Berlin is the beating heart of plant-based eating in Europe. Everything from Michelin-starred fine dining to corner bakeries accounts for the city’s estimated 80,000 vegans in a country with reportedly 8.1 million vegetarians. In most cities worldwide, vegans and vegetarians have to look up restaurants that cater exclusively to them. Not so in Berlin, where you’d be hard-pressed to find a menu that doesn’t have something delicious for meat-free diners. That said, you certainly can find a plethora of vegan restaurants and bakeries in case you would rather take the guesswork out of the equation.
Doughnuts, ice cream, and more
Generally speaking, there are two Berlins, and I’m not referring to the scars left by the infamous Berlin Wall. One Berlin lies inside “the ring”—or the Ringbahn, a train that wraps itself around the city in the shape of a dog’s head—and the other, outside. You’ll find a few tasty vegan finds in outer Berlin, but far more treasures await inside, which means you’re just a short walk, bike, or tram ride away from your next bite.
Prenzlauer Berg, the punk-turned-bougie neighborhood stretching over the northeastern edge of the ring, is arguably the epicenter of vegan Berlin. Just a stone’s throw from the ring, you’ll find EasyPeasy, a vegan brunch spot that’s got you covered for both sweet (Belgian waffles with vegan yogurt, granola, berries, coconut shavings, and maple syrup) and savory (chickpea omelette with fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, and zucchini topped with chives and hemp seeds).
Vegan doughnuts galore at Brammibal’s Donuts
Where comrades once roamed, you’ll now find everything from ramen and jackfruit sushi at fusion restaurant Emira to vegan doughnuts (with monthly flavors like chocolate pretzel cheesecake alongside classics like salted caramel, strawberry sprinkles, and cinnamon sugar) at the all-vegan chain Brammibal’s Donuts.
Eis at Tribeca Ice Cream
If your sweet tooth persists, there are few things Germans love more than their beloved Eis, or ice cream. Fortunately, you can’t go wrong with dessert from plant-based Tribeca Ice Cream with two locations in town. Don’t miss the Spaghetti Ice Cream—a German specialty where vanilla ice cream is pushed through a ricer to form long ice cream noodles and topped with strawberry sauce.
Cuisine from around the world
With residents hailing from as many as 190 countries, Berlin is a true seat of multiculturalism in Germany—and this holds true even for its vegan food. Here, vegetarians and vegans can travel the culinary globe with stops at Veganaa (Mongolian soups and dumplings), Kanaan (an Israeli and Palestinian co-owned restaurant with homemade pita and hummus among a plethora of shared platters), and Anh Dao or Feel Seoul Good for Vietnamese and Korean, respectively. Feeling spicy? Sichuan cuisine is all the rage at the moment, and CÀI Kitchen is happy to scratch that itch with their marinated dan dan noodles with minced soy meat and vegetables. Braver souls can try the udon with extra spicy peanut sauce, earning the dish five chili peppers and a mind-blown emoji.
Sandwiches at Rocket + Basil/Savannah van der Niet
At the women-owned Rocket + Basil, bite into an array of Persian-inspired brunch dishes or stick around for sandwiches and salads at lunch. The mascarpone pancakes are worth the trip alone with caramelized bananas, maple syrup, pistachio butter, and barberries. Hungry for pizza? That’s no problem in Berlin where you can get your wood-fired pizza fix at eco-conscious La Stella Nera. Spice lovers who miss their diavola (pizza made with hot salami and chili peppers) can satisfy their craving with spicy seitan sausage over the housemade soy cheese.
Hot dogs at Vöner
And one can’t talk about food in Berlin without talking döner—the ever-popular Turkish kebab that’s become just about as German as schnitzel. Unsurprisingly, the traditionally meaty sandwich has gone through its own vegan evolution in Berlin. Most spots, including long-time local favorite Mustafa’s, will offer up a vegetarian spin. But at Vöner, they’ve been serving up burgers, currywurst fries, and classic kebab that’s purely vegan (from the well-spiced meat carved off the spit to the herbed yogurt sauce) since 2006 in the countercultural haven of Friedrichshain—where you’re never sure if you’re standing in line or if you’ve joined a protest.
A leek dish from Frea
Fine-dining in Berlin
Compared to the rest of Western and Central Europe, a bite out in Berlin is still comparatively affordable for a capital city. That makes the occasional splurge all the more possible. At Frea in the bustling neighborhood of Mitte, a three-course menu starts around $59 with the promise that all of the ingredients at their no-waste restaurant are sustainably cultivated, and predominantly regional and seasonal. Everything that doesn’t get used goes to “Gersi,” their compost machine. Expect to find dishes like mushroom ceviche, Italian arancino with chipotle aioli, and ravioli with pine nuts, figs, cauliflower, fermented mustard seeds, and a lemon koji sauce.
Back in Prenzlauer Berg, head to Lucky Leek and its Michelin-recognized vegan tasting menu. Their three-course menu starts at $48—a bargain in the world of fine dining. Like Frea, expect a changing menu based on the season and availability of ingredients. But for a taste of the possibilities, think grilled and pickled chicory with honeydew, cashews, coriander sour cream, and curry daikon. And that’s just the appetizer. The second course might be a green pea soup with chili-mint oil, apricot, and a polenta dumpling—or if you visit during the warmer seasons and are looking to cool off, the iced beetroot soup with raspberry balsamic, yogurt foam, and capers will do the trick. For the main course, marvel at tandoori cauliflower with roasted chickpeas, pak choi, eggplant confit, and passion fruit yogurt. Then, to satiate your sweet tooth, there’s peach pavlova with coffee cream and red currant jelly.
Veganized German classics
There’s a prevailing mantra here that “Berlin isn’t really Germany” thanks to the city’s divergence from most other parts of the country and its sometimes more conservative values. Berlin is fast-paced, exciting, and chaotic; the fashion is bold; the nightlife can be debaucherous. But still, you might want to try some of the national cuisine. And though Germany may conjure images of sausages and veal, Berlin is once again unafraid to break the mold.
Schnitzel at Försters
At Försters, a family establishment that promises “vegan with heart and soul” in a cozy, cabin-like atmosphere with live piano accompaniment in the evening. Here you can get heartier dishes like mushroom sauce-smothered schnitzel (pounded thin and as big as a dinner plate, coated in bread crumbs, and fried until crisp and golden), meaty vegan roulade with red wine sauce, king oyster mushrooms and potato gratin, or—if you make it on the weekend—a vegan rack of lamb with rosemary potatoes and green beans. Each menu item is thoughtfully paired with a wine recommendation, including the pumpkin-almond crème brûlée and hazelnut tiramisu on the dessert menu. So come prepared to indulge.
There’s a reason why Berlin attracts so many. No matter who you are—a weekend-long raver dressed in latex or a marathon runner finishing a sweaty jaunt with a jump in the lake—you can find something just for you in the German Hauptstadt. Equal parts refined and rebellious, raucous and relaxing, Berlin is truly a refuge for the lost and found.
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