The Berliner, or rather the Pfannkuchen
Everywhere in Germany this round jam-filled doughnut is called a Berliner, but in Berlin it is a Pfannkuchen, while Eierkuchen means the pancake. So ask the baker for a Pfannkuchen. It is traditionally filled with plum or redcurrant jam and dusted with sugar. On New Year's Eve Berliners eat lots of them, and a well-known joke is to slip a Pfannkuchen filled with mustard among the others. For more cake and café addresses, see our guide to cafés and pastries in Berlin and the one on New Year in Berlin.
Baumkuchen, the "tree" cake
Baumkuchen is a cake baked layer by layer on a spit, whose cross-section recalls the rings of a trunk. It is associated with German pastry-making; in Berlin the Buchwald house, Bartningallee in Moabit, has made it a speciality since the 19th century. The cake is sold by the slice or whole, covered in chocolate or icing, and keeps well: an easy souvenir to take home. Check the shop's opening hours before going.
Chocolate at Gendarmenmarkt
A short walk from the Gendarmenmarkt, the Fassbender & Rausch house, Charlottenstraße 60, is known for its window of Berlin landmarks made of chocolate and for its hot chocolate. It is a pleasant stop after visiting the square, especially in winter.
Restaurant and seasonal desserts
- Rote Grütze: thickened red-fruit compote served with cream or vanilla sauce, a summer classic.
- Berliner Luft: a light lemon or raspberry mousse whose name means "Berlin air".
- Streuselkuchen: crumble-topped cake, found in bakeries.
- Berliner Weisse mit Schuss: a tart wheat beer served with raspberry or woodruff syrup, to drink rather than eat.
Ice cream, from March to October
Ice cream parlours generally open in spring and close in autumn. In Prenzlauer Berg, Hokey Pokey and other craft parlours have their regulars; in Kreuzberg and Neukölln the ice cream often comes in Turkish or Mediterranean flavours. Flavours change often and prices are shown at the counter. Around Kreuzberg and in the parks and gardens of Berlin you will find some at every corner.
Where to taste, by district
- Mitte: chocolate at Gendarmenmarkt, then ice cream on Unter den Linden.
- Prenzlauer Berg: morning Pfannkuchen and afternoon ice cream, see Prenzlauer Berg.
- Moabit: Buchwald's Baumkuchen.
- In a market hall: Markthalle Neun for small producers.
Going further
For savoury food, read Currywurst and döner in Berlin and what to eat in Berlin.
