Curry 36

Curry 36 at Mehringdamm carries the house number in its name: the first stand was a cart just over a metre wide in the building's entrance, with the 36 still visible beside it. Today there is currywurst with and without casing, from Havelland apple pork and in a vegan version, plus an own ketchup with 87 percent tomato paste.

A House Number Becomes a Brand

The name Curry 36 is not an invention, but an address. The original stand was a wooden cart in the entrance of Mehringdamm 36, around 1.12 meters wide, so that the house number next to it remained visible and immediately became a recognizable feature. In 1981, Vera and Lutz Stenschke took over the stand, which at the time was purely a neighborhood spot, and over the years, the narrow shack became one of the city’s most famous addresses. Today, there are four locations, with Mehringdamm remaining the main branch. There’s almost always a queue in front of the counter, but it moves quickly because no one hesitates long at the pan. The currywurst is available with and without casing, plus a poultry version, a vegan one, and one made from Havelland apple pork. The sausages come from a butcher in Berlin-Lichtenrade, processed in their own 200 square meter facility. Anyone exiting at Mehringdamm will find the stand without searching; the queue shows the way.

Ketchup with 87 Percent Tomato Paste

In addition to the sausage, Curry 36 has a second product that bears its name: its own ketchup with 87 percent tomato paste, bottled in 500-milliliter containers and also available in stores. If you want to take it with you, you can also get sausages and jars at the counter. The menu extends far beyond currywurst, with meatballs (also vegan), a gigantic bockwurst weighing 150 grams, ham sausage, Thuringian grilled sausage, Krakauer sausage, meat skewer, a breaded pork schnitzel weighing 180 grams, chicken nuggets, french fries, as well as potato, pasta, and coleslaw. Also available are beer and mini sparkling wine, making Mehringdamm a unique meeting point in the evenings. Payment is accepted in cash or by card, with delivery via their own service. The U6 and U7 subway lines stop right outside the door, along with bus lines 140, 248, and M19. The establishment also offers event catering, and an online shop for its own products has been announced. Those in a hurry eat standing up; those with time take their sausage to Mehringdamm and sit in the park.