eat away city break

The eastern districts of Berlin abound with galleries, cafs and bars. For a taste of the best in contemporary drinking and dining, head to arty Mitte or hip Kreuzberg once home to Berlins Turkish community but now to young creatives. trust Tommy Tannock is food editor of Time Out Berlin O and runs a Sicilian pop-up restaurant in the city called Agrodolce (tinyurl.com/cywsjbm), and a food events website for Berlin (tampopo.me).

Weekender
Wander around East Berlin for art deco bars, hip delis, Turkish kebabs and kaffee und kuchen
Words Tommy Tannock Map Patrick O'Leary

Day 1
10am Start the day at south German restaurant ALPENSTUECK (Gartenstrasse 9, alpenstueck.de), whose adjoining bakery doles out hefty alpine breakfasts. A warm Swabian bread roll with goats cheese and air-cured ham is delicious, 3.30, but Berliners love big morning plates salami with fresh breads, smoked ham, butter, marmalade and fruit, 8.90. 11am Window-shop your way past the designer boutiques of Torstrasse to the contemporary art centre KW INSTITUTE (Auguststrasse 69, kw-berlin.de). Its beautifully restored 19th-century complex includes a charming caf pavilion designed by American artist Dan Graham. 12pm Pause at trendy bookshop DO YOU READ ME?! (Auguststrasse 28, doyoureadme.de) to browse walls laden with fashion, art and photography books and magazines. Keep an eye out for local design bible 032c. 12.30pm Get a caffeine hit at THE BARN (Auguststrasse 58, thebarn.de) where owner Ralf Rller has created a shrine to the bean. Australian baristas dial in coffee blends from their own roastery; try the pour-over Hario V60, 2.80. 1pm Vietnamese food is big in Berlin and MONSIEUR VUONG (Alte Schnhauser Strasse 46, monsieurvuong.de) is the king of the pho noodle soup. Order the nourishing wan tan soup, 7.20, or specials such as ga kho gung, caramelised chicken, ginger, peanuts and fresh herbs, 7.40, and a dense mango shake, 3.80. 2pm The NEUES MUSEUM (Bodestrasse 1, neues-museum.de) re-opened in 2009 following architect David Chipperfields award-winning restoration of the WWII-bomb-damaged building; it houses Egyptian and pre-historic wonders such as the 3,300 year-old bust of Nefertiti. Entrance 10. 5pm Have a crack at the venerable kaffee und kuchen tradition Germanys equivalent of afternoon tea at the stylish PRINCESS CHEESECAKE (Tucholskystrasse 37, princesscheesecake.de). The dcor blends minimalism and Baroque, and cakes have clean lines but opulent flavours. Try a classic baked cheesecake or the quark cream and toffee-laden mi carino suave, both 3.70. 6.30pm The MAEDCHENSCHULE (Auguststrasse 11-13, paulysaal.com), a former Jewish girls school, now houses exhibition spaces, a deli and a restaurant, Pauly Saal, specialising in locally sourced produce. Whet your whistle at the glitzy art deco bar with a bracing Chartreuse and lime-based Last Word, 6.50. 8pm NOTO (Torstasse 173, noto-berlin.com) exemplifies contemporary Berlin dining: a laid-back setting, with the chef-owner cooking and traditional German products made modern through creative techniques. The menu zips from cocoa and pumpkin ravioli in a rabbit rag, 14.50, to the signature dish of veal spare ribs in an Asian-style sweet marinade, 18.50.

photographs: anna serrano/sine/4 corners

february 2013

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eat away city break

Overnight
CASA CAMPER (Weinmeisterstrasse 1, casacamper.com) is a boutique hotel designed by Fernando Amat and Jordi Tio. The restaurant, Dos Palillos, does Japanese tapas and a 7th-floor lounge has city views. Doubles from 225, b&b. The CIRCUS HOTEL (Rosenthaler strasse 1, circus-berlin.de) combines excellent value with a central location. Extras include free Wi-Fi and laptops in rooms. Doubles from 80, room only.

Day 2
10am The distances here are walkable but with its roomy cycle
Clockwise from left: Jolesch, Alpenstueck, The Barn

Clockwise from left: Princess Cheesecake; Monsieur Vuong; an Audrey cocktail at Maedchenschule.

paths and flat ground, Berlin is best traversed on two wheels; bike rental costs from 10 per day (berlinfahrradverleih.com). Before taking to the pedals, kick things off with breakfast at BULLYS BAKERY (Friedelstrasse 7, bullysbakery.com), in Kreuzklln. Daniel, the half-Spanish, half-German owner, bakes the best croissants in town, oozing butter and with the right amount of flake; 1 a pop. For something heartier there are flammkuchen, 3.50, crispbreads topped with cheese and ham from Alsace. Watch out for Kurt, the resident French bulldog. 11am Set off uphill towards the old TEMPLEHOF AIRPORT for incredible views. Originally a Nazi airport, in 2008 it was turned into a public park. Families now congregate here to barbecue, tend to community allotments and fly kites. 12.30pm Turkish culture is integral to the citys fabric, not least the noble dner kebab. IMREN GRILL (Boppstrasse 4, imren-grill.de) serves up succulent lamb in a toasted flatbread, 3.50 and aubergines stuffed with spiced meats, 8. 1.30pm At ice cream parlour FRAULEIN FROST (Friedelstrasse 39, 00 49 30 6233238) sleds provide seats outside. Try the GuZiMi (cucumber, lemon, mint) or pistachio, 1 a scoop. 2.15pm Make your way down the beautiful Landwehr Canal towards Treptower Park. Hidden within the trees is one of the citys three SOVIET MEMORIALS built to commemorate the Russian soldiers who died in the decisive Battle of Berlin. 5.30pm Walk down Puschkinallee, through the uber-cool SO36 postcode, once populated by punks but now a des res. At JOHN MUIR (Skalitzer Strasse 50, johnmuirberlin.com) an American crew have brought a taste of the speakeasy to Kreuzberg. Try the Negroni variant The Boulevardier, 6.40, where bourbon replaces gin. 8pm Across the charming Lausitzerplatz is JOLESCH (Muskauer Strasse 1, jolesch.de), one of the citys finest Austrian restaurants. The classics are superb paper-thin Wiener schnitzel, 18.00, and tafelspitz, 15.50, a braised beef dish served with fresh horseradish, roast potatoes and creamed spinach but there is also a chefs menu with mains such as lobster, apple, pork belly, aubergine oat, granola and dates, 22.50. Make sure to ask the sommelier about the extensive selection of Austrian wines.

On a budget?
Do Berlin in a weekend for under
of double room 32.50. n Total 87.50

per person

100

n Get there fly from Gatwick from 55 return (easyjet.com) n Stay over at Circus Hotel (circus-berlin.de). Half share

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february 2013