Breakfast: House of Small Wonder
Auguststraße 11-13, 10117 Berlin
A serene, light-filled hideaway blending Japanese and European comfort food, House of Small Wonder feels worlds away from the bustle of the Berlinale. Open for breakfast, all-day brunch, lunch and cocktails, the Williamsburg-born cafe invites guests to take a break and sip a spiced turmeric latte in a bric-a-brac-adorned dining room. The menu moves between Japanese American comfort dishes such as Okinawan taco rice, udon carbonara and matcha roulade and brunch staples including biscuit Benedicts, almond croissants and fresh handmade pastries.
Lunch: Romeo
Lausitzer Str. 47, 10999 Berlin
If you have ever wondered where to find a good sandwich in Berlin, newcomer Romeo is the place to go. Set in a small but mighty space styled like a retro Italian deli, with a red-and-white-tiled kitchen and wooden counter, the shop offers toasted melt sandwiches on sourdough and non-toasted options on house-baked focaccia. Regulars praise the toasted chicken melt, layered with roasted chicken, onions, cheese and tarragon sauce. Everything is homemade and in limited supply, so come early. When they are gone, they are gone.
Romeo
Dinner: Grill Royal
Friedrichstraße 105b, 10117 Berlin
Few dining rooms in Berlin match the star power of Grill Royal. Set along the Spree in Mitte with floor-to-ceiling windows and a reliably glamorous crowd, the restaurant blends classic steakhouse indulgence with contemporary art-world credibility. Guests settle into long, wine-fueled tables that stretch late into the night, dining on prime cuts from Ireland, France or Argentina. During the Berlinale, it becomes one of the city’s defining power rooms, equal parts see-and-be-seen destination and enduring institution.
Grill Royal
Dinner: Stoke
Lindenstraße 34-35 (entrance via Feilnerstraße), 10969 Berlin
Among Berlin’s culinary arrivals, Stoke has quickly emerged as a table insiders talk about securing. Created by three friends with a deep appreciation for the tradition and craft of Japanese cuisine, the chef-driven yakitori concept pairs precise, fire-focused cooking with a design-forward room. Experience Stoke as a set menu or à la carte. The former features a series of yakitori and kushiyaki skewers grilled over binchotan. Dine at the grill counter or tables and enjoy a thoughtful beverage program of highballs, wines and sake.
Stoke
Drinks: Reingold
Reingold Bar
Novalisstraße 11, 10115 Berlin, Germany
Reingold feels less like a bar and more like a well-kept secret. Inside, a long mahogany counter glows beneath warm gold walls, where bartenders move with precision through a selection of classics and inventive cocktails built on bold spirits and house infusions. With the hum of jazz and soft conversations, it is the kind of place where you might want to disappear for a while. Ray, the bartender and owner, is the person to know, but beyond that, everything else remains a mystery to be discovered.
Reingold
