BERLIN’S TOP 50 EATERIES 2018
The greatest food bucket list in this city
Sep 6th, 2018
Dear Reader,
Welcome to the third edition of BERLIN’S TOP 50 EATERIES – the yearly endeavour that lists my favourite restaurants and eateries in Berlin right now. The 2018 list features a staggering 10 new entries, so plenty of new places for all seasoned followers.
The BFS Top 50 is the ultimate list that puts Michelin stars next to street food trucks and hole-in-the-walls, all in the spirit that the true greatness of a meal always is to be held to the same standards, regardless of its price. It all comes down to quality, execution and consistency.
I created Berlin’s Top Eatery award out of boredom with existing lists that were designed for visitors and don’t really dive into the heart of dining culture in the same way a local food nerd would require it. This list is specifically designed for people living in Berlin and is to be used as the ultimate eating guide for their next 365 days of food discovery in this fine city.
“…in the spirit that the true greatness of a meal always is to be held to the same standards, regardless of its price. It all comes down to quality, execution and consistency.”
The places featured here form, what I regard to be, the beating heart and very forefront of Berlin’s culinary scene and brings together must-eat meals and eating institutions; stalwarts and innovators into one unique space of adoration and deliciousness. A list that by nature is bound to cause controversy. There are several, big names missing on it, but trust me when I say that every place on and also not on this list has been chosen very deliberately. Public fame does not buy you anything on this list. At the same time, the highly subjective nature of this list should always be considered and nothin should be taken too seriously.
“The 2018 list features a staggering 10 new entries, so plenty of new places for all seasoned followers”
Every eatery that serves food within Berlin’s borders is eligible to score a spot on this list, as long as they’ve been open for at least 6 months. Only proper meals feature (i.e. no bakeries, cafés, ice cream shops or bars), and each year I make sure to revisit top eateries in order to reassess against newer openings. If places feature once, that spot comes with a obligation to stay consistent and great for the 365 days that follow. If not, a hungrier eatery with better quality thinking will certainly snap up that spot on the list.
Soon you’ll start seeing this year’s green Berlin’s Top 50 Eateries 2018 sticker in windows and doors all across town. Please join me in celebrating these food heroes of Berlin by paying them a visit. With no further ado, behold the Berlin Food Stories Top 50 Restaurants 2018 in all their (alphabetical) glory:
TOP EATERIES 2018
893 Ryōtei
The slick, West Berlin, Tokyo gangster experience, with sensational sushi and Nikkei food.
Adana Grillhaus
The Turkish Grill House institution with the tastiest lamb chops in town
Bandol sur Mer
The relaxed fine-dining institution with a modern take on French cuisine
Big Stuff BBQ
The papa bear of the Berlin BBQ scene
Buns Mobile
The best food truck in Berlin serving delicious things in delicious buns
Bone (NEW)
The most glorious lunch Kantine in the city
Chicha
The Peruvian hotspot and very best pisco bar
Cocolo Ramen
The champions of Berlin ramen
CODA
The trailblazing fine-dining experience that’s much more than a dessert bar
Da Jia Le
The quality thinker of the Chinese food scene
Doyum Grillhaus
The best Adana kebab
Duc Anh (at Dong Xuan)
The very best classic Vietnamese food
Eins Unter Null
The contemporary, terroir-driven fine dining experience
Engelberg
The place for the greatest traditional German Brotzeit
Ernst
The ultimate produce-focused dining experience
Fes BBQ
The unique, modern, DIY Turkish BBQ restaurant
Fulilai (NEW)
Xi An and Dongbei magic unfolded in Steglitz
Goldies (NEW)
French fry and fried chicken heaven
Grill Royal
Notorious celebrity hangout and the best steak house
Güllü Lahmacun
Homemade Turkish heaven with exceptional Manti and Gözleme
Heno Heno
The amazing Soba and Udon experience
Hodori (NEW)
Old school Korean dreams come true
Horváth
Neo-Austrian, refined fine-dining on the banks of the canal in Kreuzberg
Imren
The Berlin döner institution which sets the döner kebab-meat benchmark
JaJa (NEW)
French natural wine and bistro refuge in Neukölln
Khwan
Kings of the Thai BBQ. Smoked dreams start here.
Kin Dee
The most refined Thai food in Berlin right now
Konak Izmir
The king of the Berlin köfte sandwich
Kumpel & Keule
One-stop artisan butcher and home to the best sausages in Berlin
Lebensmittel in Mitte
The very best place for a sensational Southern German lunch
Lode & Stijn
The exceptional Dutch neo-bistro
Madame Ngo
The best place for Pho in Berlin
Michelberger Hotel
Modern fusion-dining inside Berlin’s coolest hotel
MINE (NEW)
The glorious fancy Italian from out West
Mogg
The extraordinary Jewish deli and home to the best pastrami our city has to offer
Mrs. Robinson’s
Asian French Fusion explosion of creativity
Muret la Barba (NEW)
The Enoteca that sets the standard
Nobelhart & Schmutzig
The regional produce-focused revolution of Berlin’s fine dining scene
Pastificio Tosatti
Some of the city’s best handmade pasta and stunning Italian comfort plates
Pauly Saal
Contemporary and fresh German fine-dining in a stunning location
Rosa Lisbert (NEW)
The one flammkuchen slinger to rule them all
Salumeria Lamuri
Beautiful pasta salumeria
Standard Pizza
The perfect Neapolitan-style pizza
St. Bart (NEW)
The only true Gastrokneipe
The Store Kitchen
The monumentally fresh and vibrant contemporary eatery inside Soho House
Tommi’s Burger Joint
Our Icelandic messenger of true burger hope
To the Bone (NEW)
An Italian Steakhouse Western with a Negroni aftermath
W-Der Imbiss
The gloriously unique Hawaian-Indian-Mexican fast food joint
Yarok
Perfect Makali and other awesome Syrian dishes
Zur letzten Instanz
Because once in a while we all need to eat a proper Eisbein
