Berlin and Amsterdam Restaurants
Apr 12th, 2007, 07:23 AM
#2
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Have not been to Berlin recently but a very good German steakhouse chain is: http://www.block-house.de/bh/de/rest...standorte.html
In Amsterdam;
Very good asian food: http://www.kantjil.nl/
A nice Belgian restaurant in Amsterdam:
http://www.restaurantlieve.nl/sferen_en.php
A very good review-site for Amsterdam:
http://www.iens.nl/english/restaurantsIn/Amsterdam/
In Amsterdam;
Very good asian food: http://www.kantjil.nl/
A nice Belgian restaurant in Amsterdam:
http://www.restaurantlieve.nl/sferen_en.php
A very good review-site for Amsterdam:
http://www.iens.nl/english/restaurantsIn/Amsterdam/
Apr 14th, 2007, 12:39 PM
#3
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My wife and I have eaten several times at Movenpick Marche in Berlin, a good cafeteria style restaurant on Kurfuerstendamm not far from the Kaiser Wilhelm church. It's inexpensive, and the selection is good.
Apr 18th, 2007, 09:07 PM
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There are many chain restaurants in Berlin if you are looking for those.
KAEFER: A highly regarded chain restaurant from the Munich gourmand kitchen. It is located on top of the Reichstag building, if you have a reservation then you can bypass the long line to enter the Reichstag. Tel.: (+49) (0) 30 22 62 99 0
Fax: (+49) (0) 30 22 62 99 43
E-Mail: [email protected]
LUTTER & WEGNER: upmarket wine bistro chain with better quality food & atmosphere than the average chain restaurants. Austrian cuisine with a very large wine selection. www.lutter-wegner-gendarmenmarkt.de/
MAREDO: Argentinian steak house with creative special offers. There seems to be more Maredo than Starbucks in Berlin. www.maredo.de/Speisen_Angebote.6.0.html
VAPIANO: Italian chain restaurant from Hamburg with dishes for around 8 euro. One in Potsdamerplatz and another in the french chain Concorde Hotel, across the street from the Swissotel in West Berlin. www.vapiano.de
I prefer to avoid chain restaurants where I can get a more personalized hospitality. Here's a few one of a kind restaurants:
MOMMSENECK: a nice simple restaurant serving a good selection of German dishes and beers with a bright modern interior and reasonable prices in Potsdamerplatz. www.mommseneck.de
BORCHARDT: Franco german restaurant with a more formal service but still reasonably priced just a block north of Galleries Lafayette right off Friedrichstrasse. www.locationsite.de/berlin/borchardte.htm
GUGELHOF: Alsatian Bistro in Prenzlauerberg where President Clinton dined in Berlin. Excellent food quality at reasonable prices in a loud and simple atmosphere. The reasonable dinner menu is much better than the limited lunch menu. www.gugelhof.de
There are a number of old Berlin restaurants which some people on this board like but I find the food quality to be rather unsophisticated & basic or at least lacking imagination. However if you haven't had much exposure to German food they may please your palate just fine, for example: Zur Letzten Instanz.
In Amsterdam:
HUMPHREYS is my favorite chain restaurant where you can get a 3 course dinner for 25 euro in a fun atmosphere. www.humphreys.nl/wm.cgi?keywords
id=12
KAEFER: A highly regarded chain restaurant from the Munich gourmand kitchen. It is located on top of the Reichstag building, if you have a reservation then you can bypass the long line to enter the Reichstag. Tel.: (+49) (0) 30 22 62 99 0
Fax: (+49) (0) 30 22 62 99 43
E-Mail: [email protected]
LUTTER & WEGNER: upmarket wine bistro chain with better quality food & atmosphere than the average chain restaurants. Austrian cuisine with a very large wine selection. www.lutter-wegner-gendarmenmarkt.de/
MAREDO: Argentinian steak house with creative special offers. There seems to be more Maredo than Starbucks in Berlin. www.maredo.de/Speisen_Angebote.6.0.html
VAPIANO: Italian chain restaurant from Hamburg with dishes for around 8 euro. One in Potsdamerplatz and another in the french chain Concorde Hotel, across the street from the Swissotel in West Berlin. www.vapiano.de
I prefer to avoid chain restaurants where I can get a more personalized hospitality. Here's a few one of a kind restaurants:
MOMMSENECK: a nice simple restaurant serving a good selection of German dishes and beers with a bright modern interior and reasonable prices in Potsdamerplatz. www.mommseneck.de
BORCHARDT: Franco german restaurant with a more formal service but still reasonably priced just a block north of Galleries Lafayette right off Friedrichstrasse. www.locationsite.de/berlin/borchardte.htm
GUGELHOF: Alsatian Bistro in Prenzlauerberg where President Clinton dined in Berlin. Excellent food quality at reasonable prices in a loud and simple atmosphere. The reasonable dinner menu is much better than the limited lunch menu. www.gugelhof.de
There are a number of old Berlin restaurants which some people on this board like but I find the food quality to be rather unsophisticated & basic or at least lacking imagination. However if you haven't had much exposure to German food they may please your palate just fine, for example: Zur Letzten Instanz.
In Amsterdam:
HUMPHREYS is my favorite chain restaurant where you can get a 3 course dinner for 25 euro in a fun atmosphere. www.humphreys.nl/wm.cgi?keywords
id=12
Apr 19th, 2007, 09:11 AM
#6
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Thanks for starting this thread, espinach1. I'm taking notes for my return trip to Berlin with my husband in September. I was in Berlin in March with my 19 year old daughter (am currently posting a detailed trip report of our 8 nights there) and can comment on a few restaurants:
<u>Kaefer</u> (Reichstag)
We had lunch reservations at this restaurant which, as DAX indicated, gives the opportunity to access the Reichstag dome without waiting in the queue. We enjoyed our food, although I wouldn't say it was outstanding. Cost was 54.80€ for 2, incl. 2 beers and 1 dessert. I believe I read that the dinner menu is more expensive/adventurous?
<u>Zur Letzten Instanz</u> (Nicolaiviertel)
This was fun because of its claim to being Berlin's oldest pub (1621) and its traditional menu. My grillhaxe was quite good. Cost for 2, with 2 beers, was 30.60€ It was quite crowded, so I'd say reservations would be advisable.
<u>Zur Rippe</u> (Nicolaiviertel)
This was a find - nestled in the little winding streets of the old neighborhood of, cheerful and cozy pub with a traditional menu. The grillhaxe was delicious (better than Zur Leztzen Instanz imo) and the price was amazing. 17.00€ for 2 grillhaxe specials which included .5 liter of the beer of our choice, bread and mustard.
<u>Gugelhof</u> (Prenzlauer Berg)
This is vibrant neighborhood to explore and we had a great meal here. We ordered the cheese fondue for 2, salad, 2 beers. Price was 39.60€
Other restaurants we considered:
Aigner (Gendarmenmarkt)
Lutter und Wegner (Gendarmenmarkt)
Zum Nussbaum (Nicolaiviertel) - the story is that this is in a replica of a 16th century building from another part of the city that the DDR constructed when they spiffed up Nicolaiviertel in preparation for Berlin's 750th anniversary in 1987. The restaurant looks charming from the outside, but we chose Zur Rippe that evening.
We really enjoyed Berlin coffee houses and cafes. Our favorites were the Opera Cafe and Cafe Einstein.
I'd also recommend visiting the food hall on the 6th floor of KaDeWe, reputed to be the largest department store food hall anywhere. There are lots of tables to sit and eat the amazing food that they sell.
We had a fun lunch at the Turkish Market (Tuesday and Friday afternoons near Kottbusser Tor) where we ate spinach gözleme that were cooked on the spot.
<u>Kaefer</u> (Reichstag)
We had lunch reservations at this restaurant which, as DAX indicated, gives the opportunity to access the Reichstag dome without waiting in the queue. We enjoyed our food, although I wouldn't say it was outstanding. Cost was 54.80€ for 2, incl. 2 beers and 1 dessert. I believe I read that the dinner menu is more expensive/adventurous?
<u>Zur Letzten Instanz</u> (Nicolaiviertel)
This was fun because of its claim to being Berlin's oldest pub (1621) and its traditional menu. My grillhaxe was quite good. Cost for 2, with 2 beers, was 30.60€ It was quite crowded, so I'd say reservations would be advisable.
<u>Zur Rippe</u> (Nicolaiviertel)
This was a find - nestled in the little winding streets of the old neighborhood of, cheerful and cozy pub with a traditional menu. The grillhaxe was delicious (better than Zur Leztzen Instanz imo) and the price was amazing. 17.00€ for 2 grillhaxe specials which included .5 liter of the beer of our choice, bread and mustard.
<u>Gugelhof</u> (Prenzlauer Berg)
This is vibrant neighborhood to explore and we had a great meal here. We ordered the cheese fondue for 2, salad, 2 beers. Price was 39.60€
Other restaurants we considered:
Aigner (Gendarmenmarkt)
Lutter und Wegner (Gendarmenmarkt)
Zum Nussbaum (Nicolaiviertel) - the story is that this is in a replica of a 16th century building from another part of the city that the DDR constructed when they spiffed up Nicolaiviertel in preparation for Berlin's 750th anniversary in 1987. The restaurant looks charming from the outside, but we chose Zur Rippe that evening.
We really enjoyed Berlin coffee houses and cafes. Our favorites were the Opera Cafe and Cafe Einstein.
I'd also recommend visiting the food hall on the 6th floor of KaDeWe, reputed to be the largest department store food hall anywhere. There are lots of tables to sit and eat the amazing food that they sell.
We had a fun lunch at the Turkish Market (Tuesday and Friday afternoons near Kottbusser Tor) where we ate spinach gözleme that were cooked on the spot.
Apr 19th, 2007, 09:14 AM
#7
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Agree with TommieG on Lieve (Belgian restaurant) in Amsterdam. Had several prixe fixe meals there with three or four terrific courses, and naturally the beer was impeccable. I dropped in (just by myself) without a reservation but it might be wiser to reserve if you are a party of four - this place is pretty popular.
Apr 19th, 2007, 09:19 AM
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We found wonderful 'trendy' restaurants in Amsterdam, which surprised us. We were very happy with our meals there. I've listed them in my trip report below. Amsterdam is a really wonderful and friendly city to visit. Have fun there!
My notes from June 2005:
"Final stop: Amsterdam. Five nights’ stay, first visit for all of us.
We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Amsterdam! You always hear of the Red Light district and the coffee shops and the laissez-faire attitude, but you don’t hear how open and friendly the people are, how lovely the canals and side streets, how wonderfully trendy the restaurants and cafes, how people are out strolling at all hours of the night and you feel safe everywhere. I think I’d expected it to be quaint and charming (which it is), but in a dark wood-paneled cliché way, not in the young and contemporary way it is.
The standard reply we were given in Amsterdam, when we asked for anything, was always “Of course!” How refreshing.
We stayed in a fabulous location, at The Hotel Residence le Coin, which was directly across a small street from the Hotel de l’Europe, down the street from the Hotel Doelan, on Nieuwe Doelenstraat (sp?). A great neighborhood in the heart of old Amsterdam.
The hotel has a lift and A/C, also free use of the hotel’s washing machine and clothes dryer in the basement (which was welcome as we’d been traveling over a week when we arrived there). Each room has a little kitchenette, a nice-sized bath, large rooms with wooden floors and a sitting area. It’s fairly new, so everything sparkles. Very friendly front desk, too.
Two cafes on the same block as the hotel were wonderful: Café Katoen for a university atmosphere, and Café le Jarden, for great table seating on the canal.
Amazing dinners at two restaurants in particular:
“Stout!”, at Haarlemmerstraat 73 (www.restaurantstout.nl). Fabulous ‘foamy asparagus’ soup with shrimp, chateaubriande, fresh fish, dessert course, wine list. Very trendy lighting. Great service. We’d gone to the neighborhood in search of a restaurant called “Lof” which we’d seen written up. We didn’t like its atmosphere, but were lucky that Stout! was just across the street.
Also at “Restaurant Dining Eleven” we had a great dinner. It’s at Reestraat 11. Also trendy and contempory, well-presented and beautifully-served meal.
Another nice dinner at “frenzi”, at Swanenburgwal 232. Very simple and contemporary. We arrived shortly after 10:00p.m., when most restaurants close in Amsterdam, and persuaded the owner to sell us any left-overs they had in the kitchen! They put together a nice Caesar salad with cooked-in-the-shell shrimp and mango. Very nice.
Also a good brunch at a place across the street from frenzi—called “Puccini”. Creative salads and sandwiches. Very nice also.
We took a canal cruise one evening. Toured the Anne Frank Huis and the Van Gogh Museum. Visited the Nieuwe Kerk (sp?) Our teens went to a concert at the Paradiso and loved it.
One afternoon we did the 2:30 “Best of Holland” excursion to Volendam and Marken, with a stop to see wooden clogs made, Gouda cheese created, and to visit windmills. It was by bus, with a boat from Volendam to Marken. A lot of fun. Even our two teens liked it.
Our teens also liked shopping at one street in particular, between our hotel and the museum district. Also a Zara shop there, and many others like it. They thought the selection and prices were better in Amsterdam than what they’d seen in London and Paris even.
A detail about Amsterdam if you go there-- carry enough Euros in cash, because many places won't accept a credit card for a 'small' purchase (i.e. under 25 EU).
The only unpleasantness we encountered in Amsterdam related to cab rides and inconsistent pricing. Especially when our two teens were grossly overcharged cabbing to the hotel from the concert they'd attended at the Paradiso (highly recommended). They were well aware of the route, having walked it already twice, but we'd wanted them to cab home late at night. They knew the cabbie took a very round-about way back in order to over-charge. Also, when we arrived at the taxi sand at Central Station, I was literally swarmed by rather aggressive cabbies and felt uncomfortably jostled by them all."
>-
My notes from June 2005:
"Final stop: Amsterdam. Five nights’ stay, first visit for all of us.
We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Amsterdam! You always hear of the Red Light district and the coffee shops and the laissez-faire attitude, but you don’t hear how open and friendly the people are, how lovely the canals and side streets, how wonderfully trendy the restaurants and cafes, how people are out strolling at all hours of the night and you feel safe everywhere. I think I’d expected it to be quaint and charming (which it is), but in a dark wood-paneled cliché way, not in the young and contemporary way it is.
The standard reply we were given in Amsterdam, when we asked for anything, was always “Of course!” How refreshing.
We stayed in a fabulous location, at The Hotel Residence le Coin, which was directly across a small street from the Hotel de l’Europe, down the street from the Hotel Doelan, on Nieuwe Doelenstraat (sp?). A great neighborhood in the heart of old Amsterdam.
The hotel has a lift and A/C, also free use of the hotel’s washing machine and clothes dryer in the basement (which was welcome as we’d been traveling over a week when we arrived there). Each room has a little kitchenette, a nice-sized bath, large rooms with wooden floors and a sitting area. It’s fairly new, so everything sparkles. Very friendly front desk, too.
Two cafes on the same block as the hotel were wonderful: Café Katoen for a university atmosphere, and Café le Jarden, for great table seating on the canal.
Amazing dinners at two restaurants in particular:
“Stout!”, at Haarlemmerstraat 73 (www.restaurantstout.nl). Fabulous ‘foamy asparagus’ soup with shrimp, chateaubriande, fresh fish, dessert course, wine list. Very trendy lighting. Great service. We’d gone to the neighborhood in search of a restaurant called “Lof” which we’d seen written up. We didn’t like its atmosphere, but were lucky that Stout! was just across the street.
Also at “Restaurant Dining Eleven” we had a great dinner. It’s at Reestraat 11. Also trendy and contempory, well-presented and beautifully-served meal.
Another nice dinner at “frenzi”, at Swanenburgwal 232. Very simple and contemporary. We arrived shortly after 10:00p.m., when most restaurants close in Amsterdam, and persuaded the owner to sell us any left-overs they had in the kitchen! They put together a nice Caesar salad with cooked-in-the-shell shrimp and mango. Very nice.
Also a good brunch at a place across the street from frenzi—called “Puccini”. Creative salads and sandwiches. Very nice also.
We took a canal cruise one evening. Toured the Anne Frank Huis and the Van Gogh Museum. Visited the Nieuwe Kerk (sp?) Our teens went to a concert at the Paradiso and loved it.
One afternoon we did the 2:30 “Best of Holland” excursion to Volendam and Marken, with a stop to see wooden clogs made, Gouda cheese created, and to visit windmills. It was by bus, with a boat from Volendam to Marken. A lot of fun. Even our two teens liked it.
Our teens also liked shopping at one street in particular, between our hotel and the museum district. Also a Zara shop there, and many others like it. They thought the selection and prices were better in Amsterdam than what they’d seen in London and Paris even.
A detail about Amsterdam if you go there-- carry enough Euros in cash, because many places won't accept a credit card for a 'small' purchase (i.e. under 25 EU).
The only unpleasantness we encountered in Amsterdam related to cab rides and inconsistent pricing. Especially when our two teens were grossly overcharged cabbing to the hotel from the concert they'd attended at the Paradiso (highly recommended). They were well aware of the route, having walked it already twice, but we'd wanted them to cab home late at night. They knew the cabbie took a very round-about way back in order to over-charge. Also, when we arrived at the taxi sand at Central Station, I was literally swarmed by rather aggressive cabbies and felt uncomfortably jostled by them all."
>-
Apr 19th, 2007, 10:24 AM
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From our trip to Berlin in November 2006--the dining places we enjoyed the most.
German dishes:
1. Baeren Schenke, Friedrichstrasse at Oranienburgerstrasse.
2. Brauhaus Georgbrau, Spreeufer 4 (across from the Museum Island by the Rathausstrasse bridge).
Fast food:
The City Imbiss across from Arcotel Velvet on Oranienburgerstrasse. All kinds of wursts, doner kabobs, and such.
Italian:
Cavallino Rosso, Hannoverstrasse 2.
German dishes:
1. Baeren Schenke, Friedrichstrasse at Oranienburgerstrasse.
2. Brauhaus Georgbrau, Spreeufer 4 (across from the Museum Island by the Rathausstrasse bridge).
Fast food:
The City Imbiss across from Arcotel Velvet on Oranienburgerstrasse. All kinds of wursts, doner kabobs, and such.
Italian:
Cavallino Rosso, Hannoverstrasse 2.
Apr 19th, 2007, 10:47 AM
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I used to live in Berlin and still have lots of family there.
Some things to try while there:
A currywurst..a Berlin trademark..it is a special hot dog in curry ketchup..yumyum...many imbiss stands will have them
Eisbein and erbspuree..another berlin delicacy..available at many local restaurants/pubs. I would encourage you to experience local places instead of chains.
Berliner Weisse...a wheat beer that is only available in Berlin in the summer time. It is a very light beer typically served with a shot of raspberry syrup. One of my favorite beverages on a summer day.
Enjoy..I wish I were going. Berlin is a great city with lots of world class shopping, sightseeing, culture, museums, etc. Be sure to go to Checkpoint Charlie Museum to get a sense of what it was like with the wall up.
Have a great time!
Some things to try while there:
A currywurst..a Berlin trademark..it is a special hot dog in curry ketchup..yumyum...many imbiss stands will have them
Eisbein and erbspuree..another berlin delicacy..available at many local restaurants/pubs. I would encourage you to experience local places instead of chains.
Berliner Weisse...a wheat beer that is only available in Berlin in the summer time. It is a very light beer typically served with a shot of raspberry syrup. One of my favorite beverages on a summer day.
Enjoy..I wish I were going. Berlin is a great city with lots of world class shopping, sightseeing, culture, museums, etc. Be sure to go to Checkpoint Charlie Museum to get a sense of what it was like with the wall up.
Have a great time!
