Freundschaft

In the basement of an old building on Mittelstraße, directly between Friedrichstraße and Humboldt University in Mitte, beats the heart of one of Berlin's most famous wine bars. Freundschaft combines Austrian tavern culture with a serious wine list and a counter where you stay until the lights go out.

Weinbar Freundschaft: When the Counter is the Center

Hidden between Friedrichstraße station and the Humboldt University library, in the basement beneath the Berlin branch of FAZ, awaits a sophisticated wine bar, where the word ‘bar’ takes center stage. As a friend of wine, the best place to position yourself is at the 26-meter-long, U-shaped counter made of German oak. The historic masonry of the corner building on Mittelstraße with its wrought-iron window grilles provides the optimal backdrop for a wine bar in the basement. If you don’t want to snag a bar stool, simply take a seat at the large regulars’ table. Music plays exclusively from the record player; cocktails are not available. This is not an oversight, but a deliberate program.

Willi Schlögl, co-founder of Cordobar, opened Freundschaft together with sommelier Johannes Schellhorn. They bring not only good wines from all over the world but also a touch of Austrian coziness to the Spree. This creates an evening that feels as if it were parked somewhere between Vienna and Berlin.

Wine List with Attitude, Bar Food with Thought

Around 600 wines are stored in the wine cellar, a glass-enclosed room at the entrance. Wines from Austria primarily dominate, but exceptions confirm the wine rule. Common denominator: good quality and authenticity. Conventional, biodynamic, and natural wines stand equally side by side, with about ten to fifteen wines also available by the glass. The operators consider it important that at least ten percent of the bottled wines always cost under 50 Euros. This makes Freundschaft accessible even to wine lovers who don’t approach the counter with an unlimited budget. In addition, compact bar food, hearty and intended as an accompaniment: seafood, meat platters, a few warm dishes. The team is happy to share its knowledge and provide insights into the origin and taste of the wines. So, if you’re looking for one of Berlin’s best wine bars, where expertise and hospitality truly go hand in hand, this is simply the right place.