Berlin food is street food first: döner, currywurst and falafel for a few euros. This part of my Berlin guide is about where to eat. Rüyam, the falafel place in Neukölln and a pizzeria in Mitte come from my own saved list; the currywurst, Mustafa's, the covered markets in Moabit and Kreuzberg and the city's oldest restaurant I added from 34travel's Berlin guide and neighbourhood guide, and checked every one on Google: still open, rated 4.2 or higher. I haven't written my own notes yet, so all the descriptions are put together from Google Maps reviews.
Prices are Google's average spend per person, valid as of 7 October 2026. Rate: 1 € ≈ $1.12.
In short
- One corner, two cult snacks: Rüyam Gemüse Kebab and Konnopke's Imbiss sit side by side on Schönhauser Allee, under the U-Bahn viaduct.
- Cheap and filling: a falafel sandwich with peanut sauce at Sahara Imbiss, from 3.50 € (≈$4).
- The longest queue: Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap, 50 minutes and up; if there are more than 30 people ahead, go to Curry 36 next door.
- Almost round the clock: Curry 36 is open until 5 am.
- Lunch for a group: Arminiusmarkthalle in Moabit, a market hall from 1891; many stalls only get going around 10:30. In Kreuzberg, Markthalle Neun does the same.
- A German dinner: Zur letzten Instanz, open since 1621 — pork knuckle and Klopse; best to book.
Where to eat
Rüyam Gemüse Kebab
Prenzlauer Berg · döner · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · Sun–Thu 11:00–0:00, Fri–Sat until 2:00
Google Maps · website · Schönhauser Allee 44A
According to Google Maps reviews (4.9 from 46,000+): many call this vegetable döner the best in Berlin — fresh bread, crunchy vegetables, potatoes, juicy meat and house sauces, in a big portion for little money. Tea is free, and kids get lollipops. The downside: there's almost always a queue, with a 15–30 minute wait. Reviewers suggest eating in rather than taking it away.
Konnopke's Imbiss
Prenzlauer Berg · currywurst · 10–20 € (≈$11–23) · Tue–Fri 11:00–18:00, Sat 12:00–19:00, closed Sun–Mon
Google Maps · website · Schönhauser Allee 44b
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 6,100+): a family-run snack bar right under the U-Bahn viaduct that has been frying currywurst for more than 90 years. The house sauce is the point; a set of two currywursts with fries is about 12 €. Downsides: it's noisy, there are queues, the service is grumpy, and some think the fame is overblown. It closes early, so don't plan on dinner here. 34travel recommends it too (article).
Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap
Kreuzberg · chicken döner · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · Mon–Wed 11:00–23:30, Thu and Sun until 0:30, Fri 14:00–2:30, Sat 11:00–2:30
Google Maps · website · Mehringdamm 33
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 22,000+): a tiny kiosk serving Berlin's most famous chicken-and-vegetable döner — toasted bread, grilled vegetables, a generous heap of meat, around 10 €. The one problem is the queue: 50 minutes to two hours, even on weekdays. Reviewers' advice: if there are more than 30 people ahead of you, walk on — or go to Curry 36 next door. 34travel recommends it too (article).
Curry 36
Kreuzberg · currywurst · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · daily 9:00–5:00
Google Maps · website · Mehringdamm 36
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 13,000+): a cult West Berlin currywurst stand — with a roll or fries and a Radler on the side; the house ketchup is sold by the bottle to take home. The queue moves fast, it's open nearly around the clock, and lunch comes to about 10 €. Downsides: many didn't find the taste special, portions can be small, and the outdoor tables are dirty. 34travel recommends it too (article).
Sahara Imbiss
Neukölln · falafel · 1–10 € (≈$1–11) · Sun–Thu 11:30–0:00, Fri–Sat until 2:30
Google Maps · Reuterstraße 56
According to Google Maps reviews (4.5 from 1,400+): a snack bar that adds peanut sauce to its falafel, halloumi or tofu sandwiches — unexpected, and exactly what reviewers rave about. Sandwiches start at 3.50 € (≈$4); plates cost a bit more and are bigger, and you pick your own sauces and veg at the counter. Some regulars have been coming for ten years. The downside: at peak times the food takes a while.
Pizzeria Marienkäfer
Mitte · pizza & pasta · 20–30 € (≈$23–34) · Mon–Fri 10:00–0:00, Sat–Sun 12:00–0:00
Google Maps · website · Marienstraße 18
According to Google Maps reviews (4.8 from 2,800+): a simple German-Italian pizzeria on a quiet street near Friedrichstraße. Food comes fast, pasta comes with free bread and olives, and reviewers praise the truffle pasta and the burrata salad. Downsides: the older waiter can be curt, and some guests found the cooking ordinary — overcooked pasta, peas in the bolognese. Open until midnight.
Arminiusmarkthalle
Moabit · covered market from 1891 · prices vary by stall · Mon–Sat 8:00–22:00, closed Sun
Google Maps · website · Arminiusstraße 2–4
According to Google Maps reviews (4.3 from 5,700+): a restored late-19th-century market hall with German cooking, Mediterranean and Asian food, a cheese stall with aged cheeses, coffee bars and local producers. A good place for lunch with a group; it gets busy at midday. The hall opens early, but many stalls only get going around 10:30. 34travel recommends it too (article).
Markthalle Neun
Kreuzberg · market hall and food stalls · Mon–Wed and Fri–Sat 9:00–20:00, Thu until 22:00, closed Sun
Google Maps · website · Eisenbahnstraße 42/43
According to Google Maps reviews (4.4 from 20,000+): an old covered market in Kreuzberg where you can buy flowers, farm vegetables and pastries, or just work your way round the stalls tasting everything: gyoza, barbecue, Thai mango sticky rice, hot dips, ice cream. It's clean inside, with families at the shared tables. Many stalls only open around 11:00, and on Thursdays the hall stays open until 22:00.
Zur letzten Instanz
Mitte · German restaurant since 1621 · 30–40 € (≈$34–45) · Mon–Thu 17:30–23:00, Fri–Sat 12:00–23:00, closed Sun
Google Maps · website · Waisenstraße 14–16
According to Google Maps reviews (4.2 from 3,500+): Berlin's oldest restaurant — two wood-panelled, tiled floors and a small garden outside. The menu is German classics with a modern touch: a giant pork knuckle, Königsberger Klopse, cabbage rolls, sausages and cheese dumplings, with a Pilsner or German wine. Booking is advised, though on weekday lunchtimes it can be half empty. Downsides: it's dark inside, and the waiters seem to be serving half of Berlin at once.
One last thing
Hit Mustafa's and Rüyam on a weekday before lunch, when the queues are shorter. And check Konnopke's hours: it's closed on Sundays and Mondays and only open until early evening on other days.
More on Berlin: what to see, bars and cafés, coffee and breakfast.