This list is our guide to the best Döner Kebap spots in Berlin, from Neukölln to Wedding, Charlottenburg to Friedrichshain and beyond! The Döner is not only the single most popular street food in all of Berlin, it’s also an integral part of Berlin’s cultural D.N.A.. Be it for a quick work lunch, an after school snack or a final meal after a long night out, we Berliners grew up with Döner Kebap, regardless if we have a Turkish background or not. There are an estimated 1500+ restaurants and imbisses that sell Döner in Berlin and the hunt for the very best has always been a core mission of the Berlin Food Stories project. P.S. – Make sure to read the Editorial “A Brief History of the Döner Kebap” by BFS Founder Per Meurling for how to properly navigate the Döner landscape and how to differentiate between the main Döner categories (yes, there is not just one). Luckily for all of us, after years of stagnation, the Berlin Döner scene is experiencing a proper renaissance in terms of variety and quality – the inflation-induced price hikes are definitely not a popular measure though. As with every Berlin Food Stories Top List, there is no ranking between the places on the list. Every mentioned place is great in its own ways; in the end, it’s merely a matter of which style you prefer. Go forth and eat Döner - and skip the tourist lines!
-
Pamfilya
Pamfilya is an iconic Turkish grill in Berlin's Wedding district, situated at Leopoldplatz. The cozy and welcoming atmosphere, combined with its traditional, Turkish cuisine, makes it a perfect spot for a lunch or a cozy dinner with friends. The menu offers a variety of traditional Turkish dishes, such as mezze plates, skewer kebaps, döner kebap and mantı. One of the standout dishes is the "Adana Kebab," a spicy minced lamb meat skewer grilled to perfection over an open fire pit, but the number one reason to come here is the hand-stacked yaprak veal döner kebap. Owner Fikri Arslan puts a lot of emphasis on quality and the lean döner meat at Pamfilya is unique and by many regarded as the best quality veal döner in Berlin.
The pro move here is to order a plate of döner meat only, ask for a plate of freshly baked lavash bread and then eat the meat in small pieces of flatbread like a taco with onions, a squeeze of lemon and chili flakes only.
-
Tekbir Döner
Looking for a better alternative to Imren? Look no further than Tekbir Döner in the heart of Kreuzberg. This tiny Imbiss on Skalitzer Strasse offers pretty much a 1-for-1 copy of the Imren Döner with its heavily marinated and seasoned beef that’s laced with lamb fat. Many locals swear by the Imren Döner, but real Döner pros know that you go to Imren for the lunch stews and to Tekbir for the Imren-style Döner. Here you can also get the signature Imren sesame sauce, which is a great alternative to the standard Berlin Döner sauces.
The beef yaprak-style döner is the move - go later in the day as they've cracked into the new one by then.
-
K.W.A. Kebap with Attitude
Venture into the cosy quarters North West of Hackescher Markt for a visit to K.W.A. (Kebap with Attitude) and their contemporary interpretation of a Berlin Döner shop. Step into an energetic atmosphere where the sizzling sounds of grilled meats on the rotating spits and techno (this is in the bathroom) captivate your senses. Indulge in a Berlin kebap experience like no other as you savor their signature creations, featuring free range meat, vibrant vegetables, and bold, house-made sauces that elevate each bite to new heights of deliciousness. With its unique attitude, and a commitment to quality, K.W.A. is a unique opportunity to experience the iconic Berlin version of the Döner in a cool, modern dining setup-
Order the OG Classic with beef along with the homemade Ayran and swing by in the summer for Raki cocktails on their amazing curbside terrace.
-
Et Dünyasi by Ehli-Kebap
Embark on a culinary journey to Turkey and visit Et Dünyasi in Wedding... all you need is your BVG card This restaurant is operated by a meat distributor and you can taste their expertise in handling meat throughout the whole menu. The Döner skewer here is a masterpiece, a yaprak beef skewer laced with lamb meat and fat, which is cut in thick sheets to the point where the skewer resembles a rectangle, a style pioneered by legendary Istanbul Döner shop Bayramoglu. However, this specific Döner is, in our opinion, best eaten as a plate (on rice or an Iskender plate) and not in the bread they use at the shop (a strange, flat sandwich version that’s toasted too heavily). And do come for their grilled meats, the wrapped Beyti and the Köfte Sandwich are some of the best in the whole city.
Come prepared with patience in your pocket - the service sometimes gets a little hectic and you have to be your own advocate to get what you ordered, but, trust us, the payoff is worth it. Don't get the Döner as a sandwich, the bread is no good! Get it as a plate on rice.
-
Imren
The old-school and former champion of beef döner and the only Berlin chain which grills hand-stacked yaprak döner. The Imren-style of beef is a very specific one, where the meat is marinated in onions, yoghurt and unusual spices such as cinnamon and cumin. It’s also laced with lamb fat which gives the Imren döner its very rich taste. This used to a go-to place for BFS but deteriorating quality and increased competition has catapulted the Imrens to the lower end of the Döner list. But many locals still swear by their secret sesame-yogurt sauce. Imren has six outlets in Berlin and the best two are the original location on Boppstraße in Kreuzberg and the one on Haupstraße in Schöneberg.
Go for the Döner and have onions, tomatoes and sesame sauce
-
Doyum Grillhaus
Doyum is a pillar of the Turkish restaurant scene around Kottbusser Tor. The Ocakbasi sports a full Turkish grill, famous for its Adana Kebap and Lahmacun, but also offers Döner to-go from a skewer in the window. The meat is pure, yaprak beef, no lamb fat, cut into thin slices by the Kebap masters and served in a classical, triangular flatbread with all the condiments available. The pro move here is to order your döner with onions and tomatoes and extra chili flakes and if you sit down at the restaurant, don’t miss the excellent Künefe dessert.
They've recently opened their completely remodeled dining room that's perfect for groups. Get the Adana Durüm as well, it's out of this world.
-
Gokoreç
The black-and-yellow storefront on Kottbusser Damm may be one of the most special entries on the list. While the Čag Kebab sandwich sold here isn’t technically a Döner, it’s similar enough and, especially, delicious enough that it has to be on your radar. Čag Kebap is essentially the original Döner, the horizontally spinning Neanderthal relative to the Homo Sapiens Döner that rose to vertical spinning. This specific version is made from 100% lamb and that makes it, at this point, the only, rotating Turkish skewer in Berlin that’s made entirely from lamb (all others using lamb just mix in a bit of lamb or lamb fat). The meat here is roasted over an open fire and is stunningly delicious, eat it as mini skewers or in a toasted bread roll with onions, tomatoes, and parsley.
Order the Atom Kokoreç and the Čar Kebab!
-
Közde Döner
Step into the realm of above-average-quality Döner at Közde, the hidden gem that burst onto the Kreuzberg scene in Spring 2023. Initially known as "My Food" before evolving into its current identity, Közde Döner has two standout features that set it apart from the standard Döner crowd. Firstly, imagine a Döner Kebap skewer sizzling and spinning away before a lava stone vertical gas grill. It's not a culinary revelation, but cranking up the heat to new levels creates a meat crisp beyond Berlin's usual joints. But, here's the real game-changer; Közde crafts a very special beef-lamb kebap skewer, marinated and hand-stacked fresh each morning right in the heart of the restaurant. This commitment to quality is evident in every bite you take. The soft, pocket-style bread cradles this masterpiece in a way that you won't even think about asking for any of the run-of-the-mill sauces.
Only order the Beef Döner and instead of the "spicy" sauce, ask for some of the marvellously spicy chili flakes.
-
Babaleison
On the Southern side of Kottbusser Tor in Kreuzberg, just where Kottbuser Damm begins, this high end, fully stacked Ocakbasi and Döner House opened its doors at the end of 2023. Featuring strong, high end Turkish resort vibes, this Turkish restaurant is dishing out some remarkable food. Fancy and Kebab don't usually mix in Berlin, but they definitely should, and this place is here to show us how it's done. Apart from the stellar Kelle Paca soup, the items to for are the Adana Kebap, the Beyti Kebap and the a paper thin Lahmacun. But the real hero might be the Döner: Hand-stacked, 100% Yaprak beef, marinated and grilled to perfection before in a tasty, fluffy Tombik bread or on a plate.
-
Hasir Kreuzberg
Through the Kotti Arch and away from the pressure of the swirling roundabout, you'll find a far better spin, namely, one of the best-stacked kebap spieses in the city. Expertly cooked and sliced, Hasir shines as one of the district's strongest kebap players and keeps us (and many other chefs and foodies alike) running back time and time again. Jump in line, after 13:00 is usually good to give the restaurant time to warm up and work through the first few layers, and prepare to be wowed. Order at the outside window to show you're here to play (hold the sauce, please), then sit down at one of the outside tables to smash your kebap in peace.
If it's not too busy and you're feeling brave, ask for extra peppers and vegetables tucked into your kebap - it really pushes things towards the divine.
