Great Brunch And Breakfast Spots Around Oranienstrae Berlin

Berlin has begun to catch on to the fact that ‘brunch’ doesn’t have to mean a buffet of cold cheeses and meats. There are a growing number of places offering options that more closely resemble an Anglo brunch, in addition to the traditional bread-heavy offerings. Oranienstraße, that strange road that meanders up to Mitte from Kreuzberg’s heart, has plenty of great breakfast and brunch places to satisfy any number of cravings. Here are some of the very best.

Café Morgenland

Cafe, European, Vegetarian

This Kreuzberg institution is a dedicated breakfast spot, nestled along the Görlizerbahnhof end of Oranienstraße. Serving a formidable mix of Middle Eastern and Turkish pastas, antipasto, meatballs, and pickled vegetables, this is a distinctly Kreuzberg brunch. There are some concessions to the increasing Anglo crowd, however, including crêpes and eggs. For brunchers hoping to eat at Café Morgenland over the weekend, and especially on a Sunday, a reservation is vital.

Bateau Ivre

Bar, Cafe, European

Part cafe, part dive bar, Bateau Ivre is something of a contradiction. The average guest is as likely to be on the hunt for a little ‘hair of the dog’ as he is to want eggs and (veggie) bacon. Located in one of Berlin’s most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, there’s a strange tension between guests here. Regardless, the food is excellent and plentiful, and the coffee is strong. Perhaps the best part of brunching at Bateau Ivre is that guests can linger long enough for the cafe to morph into a dive bar as the evening draws in.

Parker Bowles (Papi Crunch)

Bar, Restaurant, Fusion

Parker Bowles on Prinzenstraße is a little far from Oranienburgstraße proper, but it is too good to omit. The brainchild of German chef Sebastian Pfister, the food is an uncommon kind of German-Anglo cooking. Popular with the international crowd, especially on the weekend, the breakfast menu is a pleasant blend of the healthful and the indulgent: think avocado sandwiches and fennel broths as well as blueberry pancakes and cheesecakes. Diners will need a reservation on a Saturday and should note that Parker Bowles is closed on Sundays.

Chipps

Restaurant, Contemporary, Vegan, Vegetarian, French

Chipps is a brunch place that would make even the most Californian Berliner feel at home. Serving a generous selection of egg-based delights, cheese treats, and fluffy pancakes, as well as an unparalleled selection of juices, Chipps is a brunch spot par excellence. Those hoping for a proper Berliner brunch would be best served elsewhere, and those that bemoan the changing city have a poster child for their grievances in Chipps.

Mundvoll

Restaurant, Vegetarian, Vegan

Mundvoll (or ‘mindful’ in English) is home to one of Kreuzberg’s very finest brunch and breakfast menus. Just off Oranienstraße, but far enough away to escape the tourist vibe of the main drag, Mundvoll has the dual benefits of convenience and quiet. Diners sit in a light and airy dining room and are offered a selection of traditional German breakfasts and vegan offerings, as well as eggs, quark, and muesli, all a la carte. A relatively inexpensive option in an increasingly pricey market, Mundvoll is an excellent brunch option.