Last updated on 06/25/2026
Viktoria Tkachenko
For me, a popular restaurant by the water has to be down-to-earth and honest. I looked at whether the water view is really there from your table, whether the kitchen delivers solid home cooking instead of forced trends and whether the prices stay reasonable for an outing. Most important to me is the relaxed mood, that feeling of having left the city behind for a few hours.
Right on the Great Wannsee and at the edge of the Grunewald forest: The Wannseeterrassen in Zehlendorf is one of Berlin's most famous excursion restaurants, with lake views, a spacious terrace, and cuisine blending German and French traditions.
In Tiergarten, right by the water: The Café am Neuen See is one of Berlin's most famous excursion destinations. Beer garden, restaurant, and boat rental are located here under old trees, and it's open all year round.
On the Rummelsburger Bucht in Lichtenberg, right on the Spree riverbank, Hafenküche combines seasonal cuisine with real water views - from breakfast and lunch to dinner.
Sicilian hospitality on the Havel bank: The harbor restaurant Da Peppe in Spandau-Wilhelmstadt is located directly at the Scharfe Lanke marina and serves Italian cuisine with beach chairs, loungers, and water views.
Located in Alt-Hohenschönhausen, directly by Lake Orankesee, you'll find one of Berlin's most beautiful waterside restaurants. The Orankesee Terrassen combines Mediterranean cuisine with lake views, a beer garden, and a tranquility rarely found in the city.
Right by the ferry terminal to Pfaueninsel, nestled between the Havel River and old trees, lies one of the most atmospheric excursion restaurants in Zehlendorf's southwest. The listed tavern captivates with its green inner courtyard, homemade cuisine, and expansive views over the river landscape.
Far out in Köpenick, right on the shore of Müggelsee, lies one of Berlin's most famous waterside excursion restaurants. The Rübezahl am Müggelsee combines a beer garden, bistro, and fisherman's hut into a place that offers lake views and relaxation all year round.
Far out in Müggelheim, where the Müggelspree flows through the forest, one of Berlin's most traditional waterside excursion restaurants has stood since 1897. Neu Helgoland is down-to-earth gastronomy with soul: water at the doorstep, chestnuts overhead, German cuisine on the plate.
On Lohmühleninsel, between Kreuzberg and Treptow, Freischwimmer is located directly on the Flutgraben: a waterside restaurant with a 100-meter riverside plateau, serving from brunch to dinner.
In Charlottenburg, less than 200 meters from Witzlebenplatz, the Bootshaus Stella on Lietzensee is deliberately hidden in the park's greenery. The beer garden with a lake terrace is one of Berlin's most beautiful lakeside excursion restaurants.
