“Alternative” vegan guide to Berlin
Today we’re going to be short and direct: here comes our tongue-in-cheek post AKA the alternative guide to vegan berlin. (Also, the first post to be co-created with our lovely team member Yasmine <3)
Why, you ask? Because we feel like we always see the same places in all the guides – printed and digital. We could probably recite them in our sleep. And not that those places aren’t great, but come on! Berlin has more to offer, if we’re willing to look beyond Instagram…(yes, playing the Instagram game makes you a prime guide candidate). We also believe vegan guides should include only truly vegan places, for a number of reasons (think: shared values, community support, voting with your wallet, differently taxed products, etc.). Otherwise they should just be called vegan-friendly guides to Berlin. So: no vegetarian spots will be listed here as… well, let’s call it what it is: they still choose to support and enable animal cruelty.
So, all in all, we decided to give a shoutout to all those places who deserve recognition for their years of feeding plants to Berliners, for being small but unique or simply for rocking! Let it also be a hug to them in the weird times of Corona! Take this post with a pinch of salt, but remember that you can trust that we don’t do paid or gift promotions – our opinions are based on our satisfied bellies and souls. So without further ado, read on, go check those places out, order their food, grab a voucher and save this post for your post-COVID dinner dates!
Started with a food truck, now they’re here! This leftist, consistently anti-oppression spot is a temple of vegan kebab, located around Ostkreuz. Great durum & doner kebabs, finger-licking delish burgers, a wide selection of sauces & the greatest of all cheesy fries with onions. Easy-going atmosphere, posters of happening-soon important demos & events, never-ending mayo allowance included. When visiting with a doggo, expect vegan dog snacks too.
Hello!!! If you have never been there, you have really been missing out. Vegan spanish tapas bar. Let us repeat: V E G A N T A P A S B A R. Tortilla, croquettas, patatas bravas, tons of aioli, Padron peppers, olives, churros and more. Wine or cocktails to go with it. Super friendly people, casual vibes, great service, yummy food. Bonus points for the most genuine and unbothered ‘Insta game.’ Guides that don’t mention this place – not to be trusted!
Vegan street food, a changing monthly menu, great tandoori wedges, and a nice selection of drinks await you at this dark and cosy repurposed wagon with a fireplace. If you’re lucky and the arancini is on the menu – go for it! If not, their Berlin Beast Burger, soup selection, and mac & cheese are also real game-changers. Their dense desserts are a nice finish for those with a sweet tooth and an outside area makes for interesting people-watching in the summertime.
Absolute favorite! Italian vegan cuisine at its best – we’re talking pizza, calzone, pasta, antipasti, bruschetta, polenta fritta, lasagna, tiramisu, wine and more! And, it’s a collective-owned place with great values and the nicest people. Oh, did we mention pizza? The only issue about that place is the anxiety of choice – you wanna get everything but “how do i manage to eat it all?”. We will forever roll our eyes at vegan guides that don’t include them, seriously.
Serving vegan food since 1897…well, almost This super old school fast food spot can feed more on a smaller budget. With a menu of more than 30 options, you can pick and choose and always be surprised that you’re paying that little & eating so much. Wraps, burgers, nuggets, fries, wursts and combo plates, you name it & they have it. Some would call it junk – we would call it hip! With lovely staff, easy-going service, and an always busy dining area, you’ll enjoy this no-fancy-schmancy diner for sure.
Craving for a decadently sloppy and satisfying poutine loaded with fried onions? Got a burger-shaped hole in your belly? Enjoy the occasional rock karaoke in a queer-friendly and socialist space? Then head on down to Neue Republik Reger. A food truck-turned local vegan institution (back then known as Reger Burger), these guys know how to assemble the best burgers in Berlin, with a huge selection of amazing homemade sauces to dunk your fries into (and they are hands down the best fries out there). Bonus points for the summertime option of soft serve.
Lovers of South Indian food assemble! Your daily Dosa of bowls, wraps, pakora, creamy vegan mango lassis, and thalis is here on Berlin’s most vegan-friendly street next to Boxhagener Platz. After an hour browsing through the local flea market, this place serves up the spicy and flavorsome reward you deserve. Their huge dosas are served with coconut chutney, their thalis will satisfy all those vegans with FOMO, and their pakoras are the perfect balance of deep-fried yummy veggie goodness you expect. Just trust us when we say, leave room for a lassi to go with it all!
Dr Pogo Veganladenkollectiv (NK)
This place is not an eatery per se, but it will fulfill all your vegan needs. A punk socialist collective, it’s been around for years – stocking the most obscure to the most used vegan ingredients for your at-home culinary adventures. A friendly multilingual staff is always there to help and their range includes unpacked goods, fresh local tofu, regional veggies, and specialist cheeses. Become a member of the collective for as little as €5 a month and get 20% off all bakery, veggie, and unpacked goods – proving that caring and doing your part for the environment and supporting your local Soli group can save you money too.
Vegan Southeast Asian cuisine in Berlin doesn’t always need to mean Vietnamese – meet the less-hyped but equally fantastic neighbor to 1990, this place delivers a colorful Thai street aesthetic with tapas-style dishes. Can never decide what to order – come in a group and try it all! We’re talking crusted-tofu, small curries, fresh papaya salads, dumplings, and more! With fresh drinks, a patio overlooking Boxi, and a R&B soundtrack, this place is seriously cool, bound to impress vegans and omnis alike.
What’s not to love about this place? Burgers with an additional special monthly burger and lemonade, sublime regular and sweet potato fries, homemade mayo and just the friendliest and nicest service you could imagine. With cute wooden decor and local drinks options (shout out to the pale ale and cider lovers out there), everyone is sure to find something to Love about this place. For the gluten-averse they also offer all burgers as bowls – great news for celiacs or those who want to save room for more fries!
How many Russian vegan tapas bars have you heard of? We thought so! Dig your teeth into caviar, Pelmini, Galubzi, Plov, Russian salads; all vegan! Accompanied by a cosy dark atmosphere, strange furniture, eclectic music, and a gigantic selection of specialist cocktails and drinks, what’s not to love? Bonus points for its location on Weserstrasse – the perfect starting point for a bar crawl.
Maybe you’ve noticed how most of these recommendations are in Neukolln and Friedrichshain. What can we say, us vegans like to stick together. But, Mana is seriously representing here. Nestled in picturesque Schoneberg between lots of parks it’s the perfect kind-of-fancy location for visiting family or special meet-ups with friends. Their (pre-Corona) all-you-can-eat brunch is legendary – think warm croissants, brownies, salads, vegan cheese and meat slices, tofu scramble, hot and cold veggie dishes, and a huge drinks selection. Their evening menu of burgers and pastas is also not to be missed if you’re in the area. High ceilings, elegant decor, and lots of plants, as well as a terrace in the sun, make this place worth the visit.
We wanted to include Be’Kech – a WOC-owned & run co-working space and anti-cafe with a “pay by the minute & eat or drink as much as you want” concept but apparently they did not survive Covid and are therefore looking to sell. Our love goes to them nevertheless, for being awesome & feminist, for hosting cultural events, having live-music brunches and providing child-care for when you needed to work.
Our love naturally also goes to those who constantly and deservedly rock the charts of best vegan Berlin listings: Brammibals Donuts, 1990, FREA, Feel Seoul Good. We love you!
About the authors
Marika – vegan chef, animal advocate & educator. Professionally: creator of Plant Base & all its food creations, workshops & events, media & design. Privately: book worm, intersectional feminist, dog fanatic, Aquarius. Big on vegan food, even bigger on food for thought. Here to grow, open dialogues & share resources with those who also believe that veganism is only the beginning.
Yasmine – a breathing guidebook to all things vegan (not only in Berlin), devoted foodie, cyclist, boulderer, and the friendliest barista in town. Been everywhere, ate everything, and probably got the t-shirt!
