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A

A-Trane International Jazz Club
Bleibtreustraße 1
Live Music/DJs
With the intimate stage and the low-lighting, you know you're in a special venue when you sit down in A-Trane. An international guest list of jazz musicians (sometimes sitting in the audience!) is proof of the fact that this is one of the most famous jazz clubs in Berlin. Attentive table service and management also guarantee an enjoyable evening. Bleibtreustraße 1, Charlottenburg, S5 S7 S75 S9 Savignyplatz, Map 2.

Al Hamra
Raumerstr. 16
Brunch, Waterpipes
This popular Arabian-style café, tucked in the heart of Prenzlauer Berg, offers excellent Mediterranean food, an extensive variety of coffees and teas, as well as beer, wine, water pipes, backgammon and chess, internet access (house computers or WLAN) and, importantly, a warm, comfortable atmosphere in which to relax and chat with friends. The staff is shockingly kind. A favorite New Berlin hangout, this recommendation won’t last long if we can’t find seats this week. Raumerstr. 16, Prenzlauer Berg. S8, S41, S42 Prenzlauer Allee. Map 4.

Assel
Oranienburger Str. 21, Mitte
Live Music/DJs
Named after the humble silverfish, this cozy cellar bar is certainly on its way up. Since its establishment in the former East Berlin's (now) trendy Mitte district ten years ago, Assel has become seriously popular with English-speaking visitors looking for a authentic but approachable Berlin bar. And the place is now heaving. Come in on a Friday or Saturday night for a piano singalong or just get there late to push amongst the crowds. A recent change in management also means that top-class chefs are now part of the friendly team at Assel. Meals are hearty with a modern German emphasis. Menus are available in English. Oranienburger Str. 21 S5,S7,S75,S9 Hackescher Markt, Map 1

Australian Homemade Premium Ice Cream and Chocolate
Friedrichstraße 96
You are bound to have walked past one of these two fantastic locations and thought, "I didn't realize Australians were THAT good at icecream." Maybe they're not, but these guys certainly know what they're doing, consistently producing the most delicious all-natural icecream and chocolate in the city. Both venues also operate as 'standcafes' (a german institution designed for eating food fast on your feet while people-watching). This means that waffles and premium coffee are also available for those who need an excuse for coming in and buying mountains of chocolate! Friedrichstraße 96, Mitte, S5 S7 S75 S9 Friedrichstraße, Map 1. Also at: Karl-Liebknecht Str. 1, Mitte, S5 S7S75 S9 Hackescher Markt, Map 1.

B

Bateau Ivre
Oranienstraße 18
Barely 10 years old, Bateau Ivre is already an institution in Kreuzberg. It's dearly loved by the locals because it's relaxed and unpretentious, and a place where you can feel at home even if dining alone. A treat for long breakfasts or lunchtime dining. The menu has a mediterreanean influence, with all the necessary, quality ingredients (breakfast and meals from €4). After 4pm the kitchen slows down and the scene changes to a classical café with artists, locals and newcomers mixing easily. Open late. Ordering in English (or any other language for that matter!) shouldn't be a problem. Oranienstraße 18 (on Heinrichplatz), Kreuzberg, U1 Görlitzer Bhf, Map 3.

C

Café Hundertwasser
Simon Dach Str. 39
Brunch, Cocktails
Like the Viennese artist after whom this café is named (the elaborately named Hundertwasser Friedensreich Regentag Dunkelbunt), this place is hard to pigeonhole. Over 200 exotic dishes from around the world (including juicy Argentinian steaks), more than 280 cocktails, zany architecture and a famous Sunday brunch (€8.90) combine to make this a café, bar and restaurant all in one. Little wonder then that large tour groups have been known to spend their entire Berlin experience here. In the middle of Simon Dach Straße, this place provides a genuine Friedrichshain experience. As you would expect, opening times are pretty liberal: from 9am until the last guest decides to leave. Simon Dach Str. 39, Friedrichshain, U5 Frankfurter Tor, Map 3.

Café Intimes
Boxhagener Str. 107 (Cnr Niederbarnimstraße)
Cocktails
Theatre themed restaurants/cafés are not normally so cool (anyone remember Planet Hollywood?) - but this one has some serious class. Adjoined to Friedrichshain's beloved 1920s cinema of the same name, Café Intimes suprises us with a relaxed atmosphere, breakfasts named after classic films (The 'Tiffany's' deserves a mention) and an extensive menu of Anatolian cuisine. Popular with the locals, but guests should feel at home, helpful staff and english menus make it easy. Just don't get too relaxed or you'll miss the start of the film next door. Open 10am - 2am, prices €3.50-€10 (cheaper for lunch). Niederbarnimstraße 15 (Cnr Boxhagener Str), Friedrichshain, U5 Frankfurter Tor, Map 3.

Café Swingdiele
Knesebeckstraße 12 (corner Goethe Straße)
In the golden 20s and 30s of Berlin, Charlottenburg was a steamy quarter full of jazz and bars. These days things might be a little bit more refined, but that era hasn’t been forgotten. Newly-founded Café Swingdiele does its best to give you a Zeitsprung (leap in time) back to what it would have been like. The music on the old speakers is swing and everything you see has been kitted out by the faithful owner’s determined fleamarketing to give the place a genuine Charleston feel. Food also keeps in step with homemade soup and pastries doing the business. A unique stop-off. Knesebeckstraße 12 (corner Goethe Straße), Charlottenburg, U2 Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Map 2.

Café Uebereck
Lenbach Str. 8 (Cnr Sonntagstraße)
Brunch, Cocktails
On Friedrichshain's relaxation mile Sonntagstraße (yes, it does mean Sunday Street!), Café Uebereck is far and away the most popular meeting point for locals and new Friedrichshainers. So what makes it so popular? A welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, a super location and a varied wine and beer list probably goes some way towards ensuring that the guests are happy. It's also reassuring to know that if you get stuck here a little longer than expected, a varied breakfast and mains menu is also available. Meals are between €3-€7.50 and served from 10am til 11pm - close is at 2am. Lenbach Str. 8 (Cnr Sonntagstraße), Friedrichshain, S3 S5 S7 S75 Ostkreuz, Map 3.

Café Zapata (Tacheles)
Oranienburger Str. 54-56
Live Music/DJs, Cocktails
This grungy, artsy, funky, and popular café-bar is housed in one of the more unusual and historic venues in Berlin. Squatters saved the building (Tacheles) from demolition and turned it into an alternative arts center. Today people pay a symbolic rent to live there. The building houses three bars, a cinema, a beer garden (summer only), a sculpture gallery, and a workshop. Café Zapata, one of the bars, offers coffee during the day, and live music during the night (everything from DJ spun electro to live rock to reggae), with cheap entry fees. Oranienburger Str. 54-56, Mitte. U6 Oranienburger Tor. Map 1.

Café „An einem Sonntag im August...“
Kastanien Allee 103
Brunch, Live Music/DJs
With a name like „On one Sunday in August…”, you might think that this is a bit of a lazy weekend café for Berlin trendites. In fact, it's one of Berlin’s most traditional cafés, with a distinctly local feel to it, despite its central position in Berlin’s most cosmopolitan bezirk, Prenzlauer Berg. Each day from 9am you can head in here for an all-you-can-eat Berlin buffet for just €3 before you head out to go shopping on Kastanien Allee (a must!). Or drop in at night for a cheap hot snack that doesn’t involve Döner or Currywurst. But be warned: you may stay all night. The music in the evenings here has a reputation for being loud and varied, sometimes forcing the patrons to push aside their chairs and get boot-scooting. Kastanien Allee 103, Prenzlauer Berg, U2 Eberswalder Straße.

E

El Grano
Kurfürstendamm 212
Cocktails
At the corner where Kurfürstendamm meets Uhlandstraße, stands El Grano, a small coffeeshop sitting comfortably on the Spanish-style placa. Sit back and order a great coffee or all natural ice cream and watch Berlin’s famous shopping mile bubble onwards. All-day breakfasts and toasted sandwiches are available (from €3) and for those who have had enough shopping for the day, the cocktails and alcoholic ice cream shakes also come highly recommended. Open midday until midnight, closing later on the weekends. Kurfürstendamm 212, Wilmersdorf, U1 Uhlandstraße, Map 2.

Exes Pool
Wühlisch Str. 30
Cocktails, Happy Hour, Brunch
Located around the corner from Simon Dach Straße, Exes Pool is a roomy bar with great prices and an extensive cocktail list. Consequently, it's popular with the younger Friedrichshain crowd and broke backpackers who want to push their cocktail budget (happy hour drinks are €3.90 from 6-9pm and 12-2am). But it's not all drinking: Mediterreanean antipasti, pizza and paella are also offered (mains from €5-€6.50). They also have free wireless internet access. Remember to say "Exes" upon arrival - it'll get you a free cocktail. Wühlisch Str. 30, Friedrichshain, S5 S7 S75 S9 Warschauer Straße, Map 3.

G

Green Door
Winterfeldt Straße 50
Cocktails
There are plenty of cocktails on offer around Berlin, but if you don’t want to just rotate yourself through the usual suspects, put on your smart black shoes and head to Schöneberg. With over 40 pages of cocktails, it’s fair to say that Green Door is pretty serious about what it does. Little wonder that the bar has consistently been voted one of Berlin’s top cocktail bars. You have to ring a bell to get the barperson to come and let you in, so try to show up in a ‘not too rowdy’ state. Secret tip: For those of us who want to look cool but can’t quite afford it yet, all cocktails are €5.50 between 6pm and 9pm. Winterfeldt Straße 50, Schöneberg, U1 U2 U3 U4 Nollendorfplatz, Map 2.

h

heisskalt
Sonntagstraße 3
Eiscafés (ice cream parlours) have a long tradition in Germany, so you can expect products to be top-quality. Heisskalt is no exception. With over 85 types of Sicilian ice cream at their disposal (pistachio is a must-try), management makes a conscious effort to offer a range of natural alternatives - many ice cream types are vegan-approved and coffees can be ordered with soy milk (a rarity for Berlin). The friendly team at heisskalt are also very helpful, happy to provide English-speaking service when needed. Ice-cream from 70 cents, coffees from €1.30 and waffles from €2. Open 12 noon until 10pm, longer when it's "ice-cream weather". Sonntagstraße 3, Friedrichshain, S3 S41 S42 S5 S7 S75, Map 3. Also with an outlet in Rosi's (Revaler Str. 29, Friedrichshain)

K

Kauf dich Glücklich
Oderberger Str. 44
'Shop yourself happy' is the message here - and with the quantity of mega retro stuff on offer, something will surely make you giggle. The concept of KdG is a unique one - tempt the customers with wonderful home-made ice cream until they buy the furniture they are sitting on! Of course, why didn't you think of that? As well as crazy ice cream constructions, waffles, crepes and daily soups are also available (€2.50-€4). However, the real attraction has got to be the small kitsch toys, accessories and crazy furniture collected by the owner in his big van roadtrips through Germany. An absolute must for those who want to see the real Prenzlauer Berg. Oderberger Str. 44, Prenzlauer Berg, U2 Eberswalder Str., Map 4.

L

Lina Krokant
Wilmersdorfer Str. 65
A new café selling 'urban milkware and chocolate' in a superchic store in the old west Berlin - what more could you want? More of the same!! And the team at Lina Krokant provide. Not only is rare handmade chocolate from Berlin and around the world available - the supporting icecream flavours are also in stock in summer. Hot and cold drinks can be supped in the unique interior - highly recommended is the spanish drinking chocolate, a revelation for traditional hot chocolate drinkers and a rarity in Berlin (€2.40). Open monday to saturday 10am til 8pm, sundays from 1pm til 6pm. Wilmersdorfer Str. 65, Wilmersdorf, U7 Wilmersdorfer Str., Map 2

M

Morgenland
Skalitzer Str. 35
Brunch, Live Music/DJs
If you want to get to know Kreuzberg, this is simply a must. Legend has it that Morgenland ('Morning Land') was the birthplace of the Berlin weekend brunch as we now know it. This fact alone makes it worth a pilgrimage, and other enticements abound: a sensational mid-week breakfast is available (10am-3pm), with the vanilla quark, fresh fruit salads and fine hams of particular note. The changing afternoon and evening menus are also worth a try (meals from €6.50 - 8.50). If you are planning to have the weekend brunch, booking by telephone is essential. Elbow pads and punctuality are also recommended. Skalitzer Str. 35, Kreuzberg, U1 Görlitzer Bhf, Map 3.

O

Olivia
Wühlischstraße 30
A tort and chocolate specialist, Olivia is one of the best examples of Wühlischstraße's fast-developing boutique shopping strip. A delightfully designed interior and a small seating area allows you to take in the best sweet things Olivia has to offer - from Spanish drinking chocolate to petite fours and mousse tortes from the patissier (torts start from €2.30). The packaged european chocolate and teas available are also popular for gift-giving. Open from 10am-7pm. Wühlischstraße 30, Friedrichshain, S3 S5 S7 S75 S9 Warschauer Straße, Map 3.

OstZone
Monbijoupark/S-Bahnbogen 153
Live Music/DJs
When the Wall fell, the East Berlin district of Mitte was one of the first to embrace capitalism, which led to a growth in trendy, expensive bars – but OstZone remains true to its East Berlin, “underground” roots: rough around the edges, good beer, and good music (often live and always free on Saturday nights). It is located in Monbijoupark beneath the S-Bahn tracks that overlook the River Spree and the back of Museum Island – a lovely spot, also within striking distance of many other bars and clubs in Mitte. Does not close on the weekends. Monbijoupark/S-Bahnbogen 153, Mitte. S5, S7, S75, S9 Hackescher Markt. Map 1.

R

Raststätte
Martin-Luther-Str. 20a
Brunch, Live Music/DJs
Raststätte (Roadhouse) can only be compared to, well, a diner found on a highway – but a diner that is so great and so cool that you return again and again. The décor and music pay retro-tribute to the 1970s. And there’s food: choose from a variety of tapa-esque German dishes and pastries at low prices. All-you-can-eat bread and butter! Check out one of the DJ cooking sessions. The Raststaette staff prove that cooking, eating, and drinking are great fun. And the long tables make it easy to spark conversation with the friendly locals. Martin-Luther-Str. 20a, Schöneberg. U1, U2, U4 Nollendorfplatz. Map 2.

Reingold
Novalisstraße 11
Cocktails, Lectures/Exhibitions
Reingold is a bit off the Mitte tourist drinking trail - and the detour is certainly worth it. An extensive cocktail-list is the main attraction, but warmer evenings also brings out the barbecue on the back terrace - proof at last that margaritas and steaks really can co-exist! For the more refined, a menu of bar-snacks is served til midnight. Occasional lectures or album release parties will set a small door charge, but otherwise entrance is free. Cheap drinks 7pm - 9pm. Novalisstraße 11, Mitte U6 Oranienburger Tor, Map 1

RIva Bar
Bogen 142, Dircksenstrasse
Cocktails, Live Music/DJs
This classic bar with a unique, oval-shaped counter can make any drink you could ever concoct or crave. Unwind to live music, usually classic jazz, on the first and third Thursdays of each month. The rest of the time the d.j. spins a mixture of electronic, house, and chill music. Don’t come before 10 pm on weekends, and make sure you are friendly at the door. Small snacks, such as pizza quesadillas, are served all night long. In the summer, relax on the terrace with a spectacular view of the TV tower. 8 pm-4 am daily. Credit cards accepted. Bogen 142, Dircksenstrasse, Mitte, S-bahn Hackescher Markt, Map 1.

Rote Harfe / Orient Lounge
Oranien Str 13
Cocktails, Brunch
A unique café/bar right in the heart of Kreuzberg, well worth a visit during the day or in the evening. Downstairs is Rote Harfe, a modest-looking café with an extensive menu that changes daily. Upstairs is Orient Lounge, a snuggly Shisha/Cocktail Bar where, in the evenings, everyone is so laid back that they are practically horizontal. Both are seriously quality establishments - and don’t the locals know it! Weekend brunch in the café can be busy and bookings for groups of 4 or more for the cocktail bar upstairs are advisable, even during the week. Midday menu (soup and a main) is €6.50 and evening mains are around €10. Oranien Str 13 (Heinrichplatz), Kreuzberg, U1 Görlitzer Bahnhof, Map 3.

T

Tadshikische Teestube
Am Festungsgraben 1 (Behind Neue Wache)
Located just off Unter den Linden, a trip to the Tadshikische Teestube (or 'Tajikistani Teahouse') is a unique experience and shouldn't be missed. The history of the room is fascinating: the traditional teahouse, hand-carved in Tajikistan, was shipped to Germany 30 years ago and installed in East German times in The House of German-Russian friendship. These days it's open for business to everyone - and although it can get full on weekends it remains peaceful and contemplative, true to its origins. There is no lack of gastronomic authenticity - a popular feature is the russian tea ceremonies for two (accompanied by vodka), hearty Russian soups such as soljanka and borschtsch and a range of light meals from the region, all at reasonable prices (€3-€8). The guests are a mixed local crowd - from students and families to older theatre-goers. The one uniting factor? They all know about somewhere completely private in the middle of the city. Am Festungsgraben 1, Mitte, S1 S2 S5 S7 S75 S9 U6 Friedrichstraße, Map 1.

Tres cabezas y amigos
Boxhagener Str. 74 (Cnr Wühlisch Str)
A Kiezcafé ('locals café') with a Costa Rican twist, this place knows it's coffee back to front. What sets this place apart is that it actually imports its own award-winning coffee mixes - the 'Pura Vida' is the best-seller of the bunch. But if you can't live on coffee beans alone, Tres Cabezas provides some cheeky snacks including 'tostada' (spanish-style toasted sandwiches) and 'pastel de nata' (sweet, naughty portuguese cakes). The café is relaxed and well thought out - pick between bar seating, 'tumble-out-on-to-the-street' chairs or just chill-out in what appears to be the owner's back loungeroom. Open 8am-8pm. Boxhagener Str. 74, Friedrichshain, S3, S41, S42, S5, S7, S75 Ostkreuz, Map 3.

V

Victoria Bar
Potsdamer Str. 102
Cocktails, Lectures/Exhibitions, Happy Hour
With over 20 years of cocktail-making experience behind the bar, it's little wonder that the staff here has even started holding lectures on the art of mixing the perfect cocktail. But if drinking rather than learning is more your style, then nestling yourself into the secluded Victoria Bar is nevertheless a masterstroke. Clients are varied - the uniting element being a love of serious cocktails. Drinks are 7€ - 10€, cheaper during the week from 6:30pm to 9:30pm and on Sunday evenings. Potsdamer Str. 102, Schöneberg U1 Kurfürstenstrasse, Map 2