By now, ‘vegan January’ – or ‘Veganuary’ if you’re into clunky portmanteaus – is a solid fixture in the Berlin gastro calendar. If we’re honest, it feels pretty good to forgo meat and animal products for a while after the greasy excess of Christmas.
Berlin makes it so darn easy. The selection of vegan restaurants, cafés and shops offering plant-based treats make it less of a sacrifice and more of a month-long culinary adventure. And who knows, you might even… stick to it?
From fast food to fine dining, from döner to sushi and from Spain to China, here are some of our favourites.
Breakfast & Brunch
Trivitys
You’d go vegan if it wasn’t for cheese? Consider yourself out of excuses. While their signature cheese plate remains a must-try (spreadable, snackable, sprinkleable – they serve a fantastic mix), they’ve since expanded to include waffles and raw cakes, while keeping their dishes free of gluten and added sugar. With Trivitys, healthy doesn’t mean bland either; they serve food that tastes as good as it feels.
- Trivitys, Florastr. 27, Pankow, details.
Mana Food
With the number of great brunch spots in this city, it’s difficult to pick one winner, but Mana Food earns the title for their moreish and balanced meals. Their egg dishes are a true standout, from tofu-based scrambled eggs to airy mousse-style poached eggs. The café is especially a treat on a sunny day, with warm, soft light filling the café through its east-facing windows.
- Mana Food, Bremer Str. 67, Moabit, details.
EasyPeasy
EasyPeasy is that girl. Not only is this women-owned brunch spot home to impeccable vegan food like carrot lox, but it’s also fully gluten-free. This means celiac-friendly versions of classic carbs like wholegrain toast, sourdough slices, waffles and crêpes. If you need a fresh start to your weekend, give their smoothies and açaí bowls a try.
- EasyPeasy, Wichertstr. 33a, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
East Asian
Emira
This place pulls out all the stops. With imaginative presentation, a curated, detailed menu and thoughtful staff, Emira is not a single-visit kind of place. Crab, tuna, caviar – when it comes to veganising seafood, nothing’s off the table. Order three or more rolls for a captivating presentation that incorporates dry ice.
- Emira, Schönhauser Allee 72a, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
Li.ke Thai Vegan
As the first Thai vegan restaurant in Germany, Li.ke creates stellar plant-fuelled Thai plates from Pad Thai to Khao Soi. Hot tip: their best dishes are their tapas, so grab a friend and split a few bowls; start with the crispy marinated tofu cubes and pumpkin seitan dumplings and build your menu from there.
- Li.ke Thai Vegan, Grünberger Str. 69, Friedrichshain, details.
Iimori Vegan Ramen
Perfect for a cold day and yet impossible to resist in the warmer months, ramen is one of the most versatile soups out there – and Iimori Ramen does one of the best. Their Tonkotsu ramen is deliciously garlicky and savoury, but if you’re looking to stray from classic ramen, give their brothless piquant Duck Aburasoba a try. Tip: there are two Iimori Ramens, right next to each other. The one on the left offers the classic menu, but the rightmost door will take you to its fully vegan counterpart.
- Imori Vegan Ramen, Mulackstr. 29, Mitte, details.
Lucky Leek
Before there was Oukan and its flashy vegan fine dining menu, there was this Bib Gourmand-winning pioneer in Prenzlauer Berg. Instead of merely imitating meat products, chef Josita Hartano chose to invent her own cuisine – think red cabbage risotto, celery sashimi and chickpea wontons. These dishes and more are served in a three- to five-course set menu (€39-63), optionally paired with wine.
- Lucky Leek, Kollwitzstr. 54, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
Tianfuzius
Berlin’s first vegetarian Chinese restaurant offers a culinary range that stands out from the city’s standard Chinese fare. Think hot and sour soup with water chestnuts, a clear winter melon soup, or warm, spicy noodle salad with pickled vegetables to start, followed by potato and cauliflower hotpot or smoked tofu with celery.
- Tianfuzius, Regensburger Str. 1, Wilmersdorf, details.
Middle Eastern
Café Pilz
In summer 2020, Café Pilz took over the premises of former brunch temple No. 58 Speiserei. Named after a historic café in Tel Aviv, the charmingly small space presents Israeli-rooted cuisine in miniature. What does that mean? Small plates for a reasonable €3 to €4 each, suitable for sharing but also very tasty on their own, served with house-baked pita bread. Of course there’s great silky hummus, a point of honour, but also roasted aubergine, the most amazing jacket potatoes in town, and much more. You don’t even notice that all the dishes are vegan unless someone points it out.
- Café Pilz, Weinstr. 58, Neukölln, details.
European
HAPPA
Anyone who thinks ecological values and indulgence can’t go hand in hand needs to head to HAPPA. On weekday afternoons they serve up tasty dishes from a regularly-changing menu. You can always expect a hearty soup or stew, a side salad, homemade focaccia, cake for dessert, along with coffee or a homemade lemonade.
If you like the sound of that, you should grab tickets for one of HAPPA’s elegant dinner nights. An opulent five-course vegan menu (featuring delights like radicchio pink pasta and sticky apple pudding with labneh) is served to guests on just six evenings every month.
- HAPPA, Schlesische Str. 35A, Kreuzberg, details.
Alaska Bar
Delicious after-work tapas and drinks, with nary a slice of ham or a hint of egg to be found. There is, however, lots of cheese – made with cashew, spread on sourdough toast with smoked carrot “salmon” or served with marinated aubergine, olives and crispy breadsticks. Classic Spanish bites like croquetas or patatas bravas with vegan mayo and Sichuan chilli oil are stellar as well.
- Alaska Bar, Reuterstr. 85, Neukölln, details.
Pizza
Gemello
Gone are the days of Marinara being the only vegan choice on the menu. Gemello’s signature pizza features chewy crusts, both local and imported Sicilian produce as well as creative ingredients like miso-marinated tofu used in place of feta and a velvety gourd-based egg yolk sauce.
Their standout pizza is the ‘Posh’, topped with sour cream, pickled pear, brie (so convincing in taste and texture, it even has a rind), cranberry jam, walnuts and fresh sage. Every pizza comes with a side of homemade dipping sauce and pickled vegetables; their team has got sweet, salty, and acidic combinations down to an art.
- Gemello, Lettestr. 6a, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
Al Catzone
Vegan Neapolitan-style pizza is the star of the show at Al Catzone. With bold (but always scrumptious) flavour combos like sour cream, peas, cashew “mozzarella” and caramelised onions, this low-key Kreuzberg gem is a clear favourite. Just make sure you leave room for dessert. Their vegan nougat cream-filled calzones and rich tiramisu make Al Catzone a must-try.
- Al Catzone, Brandestr. 7, Kreuzberg, details.
Sotto
Italy meets Finland and opens a pizzeria in Berlin – that’s pretty much the story behind the half-vegetarian, half-vegan Sotto, a Wedding institution since the moment it opened three years ago. The crust, cold-fermented and crispier than the Neapolitan norm, is delicious even before adding toppings like smoked carrots, kale and potatoes, or pumpkin and almond cream.
- Sotto, Neue Hochstr. 25, Wedding, details.
Döner & Fast Food
Vamos Veganos
Although quite a few spots around the city have managed to create a solid meat-free version of the city’s most popular street food (see following entry), Vamos Veganos takes it a step further with their expertly seasoned smoked tofu döner, classic sauces (garlic, herb, spicy), herbs and crispy Turkish flatbread.
- Vamos Veganos, Schönfließer Str. 16, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
Vöner
The owner’s place of residence, a former punky trailer park at Rummelsburger Bucht, gave this Friedrichshain burger shop its name. Originally, the burgers were sold directly from an old circus wagon at festivals. Now, the shop’s Vöner Kebab is even more popular. A Vöner plate with homemade fries, cheese substitute and fried onions is a particularly dirty treat. Veganuary in Berlin would be unthinkable without kebabs, after all. Bonus tip: Pi-Love in Neukölln also does a really decent vegan döner.
- Vöner, Boxhagener Str. 56, Friedrichshain, details.
Yoyo Foodworld
Eating vegan no longer means having to forego the delicious joy of fast food. At Yoyo Foodworld, everything from kofte wraps and currywurst to cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets can be enjoyed fully plant-based. Being kind to the planet needn’t require punishing yourself, so why not warm up with some classic favourites this Veganuary.
- Yoyo Foodworld, Gärtnerstr. 27, Friedrichshain, details.
Dessert
The Sanctuary
This Sicilian bakery has succeeded in making traditional Italian baked goods completely vegan – a particular feat for a cuisine that is rooted in dairy and meat. With constant queues at their Torstraße location since it first opened in 2022, you can now also get a taste of their delicacies at their newly-opened P’Berg outpost. Whether it’s sweet champagne raspberry cornetti or savoury sausage focaccia, every bite is a plant-based delight.
- The Sanctuary, Torstr. 175, Mitte / Malmöer Str. 13, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
Soi & Co.
Berlin is no stranger to scrumptious vegan cakes, but Soi & Co. stands out with their innovative use of tofu, creating cakes that are irresistibly creamy with a rich texture and subtle depth. Presented as beautifully sliced squares and adorned with artful toppings, their ever-evolving menu proves that soy can be as creamy as it is versatile, particularly when it’s combined with flavours like matcha pistachio and black sesame. In the summer you can enjoy a slice with a scoop of sesame azuki ice cream.
- Soi & Co., Linienstr. 205, Mitte, details.
Round & Edgy
Round & Edgy takes inspiration from New York City icons Levain and Magnolia Bakery and bakes up Berlin’s finest vegan cookies. Dense, crunchy on the outside and soft within, the ultimate order is a chewy sea salt chocolate chip cookie with a side of their creamy banana salted caramel pudding. The latter is only available Thursday to Sunday and sells out most days.
- Round & Edgy, Rochstr. 3, Mitte / Maybachufer 21, Neukölln / Tauentzienstr. 21-24 (KaDeWe), Charlottenburg, details.
Balaram
You might have to save this one for when temperatures creep up again, but that didn’t stop us from including Balaram’s superior plant-based scoops in this list. The flavours range from from espresso hazelnut to raspberry basil, but this Eisdiele’s claim to fame is their Spaghettieis, a German treat that can be tricky to make vegan because of its base of vanilla ice cream. Plus, free whipped cream and sprinkles with every order.
- Balaram, Gabriel-Max-Str. 17, Friedrichshain, details.
Brammibal’s
Donuts being vegan is almost unthinkable… or at least, it was before a certain millennial-pink franchise came along. Now vegans and omnivores alike queue up at Brammibals’ multiple locations to pick up a box of its creative and highly Instagrammable dough rings, made without eggs or butter and topped with everything from fruit to cookie dough to coconut “bacon”.
- Brammibal’s Donuts, several branches across Berlin, details.
This guide was written by Jane Silver and Natalie Avila.
