photos: Amanda Artiaga
There are so many reasons why we heart Berlin. In a fast-paced city like ours, it’s hard to keep track. People move in and out, places come and go. What one person loves about this city, might be completely unknown to others, and possibly gone before they even find out about it. Every city guide, every restaurant recommendation, list of cafés, clubs or bars can only give little indications and reflect someone else’s love for this city, but in the end why you love Berlin, is your own story.
Those who have been born and raised in Berlin, and, after all these years, still decide to call Berlin their home, have a genuine love story to tell. We asked some of these ‘Ur-Berliners’, with lifelong experience how they would spend a day in Berlin. The results are a collection of hidden gems and nostalgic places that never lose their charm. #whyiheartberlin
Lara (21), grew up and lives in Kreuzberg
“Well, if I think of a great day in Berlin, then it definitely starts with a coffee at ‘Filter House’. In the summer, of course, I’d head to ‘Prinzenbad’ (as I’ve done for 20 years, haha). I grew up at Lausitzer Platz and always had a pho with my family at ‘Chi Chu’.
In the evening we’d go to ‘Figl’, Urbanstraße eat pizza, drink something at ‘Anker Klause’ and put our dance shoes on at ‘Farbfernseher’.”
Ankerklause
Farbfernseher
Anker Klause, Kottbusser Damm 104, 10967 Berlin
Chi Chu, Lausitzer Pl. 14, 10997 Berlin
Farbfernseher, Skalitzer Str. 114, 10999 Berlin
Figl, Urbanstraße 47, 10967 Berlin
Filter House, Graefestraße 12, 10967 Berlin
Prinzenbad, Prinzenstraße 113, 10969 Berlin
Cornelia (64), grew up in Dahlem, lives in Steglitz
“Free days in Berlin are something really beautiful. For 40 years, we’ve been taking the time to stroll through Berlin on days where there is nothing else planned. If it is a weekday, we like to walk over the weekly market at Rüdesheimerplatz after breakfast. I often go for a walk through the park there while my husband browses for books. Then we go for a small ice at “Eiszeit Dahlem Dorf”, where I’ve been happy eating ice cream with my children already for years and then we’d walk over the “Domäne Dahlem”.
When the weather is nice, we often take a trip to “Pfaueninsel” and nearby “Schloss Glienicke”. It’s a place that has hardly changed in all these years and is still just as beautiful today as it was back then. Since we are sweet teeth, there is still time for cake in the beautiful “Wiener Café am Roseneck”, before it’s time to head home.”
Wiener Cafe
Pfaueninsel
Domäne Dahlem, Königin-Luise-Straße 49, 14195 Berlin
Eiszeit Dahlem Dorf, Königin-Luise-Str. 41 a, 14195 Berlin
Pfaueninsel, Spree, nearby Kladow, 14089 Berlin
Schloss Glienicke, Königstraße 36, 14109 Berlin
Wiener Café am Roseneck, Hohenzollerndamm 92, 14199 Berlin
Wochenmarkt am Rüdesheimerplatz, every Sunday, Rüdesheimer Pl. 1, 14197 Berlin
Yasmin (29), grew up in Friedenau, lives in Schöneberg
“When I think of a perfect day in Schöneberg, it definitely starts with a cappuccino at ‘Double Eye’ in Akazienstraße. Then I would head over to “Café Bério“ in Maaßenstraße to have some breakfast. The Café has been there for a long time and is open 24h. The cakes are divine. After breakfast, I’d stroll down Akazienstraße, where there are some small and stylish shops for dresses and furniture. For lunch, I would sit down at “Café Sur“, in Akazienstraße and have some goat cheese salad with raisins dressing.
For dinner, I would get some Korean food at “Wawa Berlin“ in Grunewaldstraße, followed by a good drink in the “Salut“ Bar in Goltzstraße. I would finish with a movie in “Xenon“ cinema, Kolonnenstraße. And after all that – in a perfect world on a perfect day in Schöneberg – I’d get a nightcap at “Möve im Felsenkeller“, a bar from the 1920s where the “Obstler“ is great and the walls are covered in wood.”
Berio
Xenon
Café Bério, Maaßenstraße 7, 10777 Berlin
Café Sur, Akazienstraße 7, 10823 Berlin
Double Eye, Akazienstraße 22, 10823 Berlin
Möve im Felsenkeller, Akazienstraße 2, 10823 Berlin
Salut Bar, Goltzstraße 7, 10781 Berlin
Wawa Berlin, Grunewaldstraße 10, 10823 Berlin
Xenon Kino, Kolonnenstraße 5-6, 10827 Berlin
Milena (22), grew up in Pankow, lives in Prenzlauer Berg
“On a nostalgic day in Berlin, I would go have breakfast at ‘Entweder Oder’. Here I had my first coffee, back then still with 3 spoons of sugar. Then I’d walk to the flea market on Arkonaplatz or head towards Pankow and drive past ‘Bäcker Siebert’ where you get the best ‘Pfannkuchen’ in town. I’d take my ‘Pfannkuchen’ and find my way to ‘Bürgerpark’. In ‘Bürgerpark’ you can eat amazing tarte flambée or ice cream in the summer and relax at the Panke.
My afternoon dose of coffee I’d get at ‘Kohlenquelle’, or come back in the evening, sit on the street, and drink good, old ‘Tankbier’. For dinner, we’d always go for pizza at Firenze in Florastraße, who’ve known our family by name for 20 years. So, it does not matter that there is better pizza elsewhere.
In winter I’d go to ‘Blauer Stern’, watch a good movie or in summer sit on Gleimbrücke and enjoy the city by night. On Thursday, Saturday or Monday evenings the ‘Kieztreff’ was the ‘Alte Kantine’ where we’d dance to the best 80’s and 90’s music.”
Kohlenquelle
Bäckerei Siebert
Alte Kantine, Knaackstraße 97, 10435 Berlin
Bäcker Siebert, Schönfließer Str. 12, 10439 Berlin
Blauer Stern, Hermann-Hesse-Straße 11, 13156 Berlin
Flohmarkt Arkona Platz, every Sunday, 10435 Berlin
Firenze, Florastraße 27, 13187 Berlin
Kohlenquelle, Kopenhagener Str. 16, 10437 Berlin
Kate (25), grew up in Prenzlauer Berg, lives in Kreuzberg
“I grew up in Prenzlauer Berg, which used to be quite different back then. Nevertheless, it is still one of my favorite places, I love strolling around the Wasserturm, you got an amazing view up there, I stop by the Gagarin Café, which has delicious Russian food and reasonable prices. Afterwards, I’ll pass by favorite crystal/stone shop on Knaackstr.
You also have to check out ‘Anna Blume Café’, they have Milchreis Torte, which is probably my favorite cake in the world. I also love strolling around Oderberger Straße and Kastanienallee, it has a reason why there is a hype around this area. ‘Café Morgenrot’ has very good Vegan/Vegetarian Brunch.“
Anna Blume
Gagarin
Anna Blume Café, Kollwitzstraße 83, 10435 Berlin
Wasserturm, Wasserturmplatz, 10405 Berlin
Gagarin Café, Knaackstraße 22, 10405 Berlin
Café Morgenrot, Kastanienallee 85, 10435 Berlin
