Culinary Berlin has a lot to offer – there’s great coffee, sourdough, pancakes, currywurst, kebabs – but one thing has long been missing: a good sandwich.
Sure, Germany knows bread, but a classic sandwich has been hard to find. And yet, few dishes suit Berlin better: unpretentious, portable, and a small luxury in uncertain times – not to mention that even the pricey ones are still pretty affordable.
Californian sandwich culture in Kreuzberg
The heart of Berlin’s new sandwich scene is by Reichenberger Straße in Kreuzberg. This is where you’ll find Smooches. California native Joe Parenti piles homemade English muffins or sourdough focaccia with egg and breakfast sausage, fried chicken, or celery root. A former chef at San Francisco’s acclaimed Zuni Café, Parenti makes nearly everything from scratch – and brings a slice of Californian sandwich culture to Kreuzberg.
Just steps away, on the corner of Glogauer Straße, Bagel Bro has opened with a sunny wooden terrace and a menu of bagel sandwiches – either classic-style with salmon and cream cheese, or a breakfast version with egg, cheese, and a house-made sausage patty.
Upscale sandwich art
But the heart of the current sandwich craze is just a few blocks away on Lausitzer Straße: Romeo’s. Opened in late March by Rochelle Bambury and Olle Hoolboom, Romeo’s isn’t just a standout in creative sandwich-making – it also reflects a growing trend among young restaurateurs: building careers that allow for creativity and a healthier work-life balance.
That’s part of what makes the sandwich such a fitting symbol. A lunch-focused menu allows for fewer late nights and avoids long shifts typical in restaurant work. It’s also accessible: affordable, unpretentious, and rooted in everyday eating, so locals don’t feel priced out of their own neighbourhood.
We often hear that restaurants accelerate gentrification, even though many chefs can’t afford to live where they work. Romeo’s flips that dynamic – offering something creative and ambitious, while staying grounded in the community.
For Olle Hoolboom, who grew up near Amsterdam, the legendary Eetsalon Van Dobben was like a second home – the place where his love of sandwiches began. His life and business partner, Rochelle Bambury, grew up in the UK and Australia, where sandwiches are an everyday staple and part of the food culture. “Everyone loves sandwiches,” says the daughter of two restaurateurs. “No matter where you’re from, there’s always some kind of [local] sandwich.”
At Romeo’s, everything is homemade
Their sandwiches take serious prep – because at Romeo’s, almost everything is made in-house. Bambury and Hoolboom bake their own focaccia, with only the bread for the grilled sandwiches comes from Friedrichshain’s Keit bakery. Gone are the days of working late shifts in Berlin kitchens. Now, they prepare a set number of sandwiches each day, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. “We want to take our time before we grow and expand,” says Hoolboom.
Everyone loves sandwiches, no matter where you’re from…
The bright, open space nods to American diner design – and to a tight budget. The renovations were done by the landlord.
Less than a month after opening, the place is already packed by 11 a.m., with fans lining up for towering sandwiches like The Italian with salami and ham, or a grilled chicken melt with tarragon sauce, inspired by a dish Hoolboom’s mother makes. Don’t skip the Vegan Szechuan, featuring house-made chili crunch and tofu reimagined into something entirely new. Meat-heavy, vegetarian, vegan – some over ten euros, some under – there’s something for everyone.
“Sandwiches are democratic,” say Bambury and Hoolboom. “They’re a universal food.” And at Romeo’s, they’re truly celebrated.
- Romeo’s Lausitzer Str. 47, Kreuzberg, Wed – Sun 11am – 4pm, details.
- Smooshes Reichenberger Str. 61a, Kreuzberg, Mon, Thurs + Fri 11am – 3pm, Sat + Sun 10am – 4pm, details.
- Bagel Bro Reichenberger Str. 104, Kreuzberg, Mon–Fri 9am–4pm, Sat + Sun 10am–5pm, details.
- This article was adapted from German. See the original here.
