Berlin Reified | Food, design and life in Berlin

Grubentücher, Linen tea towels, or Washing up in style

 

I've admired Sgaminegg's ample linen-cotton dishtowels for so long; now I have two of my own. The tag tells me Ruhrgebiet coal miners used these Grubentücher to rub themselves clean after a hard day's work. I'm merely grateful for a kitchen towel that isn't sodden after drying three pots.

Buy your own for 3.40 EUR at the Pomeranza Design Ranch, a newish shop/cafe that has won me over with its carefully selected mix of local and European designers. They also do a mean espresso, best accompanied by one of their crumbly, not-too-sweet peanut butter cookies (a snip at 30 cents).

Pomeranza Design Ranch, Raumerstraße 19, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg (map)
Open Mo-Fr 10am-7pm, Sa 11am-6pm
Tel. (030) 4849 5760

On Oderberger Straße

I loved the intricate pattern of shadows over the cobblestones.

We had lunch at Schädel & Sattler. The soup was rather expensive (six euros!) but the proprietors are so welcoming and the scaramozza dumplings were very good. If you're a Tim Dinter groupie like me you'll be pleased to see he illustrated their cards.

Schädel & Sattler (no website yet, how refreshing!), Oderberger Straße 56, Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg (map)
Open M-F 8am-4pm
Tel. (030) 40 30 13 28

A walk around the lakes (Grunewald to Schlachtensee)

I took the train to the Grunewald station and followed Auerbachstraße until it turned into a cobblestone path leading to Lake Hundekehl. 

I crossed the woods and emerged onto Lake Grunewald. I was tempted to stop at the Forsthaus Paulsborn but followed the Lange Luch instead.

When I got to Krumme Lanke the clouds broke and the leaves went gold.

By the time I reached Schlachtensee, S was ready to play so we stopped at the Fischerhütte. She spun around the playground carousel while I tucked into tea and cake. We strolled along the southern bank of the lake, and then it was time to catch the train home.

Forsthaus Paulsborn, Hüttenweg 90 am Grunewaldsee, Berlin-Grunewald (map)
Tel. 030 / 81 81 91 0
Open daily from 11am

Die Fischerhütte am Schlachtensee, Fischerhüttenstraße 136, Berlin- (map)
Tel. 030 / 80 49 83 10
Open daily from 9am

Nest

I loved the light, the walls, the glossy Alexanderplatz-turquoise tiles fronting the bar, the vitrine laden with Hudson's treats, and I will be back very soon, I'm certain.

Cafe Nest, Görlitzer Str. 52, Berlin-Kreuzberg (map)
Open M-Su from 10am
Tel. 030 627 357 87

Apple streusel of an afternoon

I dither between the chocolate cake, the carrot cake, the Linzer tart and the New York cheesecake, but when Sgaminegg's got their apple streusel on offer it's hard not to succumb. A tart cinnamony sweetness seems just right for this chill.

Café Bravo in Auguststraße

I do love a buzzer with aplomb, and anyway Café Bravo's glass walls are a godsend when it's drizzling and you want to be outside without being outside. In better weather the cobblestone courtyard remains a relative idyll though sometimes there are hordes.

Café Bravo, Auguststraße 69, Berlin-Mitte (map)
Open M 9am-8pm, T-Sat 9am til whenever, Sun 10am-8pm
Tel. 49-30-2345 7777

Afternoon snacks at Max Liebermann Villa

I still feel between two worlds; owe an impossible number of friends emails and apologies; have so much to do. Nevertheless, an idle moment at the Max Liebermann Villa, where the poppy cake and hot chocolate were as exquisite as Vanessa described.

Kaffeemitte

You've been there already because Kaffeemitte is no secret but anyway, I like it.

And to the anonymous reader who gently prodded me to say more: Because I'm a sucker for concrete and irises, because the espresso is affordable and not too acidic, because before there was nowhere else around Hackescher Markt I wanted to go when I wanted cake or small snacks.

Kaffeemitte, Weinmeisterstr. 9a, Berlin-Mitte (map)
Open M-F 7:30am-10pm, S-S 10am-10pm

Sunday ice cream

 
I've been plagued by a succession of summer colds but despite my dogged cough I ventured out into the sudden heat. A scoop of bean-speckled vanilla ice cream worked wonders on my sore throat.

Organic ice cream at Pappa e Ciccia

I've long savored Pappa e Ciccia's sweets (they were a front-runner in Berlin's "New York cheesecake" craze) so imagine my excitement when I learned they were opening an organic ice cream shop next door. I was too slow to alert you to the free ice cream last Wednesday, but let me assure you, a scoop of raspberry and basil is well worth the euro it will cost you.

Pappa e Ciccia, Schwedter Str. 18 (map)
Tel + 49 30 616 20801
The ice cream shop is open weekdays 1pm-10pm, weekends noon-10pm.