Habba Habba

Habba Habba on Kastanienallee: Sesame Falafel in Prenzlauer Berg

Kastanienallee 15 is located on the stretch between Zionskirchplatz and Eberswalder Straße, where bars, late-night shops, and small stores are tightly packed together. Habba Habba stands out because the shop doesn’t look like a typical snack bar. The entrance is a few steps above street level, with a tiny elevated terrace in front offering a few seats and a view over the street. Inside, it’s cramped, the kitchen is open, and guests can watch the falafel being shaped and fried. Seating is limited, so a visit outside of peak hours is recommended. Only cash is accepted. Kastanienallee is consistently lively on warm evenings, and the few spots on the elevated platform are highly sought after. If you don’t get one, you can take your food to go and sit a few steps further at Zionskirchplatz. There is a second location at Schwedenstraße 3b in Wedding.

Falafel with Sesame, Pomegranate Dressing, and Mint Yogurt

The signature dish of the kitchen is the sesame falafel. The balls are light and fluffy and come either in a wrap or on a salad with herbs, nuts, and pomegranate dressing. The falafel wrap costs 8.50 Euros, the mint-yogurt sauce as a side dish 1.50 Euros, and precisely this combination is highly recommended. Coriander and mint run through the entire menu, including the drinks: there are hot beverages made from fresh mint or ginger, as well as a homemade lemonade. In addition to wraps, bowls and salads are available, along with homemade hummus and several halloumi variations that are popular with regular guests. Many dishes on the menu are marked as vegetarian and vegan, and a vegan version of others can be ordered. Bowls and salads are priced significantly higher than wraps but are intended as full meals. Habba Habba can be reached via the Eberswalder Straße U-Bahn station (U2) and via tram lines M1, M10, and 12, which run directly along Kastanienallee.