A close reading of NYT 36 hrs in Berlin
Miss her! (the her being Berlin)
Despite the years, among friends, we still like to claim ownership over Berlin. So, when The New York Times released its most recent 36 Hours in Berlin, we were hesitant to read it. We didn’t want to see the places we hadn’t heard of, to read recommendations we hadn’t shared ourselves, to render ourselves out-of-the-know and irrelevant to the Berlin agenda. The piece sat as an open tab on our browsers for days, until eventually we worked up the courage to read it. We were relieved to find some things have changed, but others remain the same.
For example, it’s true that we don’t know the restaurants they suggested, but that’s not because we’re out of the know; in fact, it’s because these restaurants are not in the know. They’re older, more traditional spots, and we’re often looking to go somewhere new and exciting. It wouldn’t have occurred to us to go to most of the NYT list (except Jomo, which looks cool). We know Berlin isn’t typically heralded as a culinary destination, but hold a mirror up to the restaurants and bars in Berlin and you’ll see the diversity of the readily available and spectacularly executed global food scene.
We know these bars and clubs (suggesting Berghain…how original). The museums all stay the same; that’s to be expected. And while their market is different than the one we like to suggest, we’ve A) been to that one and B) didn’t spend much time in Prenzlauer Berg.
For us, travel guides are the ultimate souvenirs and the best relic of the time and space during which you visited that place. That's why ours is filled with coffee shops, casual eats, and stationary stores, as well as walks to secret courtyards, massive parks, and vintage dealers.
Overall, our biggest note for The New York Times is that they didn’t seem to do a whole lot in these 36 hours – they didn’t eat enough pastries or drink nearly enough coffee. Hardly had any wine, sought out nary a beer to-go, and didn’t even get a Club-Mate!
So, here are all the places we suggest you visit in Berlin. If you’re interested in commissioning a true 36-hour itinerary from us, please inquire via email.
Stay
Orania Hotel – A boutique hotel with luxury vibes much closer to Kotti than you’d expect it to be.
Airbnb – We recommend looking at Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg for the best homes in the most walkable areas with all the places you’ll want to be.
Eat and Drink
Café Frieda – Fun, original, and classy for apéritif and bites after a stroll through Prenzlauer Berg.
Otto – A simple but memorable lunch in a very tiny space, or land a dinner res if you can for an unpretentious seasonal prix fixe.
Chicha – Fresh Peruvian for when you want something different.
Rocket and Basil – Huge salads and delicious sandwiches, but lunch hour is busy and isn’t the fastest service.
Klunekerkranich – Traverse the ramps of this active parking garage for an uninterrupted view and (passable) beverages.
Ora – Wine bar and restaurant housed in a converted pharmacy on a quintessential corner.
Albatross Bakery – Bakery with neighborhood vibes, get one of everything, but especially their Brezel (translation: pretzel).
Adana Grillhaus – Family ambiance for Turkish dishes and skewered meats.
Prater Biergarten – Open-air beer hall and garden with the exact kind of bites you’d want alongside your Hefeweizen.
Tischendorf – The carrot cake is very good.
Bonanza Coffee Roasters – In-house roasted beans to sip in a discreet storefront.
Burgermeister – Berlin’s version of In-N-Out, but with a perfect fried tofu burger and peanut sauce. Open Late.
Mustafas – legendary döner open until 5 AM.
Restaurant Z – Lambchops and Greek fare spread on gingham-clad tables on a “Kreuzkölln” corner.
Hallesches Haus – Café with a shoppy-shop that serves a vegan chocolate chip cookie we still think about.
Culture
Neue National Galerie – The new national gallery with a perfect size collection of 20th-century art.
The Hamburger Bahnhof museum – A Circle Back favorite for contemporary art housed in a former train station.
Wolf Kino – Independent, homey, niche movie theater.
The Reichstag Building – Historic government building with many past lives, including as a site for a Christo and Jeanne-Claude installation. The Norman Foster-designed renovation is a history lesson that also offers 360-degree city views. To skip the line, make a reservation at the restaurant on top and order a giant schnitzel.
Boros Foundation – Private collection in a bunker, turned techno-club, turned gallery.
Tempelhofer Feld – The airfield of the former Tempelhof Airport, and now considered Berlin’s largest city park. Jog down abandoned airways, bike on the tarmac, picnic amongst wildflowers. (ask Ilana for an in-depth history lesson/rant through the lens of urbanism and housing).
Admiralbrücke – Go on a warm evening with a beer, Club-Mate or gelato in hand and watch the River Spree come to life.
KW Institute of Contemporary Art – Rotating collection of contemporary works in a peaceful setting with a quiet courtyard.
Mauer Park – “Wall Park” (you could probably guess why), hosts a Sunday flea market complete with Karaoke, glühwein, and racks upon racks of vintage leather, suede, and denim.
Turkish Market – 50% culture, 50% food vendors selling dips, dips, and more dips, strawberries if the season is right, and salt licorice by the kilo for Spree-side picnics.
Körnerpark – An orangery, flower garden, lush lawn, and a landscape that resembles an Italian palace.
Shop
Do you Read Me?! – Culture-forward bookstore and cultural center. Get a taste at their new mini location at the Swiss Institute in NY.
stay hungry – Berlin hypebeast meets New England fisherman.
Modular – A place we happily got lost in, and the kind of store that makes you understand why everyone in Berlin is a “creative”.
RSVP-Berlin – Delicate and beautiful stationery and adjacent tools.
Luiban – More stationary, even more notebooks, and an extensive collection of cards (write us a letter!)
The Good Store – Highly curated vintage with a selection of new items and jewelry that always surprises.
Chrome Store – Designer vintage clothes and accessories heaven.
Sing Blackbird –Find the perfect shirts and worn-in jeans.
Voo Store – A high end boutique that’s more about the sleek location and interiors than actual clothes.
Montbell Mono Pouch will take you from brunch to Berghain (or Berghain to brunch...).
If you’re feeling inspired to move to Berlin, might we suggest reading Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico as a gut check?
Flore Flore provides the literal foundations for any good trip.
Dr Hauschka Lip Care because the airplane (and those cheeky cigarettes) make your lips dry.
The Sans Earrings will replace your daily hoops and earn you many compliments.
Bev duo: Club Mate (available at Mr. Mango on the corner of Fulton and Lafayette), Fountain of Youth (unclear if it’s available in the US still… but Public Record’s in Gowanus was a source).
An Italian-made crocheted cap for waiting in line at the klub.
A pair of reflective sunnies by District Vision for getting home when the sun rises.