Gorki Park

Weinbergsweg 25, Mitte (at the Rosenthalerplatz U-bahn)

I’ll call this a restaurant, because the beer is just plain old Radeberger but the food is really special. The Borscht is vegetarian and fantastic. The Pelmini, little dumplings, are good too. And if they have wildgulaschsuppe that day, don’t miss that either. Good people watching, cute Russian waitresses. Slide projector shows images of Russia on the wall. Non-smokers beware.

Updated November 2005. I was just back in Berlin for the first time since 2002, and Gorki Park’s even nicer now. It’s expanded into the neighboring space, and now feels a lot less cramped. It’s been attractively redecorated, and isn’t quite as Slavic as it once felt; it’s now just a very pleasant cafe with stylish 60’s furniture.