If there’s one upside to nearly 4 months of cold and darkness, it’s the normalisation of eating large quantities of hot, melted cheese. Raclette and fondue are perfect winter-time group activities – best enjoyed with friends and family, as well as plenty of sparkling wine. Whether you’re in the mood to dine out, or have your own DIY cheese party at home, you’ll find everything you need in our round up (we’ve even got some vegan cheese options).
🔥 Berlin’s cosiest bars and restaurants: Get comfy by the crackling fire
🥐 Produce from Provence: The best French shops in Berlin
🧀 5 spots for Berlin’s cheesiest Käsespätzle
But first, some handy definitions for the rookies:
Raclette: A raclette meal is served using a special table-top grill. The cheese is melted in small pans called coupelles, which are placed under the heating element and the grill plate on top is used to cook your meat and vegetables.
Fondue: This Swiss melted cheese dish is served in a communal pot set over a portable stove or candle. Guests dip pieces of bread, vegetables or meat into the cheese using long-stemmed forks
Schwarze Heidi Fonduehütte
Schwarze Heidi Fonduehütte serves up authentic Swiss fondue (and vegan alternatives) in a rustic cabin at Friedrichshain’s RAW Gelände. Begin your meal with a platter of Bündnerfleisch and Ticino salami, or a vegan option of smoked cauliflower and hummus. Their bubbling fondue options include Emmentaler, Appenzeller, Bergkäse or a creamy blend called ‘Moitié Moitié’ (half Greyecer, half Vacheryn). With a deliciously smokey vegan cheese fondue option also available, there’s something for everyone.
- Schwarze Heidi Fonduehütte, RAW Gelände, Revaler Str. 99, Friedrichshain, details.
La Cantine d’Augusta
The entire menu at La Cantine d’Augusta is based around the finest French cheeses available. The team at Augusta work closely with hand chosen small-batch producers in France to source only the best varieties. Here you can pair your fondue or raclette board of choice with something from August’s extensive wine selection.
- La Cantine d’Augusta, Langenscheidtstr. 6A, Schöneberg, details.
La Käserie
Opened in 2012, La Käserie sells almost 80 different types of cheese from their Prenzlauer Berg shopfront. Almost all from France, the selection is sourced from small, seasonal producers and new varieties are introduced every month. What makes La Käserie particularly perfect for the colder months is that they offer a handy delivery service – DIY bringing fondue, raclette and cheese platters right to your door while you cosy up inside.
- La Käserie, Schönhauser Allee 147, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
Broschek
From October to April, this low-key Neukölln bar serves fondue with all the trimmings. You’ll need to make a reservation at least one day in advance, as Broschek prepares their fondue fresh to order – no exceptions! Expect a fully traditional fare, with fresh bread, potatoes, ham and pickles for dipping.
- Broschek, Weichselstr. 6, Neukölln, details.
Ars Vini
With more than 20 different fondue options, Ars Vini has been attracting cheese lovers since 2003. You can go all out and pair your fondue with a selection of meat, fish and vegetables and finish off your evening with a chocolate fondue. Ars Vini’s location which only adds to the cosy fun: You can visit them at the historic Fährhaus Saatwinkel on Lake Tegel where you can dine next to the fireplace.
- Ars Vini, Im Saatwinkel 15, Tegel details.
Gugelhof
Gugelhof is all about indulgent and authentic Alsatian cuisine. Get stuck into their traditional raclette, served with potatoes, cornichons and onions (which you of course prepare for yourself at your table). Pair all this cheesy goodness with a bottle from Gugelhof’s extensive wine menu.
- Gugelhof, Knaackstr. 37, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
Peppikäse: Käse Lager
Peppikäse specialises in artisanal raw-milk cheeses sourced from the Austrian and Swiss Alpine regions. While Peppikäse doesn’t serve hot fondue or raclette in their store, they supply you with the finest cheeses to prepare at home and even have a handy recipe guide available on their website. You can also find Peppikäse’s wares at various markets across Berlin, including Neukölln’s Schillermarkt.
- Peppikäse, Weichselstr. 7, Neukölln, details.
Chuchichäschtli
To correctly pronounce Chuchichäschtli, which translates to “little kitchen cupboard”, you probably have to be Swiss. But this shouldn’t stop you from stocking up on their high-quality products from the Alpine region. Try out one of Chuchichäschtli’s DIY fondue kits, which includes a preservative free ready-to-heat cheese mix and even a mini pot. What more could you ask for?
- Chuchichäschtli, Holsteinische Str. 19, Wilmersdorf, details.
Châlet Suisse
Expect modern-rustic dining in a tastefully revamped wooden cottage. In the middle of Grunewald, Châlet Suisse offers upscale alpine cuisine cooked over a wood fire in the traditional style. Their cheese fondue comes with fresh bread, Bündnerfleisch and mixed pickles. Although not a necessity, we recommend making a reservation (especially for the weekend).
- Châlet Suisse, Clayallee 99 Im Jagen 5, Dahlem, details.
Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmann
Step into the Schlosshotel’s Renaissance-inspired dining room to sample the Fondue Chinoise. For this dining experience, melted cheese is replaced with a pot of simmering broth. Guests choose from a selection of meat and vegetables, which they cook in the hot broth at their own tables. The Fondue Chinoise is served with a leafy salad, baby vegetables and oregano bread.
- Schlosshotel Berlin by Patrick Hellmann, Brahmstr. 10, Grunewald, details.