Two omelettes on a table set with coffee cups and water glasses.

Berlin Food Adventure: Markets, Cafés and KaDeWe

Recently we had an unexpected opportunity to visit Berlin, with a short side trip to Prague. That changed our travel plans and delayed a previously planned trip to New Orleans, but the spontaneity paid off. I didn’t document everything perfectly along the way, but I did manage to capture the final leg of our Berlin visit, which was dedicated entirely to tasting as much of the city’s food scene as possible.

Berlin’s culinary reputation is evolving. While it may not be the first city people think of for food, there’s a vibrant renaissance underway: chefs and food entrepreneurs are taking advantage of affordable spaces and a creative, international audience to create memorable dining experiences. On our last day and a half we focused on eating and drinking our way across the city, from bustling market halls to elegant cafés and the famous KaDeWe food floor.

Thursday nights are highlight nights at Markthalle Neun, where Street Food Thursday brings together regular market vendors and rotating pop-ups. Housed in a handsome 1890s building, the market features an eclectic mix from Colombian arepas to Chinese potstickers. The event runs 5pm–10pm and fills up fast. If you want affordable, varied street food in Berlin, this is one of the best spots—arrive early to sample before favorites sell out.

A man preparing food at a Berlin indoor market.

That evening we sampled cider steak, potstickers in several styles, bouletten (Berlin’s traditional meatballs), a tray of Italian charcuterie, and ice cream. The market is lively and diverse—perfect for a casual, walk-around tasting of local and international flavors.

A woman's hand holding a small plate of steak topped with mustard sauce.

Bouletten, traditional Berlin meatballs, in a small paper container at Markthalle Neun, Berlin, Germany.

Our Friday began with an early rise to catch a flight, so brunch was the natural choice. Café Einstein Stammhaus, a Vienna-style coffee house, serves breakfast all day and offers an elegant setting to linger. Their café au lait comes served with coffee and milk in separate pitchers so you can adjust it to taste, and the white asparagus omelette was a highlight. It happened to be asparagus season, and many restaurants in the region showcased the ingredient in multiple dishes—soups, risottos and specials—so it was impossible to miss and well worth trying.

The café itself has a notable history and even appears in Inglourious Basterds, making it a memorable stop for both its food and atmosphere. We enjoyed a relaxed meal and appreciated the classic café experience.

Later we headed toward Charlottenburg with the goal of finishing at the KaDeWe food hall. Along the way we visited an outdoor market offering ready-made lunches, cheeses, baked goods, composed salads, dried fruits, nuts and artisan chocolates. We strolled, sampled a few pastries, and took our time exploring the stalls.

Refrigerated cases full of a variety of salads and other prepared foods.

Dried fruits and nuts at an outdoor Berlin market.

Artisan chocolate bars on display at a booth at an outdoor market.

We stopped at Leysieffer for coffee and sweets—this pastry and chocolate shop has been part of Berlin since 1909—and picked up truffles as gifts. It was a pleasant pause before the main event: KaDeWe’s legendary food floor.

Small pastries in a case at a shop in Berlin.

The KaDeWe food hall occupies an entire floor of a department store that fills a city block. Open late on Fridays, it’s an epicenter of food: charcuterie, cheeses, sushi bars, raw bars, pastries, wine, schnitzel, pickles, beer and sausages, potato specialties, and more. We spent a full hour just making the first lap to survey options before deciding what to return for.

After stocking up on candies, air-safe sausages, nuts and pastries for the plane, we focused on the food counters. The system lets you order from different counters and have everything brought to one table with a single bill, which makes tasting across stations effortless. We began with champagne at the Jacquart bar, moved on to Spanish charcuterie with Iberico ham and manchego, and sampled cava. My husband grabbed one last dark Budvar at the beer bar, and we finished with a potato counter meal—baked potatoes topped with smoked salmon in several preparations. The portions, the quality and the value were memorable.

Charcuterie case at KaDaWe, Berlin, Germany.

A man slices Iberico ham at KaDaWe in Berlin.

A plate of Spanish cheese and charcuterie.

By the time we finished our meals and a final glass of champagne, the staff gently encouraged last-minute guests to leave as the store closed. We left full, satisfied and amused by how much we managed to taste in a single day. It was pastries, charcuterie, smoked salmon, potato specialties and several glasses of bubbly—definitely a day for indulging and a fitting finale to our Berlin food exploration.

Danke, Berlin—until next time.