If you head to Berlin expecting to eat big, heavy plates of sausage, sauerkraut and other hearty Teutonic classics, you may be surprised by the variety waiting for you on the food and drink scene.
You can, of course, enjoy well-made traditional German dishes during your holiday here, but you'll also have plenty of other options, from fresh takes on old recipes to dishes from cuisines around the world.
From Michelin-starred restaurants to simple diners, take a look at this small selection of places to eat on a trip to the German capital:
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Tim Raue
Holder of two Michelin stars, Tim Raue is one of the finest restaurants in all of Germany.
Raue, a native of Berlin's once-troubled Kreuzberg district, serves high-quality dishes inspired by Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisines, with subtle German touches.
The restaurant offers an a la carte menu, plus four, six and eight-course options built around carefully chosen exotic, often fruity delicacies. You'll find dishes such as a take on Peking duck or chicken satay with mango and peanuts. The vegetarian menu features spicy tofu with chiu chow chilli and pumpkin.
Tim Raue's wine list is also one of the most extensive in Berlin. You'll need to book a table at least two weeks in advance.
Tim Raue, Rudi-Dutschke-Str. 26, 10969 Berlin, Germany; +49 30 2593 7930
Rutz
Germany is famous for its beer, but Rutz is probably better known for its wine, and its ground-floor wine bar is a local favourite.
With two Michelin stars, Rutz doesn't disappoint on the food either, offering "masterfully crafted dishes" from chef Marco Muller and his team. They aim for a light, balanced menu made with locally sourced produce.
Here's a taste of what you can expect: duck with grapevine and pine, served with Brussels sprouts; mussels with tangy elderberry; garden turnip neck with dashi.
Rutz, Chausseestrasse 8, 10115 Berlin, Germany; +49 30 24628760
Reinstoff
This stylish restaurant in the Mitte district, with two Michelin stars, has been one of the city's top addresses for "neue deutsche kuche" (new German cuisine) since it opened in 2009.
Chef Daniel Achilles, a fan of molecular cooking, splits his creations across two different menus: "quite close" and "far away."
The first features updated regional dishes made with local ingredients. The second is reserved for his more experimental plates. Reservations are essential. Move fast, the restaurant plans to close by the end of 2018.
Reinstoff, Schlegelstrasse 26 Edison Hofe Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany; +49 30 3088 1214
Cookies Cream
Need a break from meat (or don't eat meat at all)? Cookies Cream may be just the place to serve up what you're looking for. This fine-dining restaurant, with a clean, bright interior, offers creative dishes built around vegetables and herbs.
The ever-changing menu might feature starters like leek with black sesame. Mains include cornmeal porridge with coriander or celeriac with a dyed egg yolk. A herb sorbet made with oats and pink grapefruit gives a hint of the desserts to come.
Just keep in mind: the entrance to this one-Michelin-star restaurant may not be easy to find, tucked behind a door in a back alley. Then again, weaving through a maze of back streets is very Berlin.
Cookies Cream, Behrenstrasse 55, 10117 Berlin, Germany; +49 30 27492940
Gaststatte Sophieneck
This cosy little spot, once home to a steam laundry, sits in Spandauer Vorstadt, an important centre of Jewish life before the Second World War. The area came dramatically back to life after reunification in the 1990s.
On Sophieneck's changing menu, you'll find traditional German dishes at mid-range prices. If you love fish, try their herring fillet. Or go for the Thuringian grilled sausage with sauerkraut and roast potatoes. And don't skip the classic apple strudel with whipped cream for something sweet.
There's also an extensive menu of beer, wine and spirits.
Gaststatte Sophieneck, Grosse Hamburger Str. 37, 10115 Berlin, Germany; +49 30 2834065
Osmans Tochter
Germany is home to a large Turkish expat community, so this is a great chance to mix things up with Turkish cuisine. Enjoy a blend of traditional Anatolian cooking given a modern twist.
Open since 2012, the interior is industrial, bright, clean and cheerful, with colourful chairs.
You could try octopus braised in red wine, grilled lamb chops with thyme, oven-roasted red beetroot with orange zest, and muhallebi (a dessert of milk custard, fried "angel hair" pastry, walnuts and a seasonal fruit compote).
Osmans Tochter, Pappelallee 15, 10437 Berlin, Germany; +49 172 2744662
Cafe Krone
If you love a good breakfast to kick off the day, head to Cafe Krone.
Keep an eye out for the pancakes (the Preach Each Peach comes with peach ginger chutney, peach sauce, sliced peaches and walnuts) and the inventive egg dishes (the G.O.A.T. features three eggs scrambled or fried with goat cheese, rosemary and roasted walnuts). Want something more filling? Try the Wurst & Schinken Platte (a cold cuts platter).
More in the mood for a good lunch? There's a big focus on sandwiches and other quick bites, like salads and soups. Their signature sandwich comes with pulled chicken, chipotle, guacamole and bacon bits.
Cafe Krone, Oderberger Str. 38, 10435 Berlin, Germany; +49 30 35125772
Flamingo Fresh Food Bar
A tourist's schedule can be seriously packed. With so many sights to see, sometimes you don't have the time (or the euros) for a big feast. But you still want something tasty, maybe even healthy, to eat. That's where the Flamingo Fresh Food Bar comes in.
Around since 2010, Flamingo puts the focus on fresh, regional ingredients, daily specials and homemade soups that change every day (perfect if you're in Berlin when it's cold and cloudy).
Possible menu items when you're there: couscous with red cabbage, tomato soup with chickpeas, an avocado sandwich, chilli with prawns, or rice pudding with coconut and vanilla.
They also serve breakfast and are just a short walk from Museum Island and other landmarks.
Flamingo Fresh Food Bar, Neustadische Kirchstrasse 8, 10117 Berlin, Germany; +49 1525 3359629
Burgermeister Schlesisches Tor
Location: under a bridge in Kreuzberg. Building: a former public toilet. Burger reputation: outstanding.
The Meisterburger is served with fried onions, mustard, bacon and barbecue sauce. If you're up for a real challenge, try the Master of All Classes: double meat, double cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce and jalapenos. You can also get fries done a few different ways, along with soft drinks and beer. That's it. And who needs anything else?
Burgermeister, U1 Schlesisches Tor, Oberbaumstrasse 8, 10997 Berlin, Germany; +49 30 23883840 (there's another location at Skalitzer Strasse 136, 10999 Berlin)
Jones Ice Cream
Ice cream is its own food group, right?
At French pastry chef Gabrielle Jones's shop, you'll find ice cream made in very small batches but with big flavour. Among the bolder options: cucumber and tonic sorbet, grapefruit and Earl Grey tea sorbet, pecan whiskey, or rhubarb. Traditionalists with a taste for chocolate and strawberry won't be left out either.
The shop, in the mostly residential Schoneberg neighbourhood, also has cookies. You can check the website for the current location of their mobile truck.
Jones Ice Cream, Goltzstrasse 3, 10781 Berlin, Germany: +49 171 8335780
