The pre-Christmas season in Berlin is not only a contemplative time, but also a feast for the senses – especially the sense of taste. The capital’s restaurants entice with creative Advent offers, festive brunches and extraordinary Christmas menus. Whether traditional goose, creative gourmet cuisine or international specialties – there is something for every taste.
Eins44: Advent feast with a gourmet twist
On all four Sundays of Advent from 12 noon, the Eins44 invites you to a festive three- or four-course menu. The menu includes eagle fish carpaccio and duck consommé, duck with red cabbage and dumplings – and finally buckwheat biscuit with spruce ice cream. Three courses cost 74 euros, four courses 89 euros.
Eins44, Elbestraße 28-29, 12045 Berlin
Jäger & Lustig: Happy goose season
The restaurant, which has been awarded a Bib Gourmand, serves goose with classic side dishes such as red cabbage, kale, dumplings and chestnuts as a culinary prelude to the Christmas season – as “Jäger’s Goose Plate” with breast and leg (€29), as a whole goose for four people (€139) or as a menu with a starter and dessert (€37). Alternatively, head chef Sven Jahn recommends seasonal highlights such as peppered venison steak (€26) or ox cheek (€23). The goose season runs until December 30.
Jäger & Lustig, Grünberger Straße 1, 10243 Berlin
Fischer & Lustig: (Almost) all about duck
At Fischer & Lustig, the Oldenburg country duck is in the spotlight at Christmas time: as a dish with breast or leg, as well as red cabbage and potato dumplings (€29), as a menu for two with braised apple, red and dumplings (€69), in the form of duck broth with Lorraine bacon quenelles (€16) or pan-fried duck liver with elderberry sauce and lamb’s lettuce (€18.50).
Fischer & Lustig, Poststraße 26, 10178 Berlin
Prater Garten: Traditional goose
In the reopened Prater Gaststätte, the roast goose season is approached in a very traditional way, in keeping with the historical ambience: the goose is served whole or in portions with the classic side dishes of red cabbage, green cabbage, potato dumplings, fine gravy and baked apple. A portion costs €39, and a whole goose for four people can be pre-ordered for €149. Open until December 22.
Prater Gaststätte, Kastanienallee 7-9, 10435 Berlin
Ganymed Brasserie: Festive variety
French flair meets festive flavors: the Ganymed Brasserie offers everything the palate desires in the run-up to Christmas, from the classic St. Martin’s goose with apple and plum filling (four people, 160 euros), turkey with a pumpkin and apple filling (six people, 210 euros) and turkey (six people, 280 euros). The Christmas menus (starting at €49 for three courses) include a choice of venison ragout, vegetarian roast, two kinds of Barbarie duck, salmon fillet and braised goose leg, each framed by fennel-celery cream soup and Bûche de Noël. The four-course menu also includes pan-fried goose liver on lamb’s lettuce as a starter for 14 euros.
Ganymed Brasserie, Schiffbauerdamm 5, 10117 Berlin
Brecht’s Steakhouse: Classics and juicy steaks
Brecht’s Steakhouse offers a “crispy Christmas season” with classics such as St. Martin’s goose (160 euros for four people), turkey (210 euros) or turkey with pumpkin and apple filling (280 euros, each for six people). The side dishes range from sweet potato puree and apricot dumplings wrapped in apricots to glazed carrots. Alternatively, there is a choice of Chateaubriand (95 euros) or a steakhouse platter (89 euros, both for sharing). The menus (three courses starting at €49) start with a cream of black salsify soup, followed by pan-fried duck breast, goose leg confit or vegan goose leg. For dessert, there is a Christmas-themed gingerbread tiramisu. An optional fourth course is pikeperch pan-fried on the skin (€14).
Brechts Steakhaus, Schiffbauerdamm 6-7, 10117 Berlin
The Knast: Christmas menu adults only
On both Christmas days, the restaurant in the former women’s prison serves an exclusive four-course menu for adults only, starting at 7 p.m. It starts with red cabbage consommé and deer tartare, followed by a mushroom pâté with blackcurrants. For the main course, there is a confit leg of Barbarie duck with bean cassoulet. The sweet finale is a homemade apple tart. All for 89 euros, including a glass of Crémant.
The Knast, Soehtstraße 7, 12203 Berlin
Le Faubourg: goose to eat at home or in the restaurant
Until December 26, Le Faubourg is offering its crispy goose to order as a “goose to go” (199 euros) or as a “goose in peace” in the restaurant (229 euros), each for four people, including side dishes. On request, a speculoos mousse is available as a dessert (10 euros per person). A bottle of wine is included with every order as a gift. Please note: there is a pre-order time of 48 hours. On Christmas Eve, the team led by head chef Lukas Hackenberg will serve a festive four-course menu full of sophisticated combinations: beef fillet tartare with preserved egg yolk, smoked eel with beetroot, oat-fed goose with Brussels sprouts and pomegranate seeds – and finally a reimagined Yule log with almond, baked apple and tangerine sorbet. The menu costs 205 euros per person, including a wine pairing, water and coffee.
Le Faubourg, Augsburger Straße 41, 10789 Berlin
Sticks’n’Sushi: Christmas in Japanese
“Sticks’n’Santa” is coming to town: the three Berlin Sticks’n’Sushi restaurants are offering a festive menu during the Christmas season. For 130 euros, two people can expect a selection of innovative bites, sushi and sticks. Highlights of the bites are “Robusuta & Kani Soba” (with lobster bisque, snow crab and marinated trout roe), “Wagyu Sando” (with grilled Wagyu from Kyushu in a brioche) and “Hotate Ceviche” (with scallops and yuzu miso). The sushi selection ranges from ebi panko with tempura shrimp to hiramasa yaki with seared kingfish. The yakitori sticks include asparagus goma with grilled asparagus and gindara no miso with black cod. Some seasonal dishes can also be ordered individually. The wintery Kōto cocktail with rum, matcha and gingerbread syrup (€14) is the perfect accompaniment. All dishes are also available as take-out.
Sticks’n’Sushi, Potsdamer Straße 85, 10785 Berlin; Kantstraße 152, 10623 Berlin; Torstraße 171, 10115 Berlin
Bistro Mitte: Advent brunch by the fireplace
Every Sunday in December, Bistro Mitte invites you to an extended Advent brunch starting at noon. In a festive atmosphere with Christmas decorations and an open fireplace, the buffet table offers delicacies for every taste: fresh bread with regional cold cuts, cheese from Italy and France, as well as goat’s cheese cream with walnuts, cranberries and parsley, but also vegan highlights such as parsnip soup with hazelnut and herb pesto and roasted cauliflower with soy cream. Fresh from the oven: leg and breast of Brandenburg duck, salmon Wellington and, for vegetarians, a quinoa tricolore. The in-house patisserie serves stollen, cranberry cheesecake and Christmas cookies. At the live station, vegan cinnamon-oat ice cream is prepared with cinnamon roll croutons, plum compote, and oat crunch. Brunch also includes coffee and tea specialties, soft drinks, and champagne. 110 euros per person.
Bistro Mitte, Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 2, 10785 Berlin
Vox: Silent night, delicious night
Chef Hugo Thiébaut and his team have put together a menu for Christmas Eve that focuses on seasonal vegetables and Vox classics. It starts with kohlrabi combined with Jerusalem artichoke and black truffle. This is followed by Vox’s popular lobster bisque. The main course is veal blanquette with parsnips and black truffle. A gin and lemon sorbet with a glass of Crémant will be served as a refreshing interlude, followed by a dessert of candied chestnuts, black walnuts and wood-fired ice cream. The menu costs 199 euros per person, including drinks. A vegan option can be pre-ordered. The menu starts on December 24 at 7pm.
Vox, Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 2, 10785 Berlin
Swan&Son: Culinary Time-Outs
The new bistro from Michelin-starred chef Björn Swanson wants to help you slow down during the Christmas season: at the Xmas brunch or the festive “Le Grand Duc Dinner” on December 25 and 26 (10 a.m. to 14:00 or 18:00 to 21:00), at a private Christmas party (in the entire bistro with 75 seats or in the smaller “Hidden Room”), or at home with a ready-to-serve duck dinner. New Year’s Eve is all about the Swinging Sixties – with champagne, a five-course menu and a DJ.
Swan&Son, Giesebrechtstraße 3, 10629 Berlin
