Berlin: Top Restaurants in the Heart of Germany

True to its name, VOLT is an electrifying contemporary restaurant situated inside an old transformer station built in 1928. Opened in 2011 by renowned Chef Matthias Gleiß, it offers a distinctly modern variation of traditional Berlin cuisine combined with German homemade classics. Walking through the entrance, you are greeted by the cozy interiors made up of copper and exposed bricks. The dining space has a longitudinal layout of high ceilings, gold-colored spherical lamps, stylish wooden furniture, and an industrial staircase that leads to the second level with additional tables.

The menu features top-quality German produce from lesser-known local companies. You can sample exquisite dishes like pork filet with red cabbage, venison with wasabi cream topped with cumin crumble, and dry-aged grilled beef with potato slices in a roasted onion sauce. End your meal on a sweet note with decadent desserts, such as creamy panna cotta in cranberry sauce, apricot ice cream with caramelized almonds, and cinnamon-infused pear with hazelnut. If you are looking for an impressive dinner venue in Berlin with great food and lovely service, the Volt restaurant should be on your shortlist.

Kochu Karu is a small quaint restaurant and deli that specializes in Korean tapas. Situated in the Prenzlauer Berg district in Berlin, it invites you to indulge in an irresistible fusion of Spanish and Korean cuisines. The interiors are minimalistically styled to create a refined atmosphere. The dining space is complete with modern plastic furniture, hanging bulb lights, and gray-marbled flooring.

The deli is designed like a café with white furniture, wooden shelves, and pastel marbled floors. Visitors can purchase banchan (small appetizers in Korean) or tapas at the counter or settle in the restaurant dining space for a unique Asian-Mediterranean meal. The kitchen offers an à la carte menu as well as a six-course tasting option consisting of delicacies, such as sea bass with rice crisps, kimchi pancake with Iberian ham, grilled chicken truffle beurre blanc, and octopus with tomato and rhubarb. Kochu Karu also offers an extensive wine list of Portuguese, Korean, German, and Spanish labels to pair with your food.

KINK Bar & Restaurant is a revamped post-industrial space situated in the happening Pfefferberg area in Berlin. It is a trendy and modern event venue housed in a former brewery complex consisting of the main dining hall, mezzanine lounge, and communal space with the overlapping open kitchen and bar. The founders – Oliver Mansaray and Daniel Scheppan – created an eclectic multi-layered interior infused with contemporary art. The space boasts 8 meters-high halls enhanced with vintage pieces of furniture like Hans Hopfer-designed Mah Jong seats, North African-inspired handcrafted rugs, canvases by German visionaries, and a looping neon light installation suspended above the bar by Swiss artist Kerim Seiler.

KINK’s kitchen and bar are run in tandem by Italian chef Ivano Pirolo and Indian mixologist Arun Puvanendran who produce a complementary selection of creative dishes and inventive beverages. You will find unique combinations of a reinvented classic margarita with a deconstructed fish taco; a modern, fruity, single malt-based cocktail accompanied by minced lamb neck in garlic yogurt; tequila mixed with beetroot-tajín cordial alongside roasted guinea fowl with wild cauliflower, and a citrusy, refreshing tangerine and gin blend paired with wild octopus and jalapeño peppers.

If you are craving something exotic and spicy in Berlin, the India Club restaurant is the place to be. Nestled inside the five-star Adlon Hotel, it is an elegant upscale establishment that translates Delhi-derived Mughlai food to a European fine-dining setting. The interiors have been designed by Anne Maria Jagdfeld working closely with London-based interior designer Richard Blight. They have created an ambiance of bright colors complete with a British colonial-style dining room made up of mahogany furniture, dark-shaded paneling, and an ornamental chandelier that shines in pink, yellow, turquoise blue, and green colors.

The kitchen is run under the leadership of Chef Manish Bahukhandi, who, remaining true to his Indian roots, serves a rustic cuisine using premium imported spices and organic meats. Besides the classics like butter chicken and dal, you can find exemplary versions of flavorful items, including mutton seekh kebab, tandoori broccoli, malai (cream) mushroom, black prawns with sago crisps, and garlic butter naan with smoked fennel chicken. India Club also features a bar menu with specialized drinks like Mumbai martini, Bangalore lemonade, and mango lassi (sweetened yogurt drink).

Located in the building of Suhrkamp Verlag publishing house, Remi is an über-cool café-style restaurant in Berlin. It is the brainchild of young Dutch restaurateurs – Lode van Zuylen and Stijn Remi – who took inspiration from the grand cafés of their hometown to create Remi. The interiors were designed by the local studio Ester Bruzkus Architekten. The aesthetics are sleek, complete with a series of cherry red MDF cabinets that display wine bottles, glassware, and jars of ingredients.

An open kitchen made of rough gray stucco, anchors the dining room, along with metal-framed tables accompanied by timber and acid-yellow chairs. The culinary team creates an à la carte menu focused on modern European dishes made using regional ingredients. Diners can relish straight-up specialties: grilled mackerel with asparagus, roasted lamb shoulder with grilled cabbage, crispy cod with fennel, black Angus beef with toasted brioche buns, dry-aged chicken with pak choi, and veal steak with oyster mushrooms. Do not miss out on their heavenly desserts like chocolate mousse with caramelized peanuts, pavlova with rhubarb sorbet, and cream cake with raspberry sorbet.

Berlin, the largest city in Germany, is renowned for its exceptional landmarks, vibrant culture, and a way of life that is somehow a mix of happening and yet relaxed at the same time. It offers striking contrasts to its visitors, as the past and present mingle with historical buildings standing alongside modern architecture. With sprawling parks, wooded areas, artistic museums, and lots of eateries, Berlin is a complete tourist destination that should be visited at least once in your life.

What would you add to your Berlin-dietinerary? Share your thoughts with other foodie travelers in the comment section below. And don’t forget to check out our latest top restaurants reviews and food & travel guides.