Drips Guide to Berlin

Here’s our curated list of the best places to work, eat, drink, dance, and explore in Berlin, plus a few things to watch out for.
The Drips Team

Events

Funding the Commons

10 → 11 June

Highly recommended if you're into building open, community-driven digital infrastructure.

Web3 Privacy Now Hackathon

13 → 15 June

Bound to be the coolest hackathon of the week, focused on privacy tools for the next wave of Web3 apps.

Protocol Berg

12 → 13 June

The one with no sponsors and all the smart builders.

Rad New World

13 June

Something new is coming - step into the Rad New World with us.

Dappcon

12 → 13 June

For the devs, packed with insights on Ethereum and dApps.

DeSci Berlin

10 → 11 June

A must if you're interested in how Web3 and AI are shaking up science and research.

Berlin Basics

BVG Public Transit Ticket App

Don't buy tickets from the machines! This app has got you covered.

Forget Sundays

Most shops are closed on Sundays, keep this in mind!

Drinks on the street

There are no open container laws in Berlin, grab a weg beer!

Asking for tap water

This won't arrive automatically at most restaurants - ask for “Leitungswasser” if you want to stay hydrated.

Apothekes are essential

If you need some painkillers after over doing it one night, head straight to an Apotheke. Other stores won't sell them.

Cash is king

Always carry some euros! Card payments are becoming more common, but plenty of places (bars, restaurants, Spätis etc) will ONLY accept cash.

Tipping

Tips are always appreciated but no need to leave more than 10%. Rounding up the bill slightly is usually enough.

Coffee

Leuchtstoff

Neukölln café near Hermannstraße. Offers nice selection of drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and laid-back, sun-soaked outdoor seating.

Concierge

Industrial-chic coffee shop offering cappuccinos, matcha lattes & other caffeinated drinks.

Bonanza

Expertly prepared espresso and pour overs in a modern space tucked into a sidestreet near Mauerpark.

Isla

Eco-conscious café emphasizing sustainability through circular food systems. Known for excellent coffee and inventive brunch dishes like ricotta made from milk foam leftovers.

Food

Gorilla Bakery

Neighborhood sourdough and viennoiserie spot. Less hype than the others, just as good. Go for the cardamom bun.

Kokio

Amazing Korean fried chicken, tofu option available, get a soju and beer

Hamy’s

Quick, cheap, delicious Vietnamese food with a small menu but serving vegetarian options.

ZOLA

Great for Neapolitan-style pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven.

Standard Pizza

Great for Neapolitan-style pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven.

Hasir Ocakbaşı

Traditional Turkish grill restaurant. Authentic kebabs and mezes, no-frills setting.

Libanon Falafel

Quick-service Lebanese spot known for fresh falafel and generous portions. Not as cheap as it used to be, but still a bargain.

Thai Park

Informal food market in Preußenpark with authentic Thai food from vendors who gather on weekends in the summer.

Liu Noodles

The best spot in town for Sichuan flavours and a rare spot to get truly spicy food! There might be a bit of a queue but it moves quickly. Vegans are also catered to!

Piri’s

A Berlin classic. Delicious chicken burgers, great vegan options and frozen margs make this spot a hit with us.

Cicer World of Chickpea

It looks unassuming but it absolutely slaps. The hummus is banging, the mnazale (cold aubergine stew) is a triumph. Very affordable too.

Tucker Brunch Bar

Aussie brunch done very well. Definitely the best Bloody Mary in town.

Gio’s Georgian

A central spot for a great lunch or dinner. Cheese lovers will defnitely enjoy the Khachapuri, but there are vegan options too!

No Bananas

Elevated Turkish food with a great cocktail menu too. The beef cheeks are to die for.

Curry36

Some will say it's a tourist trap but if you're determined to try the Berlin class currywurst you could do much worse than here.

Mori Mori Ramen

Ramen joint serving some of the best Tonkotsu in the city. Has a great garden out the back for an al-fresco treat.

November

Go here if you want to splash out on some great seafood and sushi.

Drinks

Café am Neuen See

Beer garden beside a small lake in lush, historic Tiergarten with rowboat rentals and a pizzeria.

Prinzessinnen Garten

Urban garden project with simple outdoor café. Community-focused with environmental ethos.

Klunkerkranich

Rooftop garden bar above shopping center with panoramic views and an urban garden.

Arkaoda

Turkish-owned music bar with diverse programming and an intimate basement-level club.

Zweiners

A solid option for vibing with a cold drink and some friends. The bar staff have great music taste.

Bechereck

Local kneipe close to Tempelhof with a lot of charm if you like pubs! Come here for some old Berlin vibes and a sunny beer on the terrace.

Lenau Stuben

Another old-school kneipe with pool, darts and chain smoking locals. Definitely a blast from the past (in a good way).

Zenner

Historic beer garden and cultural venue by the Spree. Regular events and concerts in park setting

Ankerklause

Canal-side bar with a boat-themed interior and plenty outdoor seating. The food is decent enough and the seats overlooking the canal are really nice.

Natural Selection

Vibey natural wine shop with a focus on Eastern European (especially Georgian and Slovenian) sources.

Music

Sameheads

Eccentric space with an intimate basement club, experimental musical lean.

OHM

Intimate venue in former battery room, often experimental-leaning musically.

Kwia

Queer listening bar focused on ambient and experimental downtempo music.

Anima

Hi-fi listening bar with vinyl records, cocktails and food. Comfortable seating with Spree views

Pastiche

Hi-fi listening venue, café, record shop, and space for workshops and screenings.

OXI

Notable diversity in its electronic genres, two indoor dance floors, outdoor garden floor in the summer.

ELSE

Open-air club on the Spree river.

Berghain

Techno club in a former power plant building. Multiple floors with massive sound systems. Notoriously selective door policy (best not to arrive in groups larger than 2).

Coworking

Betahaus

A Kreuzberg classic. Modular desks, big windows, and a mix of freelancers, indie teams, and crypto weirdos. Drop in for deep work or stay for the rooftop lunches.

Full Node

Home to Ethereum Foundation, Gnosis, and other crypto orgs. Feels serious but open. Great for meetups, deep work, and running into someone building your favorite protocol.

C-Base

Berlin’s legendary hacker space. Feels like a crashed space station. Expect soldering, sidechains, and everything your nerdy heart can dream of.

Lakes

Weißer See

Best if you’re staying in the northeast part of Berlin, like Prenzlauer Berg or Mitte. Cute café, paddle boats, and a small beach—perfect for lazy summer afternoons without leaving the city.

Schlachtensee

Ideal if you’re in the southwest, near Zehlendorf or Grunewald. Super clear water, forest vibes, and a 5km walking path around the lake if you’re feeling sporty.

Plötzensee

Close to Wedding and Moabit, so great for a quick escape if you’re central-north. Small, cozy, and has a paid beach area.

Müggelsee

Go here if you’re staying in the southeast, like Friedrichshain or Neukölln. Berlin’s biggest lake, more of a day trip, with beaches, bike paths, boat rentals, and proper nature escape energy

Krumme Lanke

A chill spot further west, not far from Schlachtensee—less crowded and surrounded by forest. Good for skinny-dipping or quiet picnics, especially if you’re around Steglitz or Dahlem

Tourist Traps

Mustafas Gemuse Kebap

It's good, but it's not worth standing in a queue for 40 minutes

Checkpoint Charlie

There's literally nothing to see. Save your time.

Alexanderplatz

The TV tower is iconic, go in it! But don't hang around Alexanderplatz too long.

Mauerpark Flea

Some people love the outdoor karaoke, but otherwise it's just a lot of stalls selling junk you don't need.

Matrix Club

Just don't do it to yourself.

Other

Vabali

Balinese-inspired wellness resort near Hauptbahnhof. Has many indoor and outdoor saunas, pools, massage treatments, and meditation spaces. Best to go on a weekday in the daytime.

Volkspark Friedrichshain

Berlin’s oldest public park, with a lot of picnic-friendly lawns, jogging paths, a bouldering wall, and an open-air cinema.

Tempelhofer Feld

Former airport turned into a massive public park. Vast open space with runways used for recreation (roller skating, skateboarding, windskating, biking), and also has a couple beer gardens with food.

Viktoriapark

Small Kreuzberg park centered around a cascading waterfall. Scenic views and a relaxed beer garden.

Sommerbad Neukölln

Outdoor, family-friendly pool complex near Tempelhofer Feld with a long waterslide, baby pool, and spacious lawns for sunbathing.

Badeschiff

Outdoor pool set into the river Spree. Urban swimming without the risk of a dodgy tummy. Tickets sell out in advance so watch out for that!

Zeiss Major Planetarium

Modern planetarium with regular shows, lectures, cosmic-themed concerts.