Veganhaven is covering yet another big European capital! After Lisbon, Warsaw and Prague, Berlin seemed like the perfect choice for a spring city break. The Berlin vegan food scene is known to be the most happening in Europe with tons of fully vegan restaurants. I’m not ashamed to admit that I planned this trip just for food purposes. I mean, the Brandenburg Gate is cool but I’m really just here for all the good vegan food!
| Getting Around Berlin |
| Things to do in Berlin |
| Vegan Food Finds |
| – how vegan friendly is Berlin? |
| – restaurants, cafes & bars to check out! |
| Where to Stay in Berlin |
| Map of Places |
Getting Around Berlin
To be honest, Berlin has one of the most confusing public transport systems we’ve come across in Europe. There seemed to be about a hundred different modes of transport, S- , U- , Vbb, DB, FlixTrain..
In general, there is a metro system (underground U-Bahn and overhead S-Bahn). In addition, there are buses and tram lines. The commuter and regional train system was a bit tricky to figure out (especially at the Central Station where there are several levels of platforms).
We did end up walking a lot during our time in Berlin, and used the metro by purchasing single tickets from the automatic machines at stations. Google Maps is our usual tool for navigation.
From the airport to the city, the best mode is the Airport Express (FEX). You need an ABC zone ticket – purchase a one-way ticket for 3,80 EUR or add it to your Berlin WelcomeCard.
The city card is useful if you’re looking for discounts to over 180 attractions in Berlin – get yours: Berlin WelcomeCard (AB zone)*
We also travelled to the city of Dresden from Berlin during the week. It didn’t help that we were there during one of the biggest railway strikes in Germany. We had to purchase tickets last minute from the ticketing counter at the station as everything was sold out online. It was expensive, the trains crowded, with no fixed seating. Hopefully there won’t be such a situation when you travel!
Things to do in Berlin, in a nutshell
Berliner Dom
This magnificent cathedral is the largest church in Berlin and stands in the heart of the city. It was built between 1894 and 1905 in neo-Renaissance style, replacing an earlier Baroque church. The interior features a massive organ, a crypt with over 90 sarcophagi of Prussian royals. You can get a panoramic view of the city from the dome.
Tickets cost 10 EUR per adult and is cheaper with the Berlin WelcomeCard. Make sure to also stroll around the surrounding area of the ‘Museum Island’ and the Humboldtforum / Berlin City Palace!
The Berlin TV Tower (Berliner Fernsehturm) is not far from here. This 368 metre tower has a viewing gallery and revolving restaurant – if you want to visit for a special occasion, you’d need to reserve well in advance.
Get your tickets here: TV Tower fast track*
Brandenburg Gate
One of the most visited and iconic sights in Berlin! The gate has 12 columns, forming five passages and on the top is a sculpture of a quadriga, a chariot drawn by four horses, with the goddess of victory. The sculpture was taken by Napoleon in 1806 and returned in 1814. The gate is prettier in the night, imo:
Right near the Brandenburg Gate is the historic parliament ‘Reichstag‘ building. A good architectural sight from the outside but register here in case you want to visit the terrace and glass dome!
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
A site in Berlin dedicated to the millions of Jews who were victims of the Nazi regime. The memorial consists of 2,711 concrete slabs of different heights, arranged in a grid-like pattern on a sloping field with narrow alleyways between them. Below is a subterranean information centre and exhibition, which features stories of the Holocaust victims and survivors.
Gendarmennmarkt
It’s worth visiting this impressive square with an ensemble of historic buildings -the ‘Konzerthaus’, the French Cathedral and the German Cathedral. A popular Christmas market is also held here every year.
A short walk away from the square, you can find Checkpoint Charlie – this spot in the middle of Friedrichstraße used to be a military checkpoint during the time of German division.
All these sightseeing spots, plus more, are marked on our Berlin map!
Berlin Wall / East Side Gallery
No trip to Berlin is complete without having a stroll by the remains of the Berlin Wall and river Spree. The East Side Gallery is a 1.3 km long section of the wall that features over 100 paintings by artists from all over the world.
It’s the largest open-air gallery in the world and is a celebration of freedom and hope. A must-see for those who want to experience the spirit of Berlin and its transformation from a divided city to a vibrant metropolis.
Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum – for a 6 EUR fee, you can explore this beautiful garden with many exotic plants and trees. It’s a bit outside town, which is why we didn’t get time, but if you like gardens – go for it! There is a café called Goodies not far, in the Globetrotter shop, where you will find some vegan treats.
For recreational and cultural activities, visit some popular parks in Berlin e.g. Mauerpark or Tempelhof! If you have more time, you can visit the Bellevue Palace – the neoclassical, white palatial home of the German president. The Charlottenburg Palace is also impressive.
Markthalle Thursdays – visitors to Markthalle Neun (historic indoor market in Kreuzberg with international food vendors and community events) can sample street food from around the world and local craft beer! It’s also veg friendly with some completely plant-based stalls.
Museum Sundays – Berlin has plenty of interesting history/art/science museums, goes without saying. Many offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month. We suggest the Jewish Museum Berlin, the German Historical Museum and the Pergamon (check out the Museum Island in general). Keep in mind, museums are generally closed on Mondays.
Best Beergardens – if you’re in Berlin in summer, you might want to grab a pint at one of these! Check out ExBerliner Mag for more insights and local tips.
Berlin Vegan Food Finds
We stayed in Berlin on two consecutive weekends (4 nights – 5 days) and ate pretty much all our meals out. There was no shortage of choice and we explored almost all areas of the main city! It was affordable (compared to the Nordics at least) but not always – a meal for 2 cost about 30 EUR on average, including a beverage. Keep some cash handy as there are still a few places that don’t accept card.
How vegan friendly is Berlin?
Very. Probably the most vegan city in Europe – considering there are over a 100 fully vegan restaurants and cafes in town (mostly Vietnamese, Middle-Eastern, sushi and local veganised places)! Even if there may be a kebab place at every corner, there’s a fully vegan spot around almost every other corner.
- They have the ‘biggest vegan festival in Europe’ in Berlin, that’s held every year during the summer. Details: VEGANES SOMMERFEST BERLIN
- Berlin-Vegan-App guide is a great resource if you want to find all the vegan food spots around Berlin. You can filter the list based on vegan-only, pet-friendly, gluten free options, Wi-Fi etc. It’s in German but the map can be used in English, find it here: berlin-vegan-map
- If you’re wondering which area to stay in based on food spots, the whole Mitte – Friedrichshain -Kreuzberg area is pretty great! Prenzlauer Berg, for example, has 6+ top rated vegan restaurants (Försters, Vegang, Ryong, Feel Seoul Good, CÀI Kitchen Szechuan, Kong Vegan 385, Plant Base)
Budget stays in the area: EastSeven Hostel, H+ Hotel 4Youth Berlin
Find our map with all the food plus sightseeing spots mentioned in the blog here: Berlin Vegan Guide
Restaurants, Cafes and Bars to check out!
1- FREA: café, bakery and restaurant
Gartenstraße 9, 10115 Berlin, Germany
FREA is a must – it is vegan bakery heaven! The place doesn’t advertise itself on the outside but is well known to locals. It also doesn’t really state ‘vegan’ anywhere but it’s all vegan – how it should be! We came by one evening to find it packed as it’s a popular spot and waited in line to order.
There were rows of goodies and I wanted to try so much but we settled for croissants and coffee. The plain croissant was good and the pistachio cream filled one was heavenly – recommended! Prices were reasonable and 2 croissants with cappuccinos cost us about 12 EUR.
There is a separate evening restaurant also called FREA across the seat that offers zero-waste, plant-based fine dining experience! Website: frea.de
2– Cafe Neundrei
Monbijoupl. 2, 10178 Berlin, Germany
Not far from FREA is this other happening spot – a trendy modern café with all vegan cakes! I got a slice of the Lemon poppyseed which was moist, soft, crumbly and delicious! Along with 2 coffees, this cost us 8 eur. It seems like a popular place for friends to catch up and is quite packed and noisy.
Instagram page: cafeneudrei
3- Momos Organic Veggie
Chausseestraße 2, 10115 Berlin, Germany
As you might know, we love dumplings and momos and couldn’t resist checking out this place. They have a vegan combo which is a mix of 12 steamed/pan-fried momos for 11€. They did look nice and organic but tasted a bit bland (mushrooms was our fav). The fried ones might be tastier. If you’re not a huge fan of momos, give this one a skip.
Instagram page: momosberlin
4- SOY Berlin
Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 30, 10178 Berlin
Across the classic Babylon Theatre of Berlin, you will find this Vietnamese vegan restaurant. We went in for some Asian tapas and ordered the Banh Bao, Tofu Satay and a seitan-oyster mushrooms bowl with rice. All this and a beer cost about 35€. Taste wise everything was great, big portions, neat restaurant but slow inattentive service. They don’t accept cash. I was able to use ApplePay, however. Worth checking out if you’re in the area.
Instagram page: soyberlinmitte
5- Vincent Vegan (Postdamer Platz)
Alte Potsdamer Str. 7, 10785 Berlin
This was a really cool spot in a food court below a shopping centre. It closed around 8PM so we got take-away. They have 2 other branches around town. Prices were a bit steep – basic ‘hamburger’ came at 9 EUR and +2 for a meal. I got the Veganizer which had a crispy chick patty and the burger was tasty!
Website: vincent-vegan.com
There are several other vegan places in this area – Vedang burger chain in the Mall of Berlin, Kim999 for Asian street food, and Shisomen for Japanese tapas and cocktails!
6- Beets&Roots
This was probably the only non-vegan restaurant we dined at. They have several branches in central Berlin and plenty of vegan choices. The dishes range from fresh health bowls and soups to Thai curry. We went for one Thai green curry rice bowl and a Vegan kebab bowl which was an excellent choice. Prices were not the cheapest with a dish costing around 12-13 EUR.
Website: Beets&Roots
7- Vöner
Boxhagener Str. 56, 10245 Berlin
This was one of our favourite spots! Luckily, we also happened to be staying right opposite and so we ate here twice. The ‘Vish & Chips’ was probably the best I’ve ever tasted. It’s not related to the Vöner in Finland (yeah, we have this brand of vegan seitan/kebab called Vöner!) but is a vegan fast-food/kebap kiosk in Berlin serving up pita-kebab, gyros, burgers etc.
Facebook page: Vöner Berlin
Green Scoop Vegan right nearby is a must try from what I’ve heard. It was closed while we were there but don’t you miss it for ice cream and milkshakes!
8- Calm Coffee
Wühlischstraße 38, 10245 Berlin
Craving the softest sweetest cinnamon buns in Berlin? Calm Coffee café specialises in that! It’s vegan cinnamon bun heaven. We tried their classic along with coffee – perfection.
Instagram page: calmcoffeeberlin
9- No Milk Today closed Dec. 2023 🙁
Another café you might want to check out, in this quiet area of Kreuzberg is No Milk Today! Cool name and cosy café serving vegan brunches – tofu scramble, quiche, bagels and good coffee.
10- Element Five Vegan Tapas Bar
Skalitzer Str. 46b, 10997 Berlin
Element Five is an Asian themed bar offering Cantonese/Vietnamese tapas. Unique cocktails and interesting menu items with lots of seitan based dishes. The atmosphere is dim lit and Asian style, you write your order on a paper and hand it over.
The ‘Peking Duck’ dish might be worth trying – no ducks harmed! Our order was Ip Man’s choice (seitan wok with rice), Brave New World (oyster mushrooms) and vegan shrimps.
Service was good in general, only thing is that they closed early on a Friday night and accept cash only.
Instagram page: elementfiveberlin
11- Alaska Bar
Reuterstraße 85, 12053 Berlin
A vegan bar with European style tapas e.g. patatas bravas, croquettes, churros. Reservation needed for weekends. We went here to grab a bite but there were no tables free. Prices seem a bit above average and it gets crowded as it’s not a huge space. Many other nice bars in the area in case you consider bar-hopping in Berlin.
We visited local hidden gem Klunkerkranich in Neukölln Arcaden. This space is not the easiest to find – it’s up the shopping centre, accessible by a lift (P5), past a parking lot. Note: It’s a nightclub with a couple of different bar areas so 18+ and they charge an entry fee (6-8 EUR, depending on what live bands/dj are playing). They have pretty good views of Berlin from the outdoor summer garden.
12- La Stella Nera
Leykestraße 18, 12053 Berlin
If you’re looking for authentic Italian food in Berlin, this is it. We ordered a Marinara, a calzone and bruschetta topped with tapenade and Padron peppers. They serve Neapolitan style wood-oven pizza, the best! Everything was excellent – taste, service, atmosphere. It’s not an overly fancy place and the prices are reasonable. Great dining experience.
Reservation recommended: La Stella Nera
13- 1990 Vegan Living
Krossener Str. 19, 10245 Berlin
This large happening space is one of Berlin’s most well known vegan restaurants. I’d go here just for the name (90s were the best)! It happens to be a Vietnamese restaurant. Plenty of choices on menu – We ordered Wan Tan soup, 90s Wings, King Kong bowl along with herbal mountain tea. Taste wise good but not exceptional. All this cost 33€. Cash only. Worth visiting for the vibe.
Website: 1990 Vegan Living
14- Velicious
Lenbachstraße 13B, 10245 Berlin
Another café around the corner that’s completely vegan! I think I can live in Berlin! They offer homemade cheesecakes, chocolate cakes and cookies, in addition to speciality coffee and teas. They use organic, Fairtrade ingredients as well. No complaints.
Website: velicious-cafe
15- Chimneys
Warschauer Str. 81 10243 Berlin
Chimneys is a café in Berlin (Mitte and Friedrichshain) serving up freshly baked chimney ‘cakes’, cinnamon buns & speciality coffee. They have a variety of ‘classic’ chimneys as well as special chimney cakes. We got a Pistachio classic which was fine – not too sweet and a Tiramisu Chimney cake, which was heavenly. It was like ice cream, tiramisu and chimney all-in-one. Don’t miss this for the ultimate sweet treat in Berlin! Oh, and everything is vegan.
A little pricey but worth it. Our only complaint was the slow service. Website: Chimneys-Cafe
16- Brammibal’s Donuts
Ok so, we didn’t try out any donuts at Brammibal’s, although we did come across them at several locations (including a kiosk at the Central Railway Station). The thing is, on our last day in Berlin, it was either Chimneys or Brammibal’s, and we are not a huge fan of donuts. This spot is recommended by literally every vegan travel/food blogger in Berlin. So I guess you’ve already heard about it and since we don’t really have a sweet tooth, it was a skip for us.
I see a lot of bloggers posting tons of dessert reviews – how do you do it? I can’t get myself to eat too many sweet treats : )
You will find all these recommended spots to eat based on area [Mitte, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg – Neukölln, Charlottenburg] on our super useful Berlin map!
Vegan Shops
Worth checking out on a weekend in Berlin is the Veganz store. Even if you don’t need to shop groceries – visit for the bakery section (and to have the great feel of shopping at a vegan grocery store).
Unfortunately, their physical store shut down in 2023. You can still find Secret Garden Vegan Sushi restaurant at this spot and, in 2024, there opened a plant-based REWE supermarket here!
Where To Stay in Berlin
The big question – where to stay in this big city? As a tourist, it’s preferable to stay somewhere within reasonable distance to the main centre. We were initially thinking of Charlottenburg or Treptow and beyond for cheaper accommodation but it didn’t make sense to travel 40 minutes into town during the 4 days we were there.
We booked budget accommodation in A&O Hotels Friedrichshain* (as I mentioned earlier, we found this area to have the best food options) for 3 nights. A double room with private bathroom cost us only 200 EUR – this was great value for money. It was basic but we had no issues during the stay and everything was neat.
Hotel breakfast was a skip since there are so many cafes with good vegan brunch around. We also stayed a night in a shared room for 4 at Meininger Hotel Berlin Central Station* which was convenient for transit.
Other hotel suggestions for Berlin (rating on Booking.com)*
Budget stays:
- Art Apartments Mitte (8.5)
- Sunflower Hostel Friedrichshain (7.8)
- Motel Plus Berlin Neukölln (7.6)
Concept hotels:
- Nhow Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (8.4)
- Moxy Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (8.1)
- Hüttenpalast Neukölln (8.9)
- CALMA Berlin Mitte (8.5)
4-star and luxury:
- NH Berlin Alexanderplatz (8.2)
- Michelberger Hotel Friedrichshain (8.3)
- ARCOTEL John F Berlin Mitte (8.3)
- Meliá Berlin Mitte (8.4)
Weekend in Berlin – Vegan food & sights
*affiliate links using which you can make hotel or tour bookings, at no extra costs. The small comission supports this site, thank you for the support!
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Last updated on September 29th, 2024
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