AtayaCaffe (100% vegan)

AtayaCaffe is an Italian and African influenced restaurant. A delectable and fun experience! We were warmly welcomed by the owners. There are many books to read and pieces of art to view in this cosy atmosphere. It has a modern look with vintage furniture. Outside seating is available. The food has distinct flavours and each plate is a colourful work of art. The products are organic. The cappuccino is strong and there are lots of different plant-based milks to choose from (2.70-3.20 euros).

The breakfast comes with hummus, a delicious red-pepper dip, a curry couscous, Italian-style bread, half of an avocado sprinkled with poppy seeds, salad, a croissant with a chocolate-nut-nougat spread, oats with yoghurt and fruits, baked peppers, a smoothie with Acai berry and banana, and more! It is very filling for one person and could even be split between two people. All of this for 13 euros.

We also had an African Bowl that had diverse flavours (10 euros). From potatoes in a peanut sauce to a cabbage-based dish with olives, onions, and mustard. It also comes with a salad, whole-wheat couscous, and Sardinia flatbread. If you’re in Berlin and looking for a great atmosphere with tasty food, do not miss AtayaCaffe!

Lia’s Kitchen (100% vegan)

Lia’s Kitchen is a small restaurant with delicious burgers and salad bowls. Our food came fast and the staff is very friendly. We had the greek salad with tomato, cucumber, lettuce, pepper, red onion, black olives, homemade feta cheese, olive oil, and lemon juice (6.90 euros). Their feta cheese made out of almonds was delicious. Additionally, we were served the chicken cheeseburger with seitan strips, homemade feta cheese, marinated roasted peppers, arugula, mayo and chili sauce (6.90 euros). This place will not disappoint if you are craving a juicy burger. As desert we got two chocolate nut truffles (1.50 euros each).

Café Bärbucha (vegetarian with vegan options)

Are you searching for a place to get healthy bacteria in your stomach? Bärbucha is a fantastic option for anyone searching for healthy, fermented beverages and food. Everything here is fermented, organic, and unpasteurized. It is the first place in Berlin to produce Kombucha. Kombucha is produced by fermenting tea using a culture of bacteria and yeast (Scoby). At the Café, they have the biggest selection of Kombucha in Berlin. Some are available only at the Café. Others are distributed within the city. They even have Kombucha made out of some medicinal plants like Jiaogulan, Schisandra, and Chaga X.

Bärbucha also offers workshops for anyone interested in learning about fermenting beverages, food, and even products such as face cream! The owners have a lot of knowledge and experience with fermentation. In a short time talking with them, we learned a lot about fermentation. They focus on quality over quantity. Everything is vegan except kefir and some Kombuchas are sweetened with honey. Lunch consisting of one or two vegetarian/vegan items is currently offered. But in the future, there will be less emphasis on a lunch menu and more energy put into fermenting Kombucha, vegetables, and other fermented products. We had a probiotic salad with fermented carrots, beetroot, and peppers, raw spinach, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, cooked green chickpeas and Basmati rice, grilled zucchini, and olive oil. We also had a mushroom named “Chicken of the woods” (Schwefelporling) that definitely has the consistency of chicken and had a mouth-watering flavour of a tomato-based sauce. Additionally, we tried a 6 month old Kimchi (7 euros per jar).

Chay Long – Hien’s Finest Vegetarian and Vegan Kitchen (99% vegan)

Chay Long is a pleasant setting for a meal with friends. A quiet, Vietnamese-decorated restaurant with an extensive menu. All is vegan except the condensed milk for the coffee. The presentation is lovely and the portions are huge. It is a great value for your money. However, unlike the other options we visited in Berlin, this restaurant did not focus as much on healthy options. It is delicious but with a lot of oil and added sugar. Also, almost each meal on the menu comes with some sort of tofu or seitan. We started with crispy fried rice paper rolls filled with organic tofu, morels, shiitake mushrooms, glass noodles and vegetables, served with a homemade soy sauce (3.40 euros). For an entree we had various vegetables in a very delicious homemade peanut sauce with organic tofu (Cơm Sốt Lạc, 7.50 euros) and steamed rice with marinated organic tofu, seitan, mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, fresh vegetables and gravy (Cơm Thập Cẩm, 7.50 euros). The latter did not have a lot flavour and had more seitan than mushrooms.