Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg may be better known for chic coffee shops and baby buggies but the city’s northern district also has a great range of bars too. Here are five of the best:
An Einem Sonntag im August (Photo: Oliver Stallwood)
Compared to the rough and ready districts of Kreuzberg and Neukölln, Prenzlauer Berg can seem a little sleepy. But while it doesn’t have spätis and makeshift dive bars spilling out onto almost every street, the north Berlin district colloquially referred to as P Berg does have its own brand of good quality nightlife. Among the leafy streets and plentiful parks, the bars in Prenzlauer Berg range from wonderfully preserved old timer kneipen with nicotine-coloured walls, to run down craft beer haunts, to lively tourist traps that are fun for a beer or two. Here’s a guide to the five best bars in Prenzlauer Berg.
An Einem Sonntag im August
The bars and eateries around Eberswalder Strasse can feel a bit identikit, catering largely for those who have finished shopping at the nearby Mauerpark flea market or a day wandering the boutiques of Kastanienallee. While An Einem Sonntag im August is right next to the U Bahn station and in no way a tucked-away hidden gem, it is easily one of the most unique and interesting bars in Prenzlauer Berg’s tourist hotspot. The interiors are granny chic meets New York disco, with grungy floral sofas to lounge in while disco balls dangle overhead. The service is prompt and you can order anything from burgers to cocktails to a decent Bavarian weissbier.
Kastanienallee 103, 10435, Berlin
Birra
Birra (Photo: Oliver Stallwood)
It’s easy to walk past Birra, one of Prenzlauer Berg’s most interesting bars. Located on the busy and at times fairly nondescript Prenzlauer Alle, to walk in is to find yourself in another world. Rows of gleaming craft beer taps, a black board overflowing with craft beer descriptions and posters covering the walls – it’s as if you’ve just found a century-old brewery pub in the backstreets of Milan. It is no coincidence that the beer tapped here is largely from Birrificios Lambrate, the famous craft brewery in the Italian city, and it is accompanied by Italian cold appetizers such as high quality cold cuts and cheese plates. Beware, once you start on the list of delectable beers, you may be here for a while.
Prenzlauer Alle 198, 10405
Bornholmer Hütte
This East Berlin institution has been around since 1911 and it doesn’t look like the decor has changed much since opening day. This of course is no bad thing. Perhaps because of Berlin’s chequered past not many establishments manage to cling onto their traditional heritage, often changing hands or succumbing to gentrification, so Bornholmer Hütte feels like a slice of authentic Berlin. You can’t see what you’re getting into as the windows are covered with curtains, and when you walk in through the antique double entrance doors, the surprisingly cavernous yellowy interior can feel a touch a touch intimidating – but it’s nothing of the sort. The proprietor and everyone who works at this local kneipe are incredibly friendly and the clientele are a mix of old timers, students and anyone else who wants to relax in a proper Berlin pub.
Bornholmer Strasse 89, Prenzlauerberg
Wohnzimmerbar
Wohnzimmerbar (Photo: Oliver Stallwood)
Helmholtzplatz is an odd but lovely place to visit in Berlin. This picturesque rectangular park is a mix of parents pushing upmarket buggies, aging punks playing table tennis, organic coffee shops, little book shops, old fashioned toy emporiums, and pretty much anything else – all feeling like it’s slightly cut off from the rest of the world. It is also home to a fabulous drinking hole called Wonhzimmer which serves up a great Aperol spritz as well as well-priced bottles of Berliner Pilsner; proof that this is a place for everyone, with a mishmash of chairs and tables spread over three rooms and an authentic, laid-back Berlin bar vibe.
Lettestrasse 6, 10437, Berlin
Lamm
If it’s cocktails you’re after, look no further than Lamm. This new-ish bar in Prenzlauer Berg is another one you could easily miss. Sandwiched between an abandoned kebab shop and a butchers for dogs, it’s an unusual location but it gives Lamm a bit of in-the-know mystique. Once inside, it has an impeccably run down aesthetic, all rough exposed concrete lit by expensive looking lightboxes. The cocktails are excellent and not ridiculously overpriced too, with a range of classics and more unique offerings, ranging from pornstar martinis to hippie gurke and apple pie. A great place to show off your local knowledge.
Wisbyer Str, 1, 10439, Berlin
By Oliver Stallwood