Often marketed as trendy, time-consuming, and expensive, a lot of people assume you have to completely overhaul your lifestyle to be more sustainable…but that’s simply not true. Being more sustainable is about figuring out what you use the most, and then finding a way to get those same products in a way that doesn’t have such a negative impact on our planet.

There are some fantastic unpackaged stores to choose from in Berlin that not only enable us to support local businesses and encourage innovation but also give us the power to refuse — to send a clear message that we don’t want our products wrapped in plastic. And because we live in Berlin, we can achieve this without too much extra effort on our part, and without breaking the bank.

15 Fantastic Projects & Places by Talented BIPoC in Berlin

by Aisha | Kreuzberg, People, Prenzlauer Berg, Restaurants, Schöneberg, Shops

La Case Paulette. photo: Vitaly Soroka.

Celebrating and empowering Black communities should not just be limited to Black History month, but this is a good time for us to reflect on how we as individuals can help dismantle institutionalized racism in the spaces we occupy.

To keep the conversations surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement from 2020 alive, it’s important to continue to do our part in uplifting BIPOC communities going forward. One way you can do so from your own home is by supporting Black-owned businesses and donating to community organizations. Needless to say, any contribution is particularly valuable during these times due to the negative financial impact of the ongoing pandemic.

To get you started, here is our curated list of Black-owned shops, restaurants, and organizations for you to get to know. Make a donation, share their pages on your social networks, enjoy a delicious takeaway meal or find your next favorite clothing item from our guide below.

Schöneberg’s Markets are Its Best Kept Secret

by Adri | Market, Schöneberg

Having lived in Schöneberg for the past eight years, I consider myself an expert on my Kiez. I always claim that it’s the best place to live in Berlin, not just because of the omnipresent Gasometer or the best döner ever (Ruyäm Gemüse Kebab, but that’s a story for another time) but also because we have awesome open-air markets. Everyone is always raging about Mauerpark or the flea market at Boxi on Sundays but let me tell you a little secret, Schöneberg has the best markets in all of Berlin. The Schöneberg markets might be a little less trendy than their East Berlin neighbors but they also boast some of the best prices in the city–sounds kinda similar to the housing market, right? And with Corona being an airborne disease, open-air markets are a better option for your weekly groceries than supermarkets. Here are my three favorites:

The Most Amazing Bookshops in Berlin

by Frank | Charlottenburg, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Mitte, Neukölln, Shops

With most places closed during these months, there is really very little we can do these days, not even going shopping. It’s been an interesting time for us not really being able to give you the guides we are used to compiling. But there is one last type of place that has not yet closed during the lockdown: Book shops! We already have a guide about book shops, but we noticed some places have closed and some are new, so it’s time for a new one!

With the rise of the digital and our attention span shrinking by the minute, it’s actually a miracle that so many cool book shops still exist and have not been killed by online mega shops. We’re glad that there are so many people out there still appreciating physical books and we hope it stays like that. Berlin has a lot to offer in terms of book shops, from big to small, from mixed to super-specialized. We picked some of our favorite book shops that offer a variety of different books. We hope they give you a place to head out to when you wanna leave your house for a change. Happy reading!

The Return of a Berlin Icon: Neue Nationalgalerie to Reopen

by Frank | Art, Galleries, Tiergarten

BBR / photo: Thomas Bruns.

Those of you who have been in Berlin for more than a minute might remember that we actually had an equivalent to New York’s famous MoMA not too long ago but it somehow vanished behind a construction fence in what feels like ages ago. I’m talking about the Neue Nationalgalerie on Potsdamer Straße down the street from the Philharmonic and the Kulturforum.

The famous museum had been Berlin’s main exhibition space for Modern Art for almost 50 years until it had to close back in 2014 because of the growing pains of the building. The building from the late 60s is one of Berlin’s architectural icons, designed by former Bauhaus director Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It’s actually the last building he designed in Europe.

Berlin Autumn Dreams: A Walk in the English Garden at Tiergarten

by Frank | Tiergarten, Wellness

Would you believe that even after 20 years in a city you would still be able to discover something you’ve never seen before? I am very confident in my knowledge about Berlin, but this weekend I was again surprised to stumble onto something that has always been there, but I never came by nor heard of it. I’m talking about the English Garden in Tiergarten. I know this park is very big and there are probably many things in it, that many of you might not have discovered yet, but I’ve been there so many times, how on earth did I miss this incredibly charming garden?

I’m glad that I discovered it now, with the beautiful colors of Autumn making it look even more magical. I think I haven’t been to an enchanting place like that in quite some time! It felt almost like in a completely different part of the world. And there are a few things to find there: A cafe and restaurant called Teehaus that looks quite nice, a classical flower garden, a part that looks a bit like a botanical garden with lots of different bushes and plants, a big pond with a mystical weeping willow tree.

11 Exciting New Restaurants in Berlin to Try Out This Year

by Michalina | Kreuzberg, Mitte, Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg, Restaurants

KINK. photo: Robert Rieger.

An annual selection of new restaurant openings is a staple of iHeartBerlin. Unsurprisingly, this year our list is a bit delayed and doesn’t showcase quite as many places as usual. But even in spite of all the challenges brought on by the pandemic, there are some new restaurant openings to celebrate and support.

Every single one of the eleven restaurants listed below offers something different. You’ll find such diverse offerings as Nepalese dumplings, Neapolitan pizza, Vietnamese rice porridge, or Swedish meatballs, along with many vegan versions available! Most of the places are relatively affordable, but make no mistake: those looking to elevate their restaurant experience should not be disappointed.

7 Romantic Places for a First Date in Berlin

by Michalina | Friedrichshain, Mitte, Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg, Wedding

Some say dating in Berlin is an extreme sport. Interestingly, it’s a rare discipline that doesn’t necessarily get much easier with practice. And when you do manage to find a match, the age-old question of the location for the first date arises. We’ve come up with a list of seven locations that can serve as a romantic backdrop for your grand occasion.

A Tel Aviv Double Pack in Berlin: Shani and her Restaurants Yafo & Shishi

by Frank | Kreuzberg, Mitte, People, Restaurants

photos: Roger Sabaté.

One of the most rewarding parts of running iHeartBerlin is getting to know some of the most interesting people in Berlin. Throughout the years I was able to connect and make friends with talented designers, musicians, artists, as well as entrepreneurs, event makers and creative people with fantastic projects. They all contributed greatly to what makes iHeartBerlin unique and inspiring to so many others. And I am glad to be able to support them with my platform and connect them with collaborators and audiences.

For our interview series iHeartBerliner we sat together with one of those inspiring people of Berlin: Shani Ahiel, owner of Shishi and Yafo. We talked with her about running two restaurants in a male-dominated gastronomic scene, about life in Berlin as an Israeli and so much more. Shani shared with us her experience of building up a business in a foreign city, how life here feels like compared to Tel Aviv and what interesting encounters she made because of her restaurants. Enjoy the video below!

Aperitivo Berlino: A Guide to the Best Aperitif Bars in Berlin

by Franziska | Bars, Charlottenburg, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, Mitte, Restaurants

The days are heating up again, the evenings are getting longer and the desire to share a cool aperitif with friends is pulling many Berliners out of their homes. The streets are filling up again with lively people, craving to catch up on the latest news from their friends, seeking the next delicious glass of Aperol Spritz. To give you some ideas on how to start the upcoming warm summer nights, we would like to introduce you to some great aperitif bars in Berlin.

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