Where the locals go. Berlin.

Nothing beats hearing the best spots to visit from a local, so our team at UW Berlin took us to some of their favourite hidden gems in their special corner of Mitte.

Come on our journey and see where they took us.

Luiban

“Luiban is special because it brings together bits of stationary magic from around the world. Every shelf and drawer is full of small objects that surprise you and bring a little smile.”

“Luiban is somehow one of a kind. An anchor in the street that is somehow never empty and always catching the eyes of those who walk by. Even though we have been frequenting the street for almost 15 years, we still almost always pop through when we pass, just because of the vibe.”

“Luiban is definitely one of those stores where you can browse for hours, discovering treasures you never knew you needed in your life!”

San.

“Set behind a beautiful panoramic window, San is like a little sanctuary in the neighbourhood. The food is amazing and the people behind the counter and back in the kitchen are always laughing and having fun. It's just a really nice place to be.”

“Really great Japanese food is kind of rare in Berlin in general, so more than just being a unique piece of the neighbourhood, it is also just nice to have in the city at all. As a part of the neighbourhood, it is part of a nice little bunch of spots that have great food and drinks, but are each a little different from each other.”

“No California rolls here, only fresh fish rolled in and on rice, served with freshly grated wasabi and a plea to not dunk the rolls in soy sauce. Takeshi’s purist approach puts it head and shoulders above the rest of the sushi bars in the city. Tomoya, in turn, does the Ramen lunch and the rest of the warm dishes on the menu.”

“Tomoya from San used to work in Susuru (an Udon soup place) right next door to Trüffelschwein. That was about 20 years ago. He would always talk about opening a sushi restaurant with his best friend Takeshi someday. Needless to say, we are beyond proud of the both of them for realising their dream!”

Trio.

“Together with San, Trio is a great little culinary anchor-point at the edge of the neighbourhood. With it's 180 view of an intersection peering into the neighbourhood, it is a great spot, especially in the summer, to people watch while having a great wine and lovely food.”

“Trio serves really great German comfort food, but in a refined and classy atmosphere. The bar in the middle gives it a vibrant and bar-like feeling, but with great tables and chairs and really beautiful interior design. And, the food is just delicious.”

“Eva and Clemens have always made sure to make the whole neighbourhood feel welcome, always trying their best to accommodate us even when they are booked to the rafters. The third partner is the very elusive Vadim, who is in charge of the kitchen.”

Myconbini.

“Myconbini is a little shop that was very obviously born from a place of love. The owner, Fabian, spent some important years in his life in Japan and when he returned to Germany, felt like he just could not find the food and ingredients he missed, so he pieced it together himself and created the shop. If you are looking for something special, unique or just a little different to put on the table, it's a great place.”

“One thing missing in the neighborhood is actually groceries, so even though it is a Japanese grocery, it somehow brings something new and special to the neighborhood. It is also a shop that is just chock-full of really beautiful and unique things that you can't find anywhere else in the area, or even in all of Berlin.”

Willkommen im Reich der Mitte.

"The flower shop "Willkommen im Reich der Mitte" holds a special place in the hearts of the team at Truffelschwein, because it is actually the original location of the first store back in the day. Today it is one of the best flower shops in the whole city and a green little oasis on the street that cannot be missed.”

“Really great flower shops of this kind are quite rare in all of Berlin and especially in the highly trendy neighbourhood around the Universal Works shop, so that alone makes it special. Just walking past the door is an experience all of its own, no shop in the area has such a beautifully curated collection of greenery as this shop.”

“I’ve known Jens for more than 20 years, even before he took over our former shop space. I’ve always been fascinated with his energy, spontaneity and great taste! It’s not uncommon that he would show up at our doorstep with a bunch of flowers, just because.”